Hitching the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 1)

“Do you still love me?” I interrupt, my heart throbs in my chest at seeing her and these fucking documents.

She blinks up at me and nods. “Yes, it’s why I—”

My jaw tightens, and I step closer. “Then why are you doing this?” I ask, shaking the folder in my hand.

“Riley, I’m trying—”

“Why are you walking away?” I take another step closer. “Don’t you feel how right this is?” I grab her hand. “How perfect we could be together?” I place her palm over my pounding heart and close the gap between us until she’s against the car door.

Our closeness causes her breath to hitch. With my eyes locked on hers, she whispers, “Yes, I do.”

“Then why did you sign the fucking papers, Zoey? Please tell me why,” I ask, squeezing her hand tighter.

She swallows, then looks up at me. “I didn’t.”

I lean back as if she’d just slapped me. “What? But you brought them here and gave them to me.” I drop her hand. “Or you wanted me to witness you signing them instead?”

She winces, and I immediately regret the words. “Guess I deserved that.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.” I shake my head, setting the folder on top of the car. “Then, please explain what it is you’re doing here because my mind is going fucking crazy.”

Zoey inhales a deep breath and smiles at me. Fuck, I’ve missed her smile. “I came here to say that I want you. Only you. I brought the papers so we could burn them together. I don’t want an annulment. On the chance that you still want to me married to me, that is.”

“Are you serious?” How could she even second-guess that she’s all I want?

Well, the two half naked girls in my house probably don’t help.

She nods. “I never had feelings for Benjamin or anything my parents pictured for me, but I tried for so long to make them happy that the lines began to blur between living my life and living for them. I decided life wasn’t worth living if you weren’t in it.”

I can’t help the smile on my face as I take in her words. “Really? You want to stay married then?” Caging her against the car, I lean forward, waiting for her to say the words.

“Yes, dummy!” She swats at my chest, laughing. “Had you not interrupted me a dozen times, I could’ve said that sooner.”

Wrapping a hand around her neck, I pull her mouth to mine and press our bodies together. Zoey immediately relaxes against me, looping her arms around my waist and pulling me tighter. I can’t believe she’s really here.

“You’re staying…” I whisper against her lips.

“Yes,” she replies.

“You’re mine.”

“Yes.” She slides her tongue between my lips. “Only yours.”

“Always.”

Zoey grins against me. “Yes.”

Hesitantly, I pull back as we both catch our breaths. “Tell me what happened,” I say, and she immediately knows what I’m referring to.

“I told my parents the truth, and that I refused to marry someone just to appease them. They weren’t happy about it, but once the initial shock wore off, they accepted that my happiness was more important. They apologized for making me feel pressured, and as soon as I was able to get things in order at my job and pack up, I grabbed a flight out here. Summer said she’d ship me the rest of my things, assuming you didn’t kick me out on my ass.”

I smirk. “I’m crazy in love with you, Zoey. I’d never kick you anywhere, except maybe into my bed.”

She brings our lips back together before pulling apart and grinning. “So you want to explain the two strippers in your house, or are we just going to ignore that?”

Chuckling, I shake my head. “Fucking Diesel. It’s his birthday gift to me.” I roll my eyes with a sigh. “Told him I didn’t want him to do anything, but you know how well he listens.”

She furrows her brows at me, frowning. “I’m sorry I missed your birthday. I’m the worst wife ever.”

I look at my new watch—a gift from my parents and Rowan—and grin. “It’s not over yet. Plenty of time to make it up to me.” I waggle my brows.

“Well, in that case…let’s go inside.”

“I like that idea much better.” I wink.

After I grab the folder and her luggage, we walk back into the house and go straight into my bedroom. The moment the door is shut, I drop everything and wrap Zoey into my arms.

“I think it’s time we take a proper honeymoon, wife. What do you think?” I suck on her neck, brushing my facial hair against her skin because I know it drives her insane.

She arches, giving me better access. “Mmm…I like that idea very much.”

“Let’s start now.” My hands slide around her back and up her tank top. “We’ll call it a pre-honeymoon.”

She chuckles and raises her arms so I can take it off. “What about your company?”