They rode for over an hour at a leisurely pace and Duke answered all her questions about ranch life. It was evident by the way he talked about it that he loved his ranch. He loved the land and the animals.

It was no wonder he did something crazy like agree to a fake girlfriend to save it. Fiancé. He’d changed the game up the first day, and she couldn’t help but wonder why.

The video would have been just as funny if she were just his girlfriend.

Duke pulled Hades to a stop. “Here we are.”

Ari looked around. There was nothing but a line of fencing as far as she could see. The same view that she’s been staring at for at least a half hour. “And here is exactly where?”

“This is where we start. Have to inspect the fencing to make sure the steers don’t get out. They find a break and I’ll be chasing them all over Montana to get them back.”

There had to be miles of fencing ahead and behind them.

“So we…”

“Ride alongside and look for damage.”

The sun beat down on her shoulders and she’d given up wiping the sweat off her face. It just came back as soon as she was done. At least yesterday she had the shade for the barn to hide under when it got too hot. Out here, there was nothing.

“Sounds like as much fun as a root canal,” she mumbled.

Duke threw back his head and laughed. “Spoken like a green city girl. It’s boring as fuck but it has to be done. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find something to fix.”

She wanted to throw something at his face. He actually enjoyed this? They spent the next half hour walking slowly along what seemed to be a line of never-ending fencing.

To the right, livestock dotted the landscape and to the left fields of corn were about a foot high. The path they rode was just a strip of grass but it looked well traveled.

“How often do you do this?”

“Someone is always riding the fences.”

“Doesn’t it take forever? We’ve been out here for a couple of hours already and there’s no end in sight.” She wiped her sleeve over her forehead and exhaled.

Duke laughed. “We ride them at a gallop. Goes much faster. Figured this being your first time on a horse, I’d go easy on you. Especially after I’ve been between your legs pretty much nonstop since yesterday.”

If possible, she grew even warmer. God, he had no filter. Secretly she loved it, though. The things he said to her, especially in the middle of sex, built her toward climax so much faster.

“Thank you, I guess?”

He wasn’t wrong. She felt like she was walking bow legged even before she got on the horse. Not that she was complaining. It was evidence of how many hours they’d enjoyed each other’s bodies.

“Whoa.” Duke crooned and Hades stopped. The command had Belle stopping as well. “There.”

Duke pointed to a spot where one of the posts dropped to the side, leaving the wire low enough that the steers could get out if they were so inclined.

Duke slid off Hades and then moved to help her down. She hadn’t expected her legs to be quite so rubbery when she landed on the ground and she almost crumpled. Duke held her up, pulled tight against his body.

He held her long after she got her legs back under her.

His fingers stroked along her hip and her lowered his head and buried his nose in the crook of her neck. Now her legs were wobbly for a different reason.

Emotions welled up inside her. She had no idea what was going on between them, what was really going on, outside of the whole fake engagement thing.

“What are we doing Duke?”

“Having fun darling.”

“But…” she started to argue.

He pressed his finger to her lips. “Aren't you having fun, Boston?”

She nodded against his finger.

“Then what's the problem? Let's just keep having fun and see what happens.” He kissed her neck and she couldn’t hold back the moan. He hardened against her backside. “God I want you all the fucking time,” he growled in her ear. “Been inside you all night and it’s all I can think about.”

He slid his hand down and popped open the button on her jeans, then unzipped them.

“What about the fence?” she said breathlessly.

Duke stopped. “Good idea, Boston.” He walked her over to a post that was standing straight and reached around to guide her hands to the top. “Keep your hands right there.” Then he guided her hips so that she had to step back.

Now she was bent over at the waist and her arms were stretched out in front of her. Duke ran his hands down her sides, pulled her jeans down over the curve of her ass then left them there mid thigh.

She heard his belt and her breathing grew erratic. What if someone saw them? They were out in the wide open, for crying out loud. But then he stepped closer and she felt the head of his cock nudge her slick lips open.

By the time he made her scream his name, she didn’t really care if the entire state of Montana was watching them have sex in the middle of a field.

When he came, Duke wrapped himself around her and held her tight, pulsing inside her while his lips were pressed against her shoulder. Even though they were completely exposed, Ari had never felt more connected with Duke.

They got dressed and Duke showed her how to repair a fence and videoed her doing it and by the time they rode back to the ranch, Ari hadn’t stopped smiling.

They walked to the house, hand in hand, and Duke started for the stairs. A couple walked in and the stunning young woman saw Ari and grinned.

“City Girl,” she cried out. “I could not get here fast enough to meet you.” The woman rushed across the foyer and threw her arms around Ari. “My friends and I are all rooting for you. And you,” she looked at Duke appreciatively, “are even better looking in person. Honey, come take a picture for me.”

Her partner stepped up and the woman squeezed between Ari and Duke. After several shots, the woman, Jayne Fielding from Los Angeles she told them, hugged Ari one more time and they went on their way.

“That was weird.” She’d been hugged by a complete stranger who whispered in her ear that she was lucky as hell to get to sleep with that fine specimen of a man.

“Told you they loved you, city girl.” Duke grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs. “And now it’s my turn.”

His grin showed her the direction his mind was taking but Ari couldn't stop the hitch in her chest at play on words. They love you city girl, and now it’s my turn. He didn’t mean it that way, but it didn’t stop her traitorous heart from responding just the same.

Just as they reached the top of the stairs, Molly popped out of the office and called to Duke but he didn’t even look at her. But Ari did glance back, and she didn’t miss the way Molly’s lips pursed or how she glared at their joined hands.

* * *

The next four days were pretty much the same thing. Ranch work, lots of sex, and making appearances together. Ari sank into role she played that as it turned out, wasn’t so much a role as it was her life now.

Yes, she finally admitted it to herself that she had fallen hard for Duke. Even with so much still up in the air, Ari got comfortable spending the nights in his bed.

The footage Molly posted didn’t even bother her anymore, because Duke was right, people loved the whole city girl gone country angle.

What none of them knew was that Ari had started trying her best at everything Duke was teaching her, hoping that he would see her as a partner and maybe not so much as his fake fiancée anymore.

And maybe he might want her to stay.