Hitching the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 1)

“Please,” I beg. “Let me explain everything to you.” Before he can respond, Benjamin calls my name.

“Go back to your fiancé,” he snaps, jerking his hand from mine. Riley gets into his truck, not giving me another look, and backs out of the driveway, spitting up rocks as he leaves. I watch until I can no longer see his truck. Sobs escape me at the reality of the shitstorm I’ve created.

What have I done?

Benjamin comes up behind me, and that’s when I notice the Mercedes parked nearby. Of course he’d rent a flashy luxury car. He sticks out like a sore thumb in his business casual, Rolex, and slicked back hair.

“I’ve called you, and you’ve done nothing but ignore me. What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Zoey? I am your fiancé. You belong to me.”

All I can do is scowl at him—the man who thought proposing at my sister’s wedding was a genius idea, the man who I said yes to because I had no other choice. With my parents and every person in their social circle there, I was put on the spot. Embarrassing them would’ve garnered lifelong consequences, and at the time, I didn’t know what to do. I knew it was what my parents wanted, and at that moment of weakness, I crumpled to their wishes. Coming to Texas and being with Riley grounded me for the first time in years. I found out who I was, the part of me that I almost lost.

“We’re leaving in the morning,” Benjamin hisses. “Your parents are expecting us at dinner tomorrow night to discuss wedding plans,” he says it as if it were some business meeting for work that’s nothing more than an inconvenience. I look at him like he’s lost his fucking mind, but it doesn’t faze him in the least. For a man who asked me to marry him, he doesn’t even ask about who I was kissing before he showed up. That’s because he doesn’t care. I’m only a piece of property to him.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, finally able to find my words.

He takes a step forward, his eye already starting to bruise. With a busted lip and rustled hair, he looks like complete shit. My parents will definitely notice and ask questions.

“I came to get my goddamn fiancée from this shithole. I seriously don’t understand why you’ve been here for so long.” Benjamin makes a disgusted expression. “Look at this place.” He places his hands on his hips and looks at the B&B as if it were a fallen down shack.

When I look around, all I see is heaven on earth, a treasure of a place where social status and the amount in the bank doesn’t mean anything, something Benjamin wouldn’t understand. He wants the best of the best and only cares about appearances, just like my parents.

Studying his hands, I can see he’s seething. “Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if these were damaged? I’d sue the living fuck out of this ranch. I’d take them for every penny they’re worth and finish this place. We’d rename it Benjamin’s B&B.” He laughs at his joke and thinks he’s so damn clever.

I try to steady my breathing, but my entire body shakes from the inside out, knowing that I might’ve lost the man I love forever.

Benjamin stares at me. “You’ll need to fully explain yourself on the plane ride home tomorrow. I really don’t have time to be rescuing you, Zoey. This is childish and immature, and your parents aren’t happy. I may have never found you if it weren’t for Summer.”

“Summer?” I ask in disbelief.

“She told your parents you were staying at a B&B in Texas. I had my assistant looking for you for the past week. It wasn’t easy to track you down.” He takes a step forward. “You’ve embarrassed me.”

His eyes grow dark and dangerous, and I step back to create some space between us before he hurts me. I wish Riley hadn’t left me with him, but I don’t blame him for it. “I’m sorry.” I swallow down my pride and say what he wants to hear.

Shaking his head, he waves off my apology.

“What about my car?” I ask, considering I drove. I need it to come back here once everything clears up.

“I’ve already planned for it to be shipped back to Phoenix. I hired a company to pick it up before the end of the month. Enough slumming in this shithole.”

“It’s not a shithole,” I spit back at him. I find a little courage to mutter my next words. “And I’m not going with you, Benjamin.”

He remote starts the Mercedes. “Darling, you don’t really have a choice. Your parents want you home immediately. You’re about to lose the space for your job. Plus, we have a wedding to plan. Quit pretending your life is here, Zoey. It’s not, and you’re on the path to lose everything and everyone who cares about you. So let’s snap back to real life, okay? Playtime is over.”