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“Are you really going to make me say it?” Wyatt challenges me. I remain quiet, glaring at him, daring him to say what he’s thinking. He sighs, takes a shot of his whiskey, and continues. “You’ve been getting a lot of bad press lately, and it’s affecting the ranch. I don’t like this any more than you do, but it looks like you need to clean up your act or you’re going to lose sponsors for the rodeo. We can’t afford that.”
“I still don’t see what my personal life has to do with the rodeo,” I grumble into my beer.
“You can’t promote a family-friendly event when you’re being spread across the internet with a new woman every night, giving the ladies in town enough gossip for a lifetime.” Wyatt swears under his breath as he shakes his head. “I think it’s a bullshit excuse, but you run Whiskey Canyon Ranch now, and that means you’re in the spotlight. You don’t get a pass as the owner’s son anymore. You’re the owner.”
“Why do you have to be so fucking logical?”
“Why do you have to be so fucking stubborn?”
We stare at each other, unblinking. My chest heaves in agitation as I take in Wyatt’s words.
I’ve spent my whole life involved with the family ranch, but I’ve only been running it for less than a year. I’m sure my dad is rolling in his grave seeing how I’m still living my personal life, much like he would tell me to my face when he was alive. I’m always professional when it comes to the ranch, though. I take meetings, I return phone calls and emails. It’s not like I’m fucking the buckle bunnies in front of clients on a conference room table.
To me, those two parts of my life are separate, but I guess I need to put a hold on the revolving door of bunnies if I want my business to be successful.
“Okay, say I want to ‘clean up my act;’ I have to make it look like I’m dating the same woman for one extended period of time, and go to all the charity events with her?”
“Yes, just until the rodeo’s over. Find someone you can stand long enough, who would please the sponsors, and then break it off after the rodeo. Then we’ll spend the next year making sure we aren’t in this predicament again.”
I can’t hold back my huff. I know Wyatt’s right; it’s the best way to make the investors happy and protect the ranch, but I don’t care for it. There’s a reason I have a different woman on my arm every night. I don’t do relationships. I’m broken that way, and I don’t care to fix it.
“Fine, but I get a say in who this unlucky woman is. I’m not going to be spending my time with just anyone.”
“As if anyone could convince you otherwise,” Wyatt laughs, taking another sip of his drink.
I reach my arm out to grab my beer when a gentle hand grazes my arm.
“Laughlin, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend,” a soft voice behind me says.
Surely the voice doesn’t belong to the woman touching my arm. I’m never mistaken for anyone’s boyfriend, that’s for damn sure.
I turn on my stool, finding myself lost in a pair of breathtaking hazel eyes. There’s a pleading look to them that’s piqued my interest, along with her hand gripping my arm as if I were a life ring. I don’t know what she’s asking of me, but I know I want to play along.
“Chance Declan is your boyfriend?” A grating timber asks to my left.
Laughlin Chadwick. Fuck me.
I don’t know what this woman wants, but now she’s definitely getting it. She doesn’t fit the bill of my usual type with her long, dark hair, but she is incredibly attractive.
It’s those eyes that are holding me captive. Her intense look is all but begging for me to pretend to be her boyfriend.
And if there’s one thing I love, it’s a woman begging for me.
“There you are, babe. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” I lean in, giving her a kiss on her cheek as I whisper, “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Dakota,” she whispers with a smile as I pull back.
“There’s no way you’re dating this asshole,” Laughlin hisses.
Dakota’s eyes open wide in astonishment. “And why not? Why would it be so hard to believe I’m dating Chance?” she asks as she leans against the bar.
I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her in tight to me.
“Like you could land the town’s billionaire. Plus, everyone knows he only dates arm candy and you, Dakota, aren’t that.” Laughlin sneers as he runs his eyes up and down Dakota’s body.
I don’t know what this guy’s problem is, or Dakota’s history with him, but it’s ending right here.
“You’d better watch your fucking mouth, Chadwick.” I stand from my stool, getting in his face. “You won’t like what happens if you say one more word about my woman.”
