Chapter One
Sipping her macchiato as she walked beneath the palm trees on Rodeo Drive in her Jimmy Choo heels, Mary Beth Chaudett would soon get the devastating news that would change her life forever.
“You have to stand up for yourself,” she said into her phone, which was pressed against her long blonde hair, bleached by the California sun. She walked out of a designer boutique where she’d tried on outfits that equaled the monthly wage of the staff working within her mansion, but she’d left empty-handed. The outfits had been repulsive. She wouldn’t put them on a dancing hippo. “I mean it, Claudette. Be the biggest bitch there is. Raise a fuss. It’s the only way to get the cow off your back.”
“But that cow is my little sister,” Claudette pointed out.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It does. If you had siblings, you’d understand.”
“I understand plenty. Your sister tried to steal your boyfriend. Now she’s trying to steal your car by defaming you. Your dad had that car custom made for you. There’s no other in the world like it, and she knows it, so she’s using all the ammunition she has to talk it out of your garage and into hers. You have to fight back. Don’t let her walk over you. Stand up for yourself.”
Beside the cobbled stone of the street, a homeless man sat on the sidewalk with a cardboard sign asking for supper. He wouldn’t last long. The police would be on him in an instant. Mary Beth quickly pulled a hundred dollar bill from her pocket and set it in the man’s hand before hurrying on her way.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Claudette said, giving in. “You know what she told Daddy yesterday? She said that because I was twenty-four, I should be working so that I could afford my own car. Can you believe it? The worst thing is, I think Daddy is considering it. I’m a little scared. You’re my age. You understand. We haven’t worked a day in our lives. I even paid the Geek Squad to do my homework in high school. Where the hell am I supposed to get a job?”
“I don’t know,” Mary Beth said honestly.
“That’s because your daddy has billions. He has more than enough to spread around.”
“No, not billions,” she corrected her friend. “But close.”
The truth was, her papa would probably love it if she got a job, invested herself in something other than fashion, but he couldn’t talk. He’d been jobless at twenty-four as well, traveling around as an amateur bull rider in the rodeo, eating away at the trust fund set up by his father, an oil tycoon. It was only when her papa was older did he invest his money into organizing rodeo events. Now, he was a recognized name, the leader of the pack, responsible for events as elite as the world championships in bull riding, adding millions to the fortune he had inherited from his father.
Reluctantly, Mary Beth went into another shop. Ray Chaudett. It belonged to her papa, one of his latest business ventures. Known for its designer Western wear, it was less than a year old, but it was already building an elite reputation with rich cowboys and cowgirls. She didn’t care for it. She didn’t care for any of it. Her papa could have the South. She’d stick with Beverly Hills. The only reasons she was in the shop was because hidden between the pinched hats and leather chaps were the best sunglasses on Rodeo Drive.
A host rushed towards her with a glass of champagne, but Mary Beth held up a finger to indicate for him to hold on while she finished her call.
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Claudette,” she continued. “Your dad won’t take your car away. He bought it for you because of all the charity work you do. Your sister can moan and bitch, but she’ll never get what she wants. She’ll never be as great as you are.”
“I hope so. Hey, did you see the new Gucci bag that’s out?”
“Yeah. It’s vulgar.”
“Oh. I bought one.”
“I would take it back. Seriously, Gucci is the poor man’s Versace.”
The door opened, and a man Mary Beth knew all too well walked in, grabbing the attention of everyone in the shop. Around her, men and women alike glistened with admiration. Mary Beth rolled her dark blue eyes. It made her want to dump her macchiato on each of their heads.
“I gotta go,” she said to Claudette. “The big bad bear has arrived.”
“You mean Owen Hutch?” Claudette asked. “Where are you? I want to meet him. He’s the sexiest thing to walk on two legs. And four.”
“What would you guys talk about? You don’t know anything about the rodeo.”
“I may not know anything about the rodeo, but I know he’s a superstar. Where are you?”
“Nowhere, because I’m about to leave before I get sick,” Mary Beth said. “See you later.” She hung up.
“Your brandy,” the host said to Owen, bringing him a glass of brandy on a gold platter.
“Where was my gold platter when you offered me the champagne?” she mumbled to herself. “I’m the owner’s freaking daughter.”
Like her, Owen was in his mid-twenties, but he had the stature of someone much older, carrying himself with a formidable confidence that came with being a superstar. It helped that he was also super tall and well built, with a broad chest that could rip trees apart. He was a champion bull rider, but his good looks and easy humor had earned him numerous television appearances and invites to red carpet events. The magazines loved him. Social media was constantly flooded with images of his brown hair and golden eyes. He was a gentleman and a redneck, a combination that made the public drool.
It makes them drool, but it makes me gag, Mary Beth thought. She didn’t understand the obsession with Owen. Yeah, he was hot, but she preferred her men in sharp suits and fast cars, not jeans and flannels, no matter how well those jeans showed off his ass.
She’d known Owen for many years. As a bull rider, he was often at the events her papa organized, and when he was in town he came to the mansion for dinner. Impressed with his talent and drive, her papa had taken Owen in. To him, Owen was more than a rider in his rodeo. He was like the son he never had. It didn’t matter that Owen was a shifter, a werebear who could transform at any time into a giant grizzly. Her father treated him like family.
Mary Beth didn’t mind that Owen was a shifter either. But she did mind that he was so obnoxious. She didn’t know why she hated Owen so much, but she didn’t need a reason. He and his perfect smile left knots in her stomach even a sailor couldn’t untie.
Standing tall, though she was no match for Owen, she went to the host. “I’d like my champagne now,” she said righteously. “And make sure it’s a fresh bottle.”
“Of course,” the host said, clearly disappointed to leave. He let the platter fall to his side as he went to the back to do as she asked.
She turned to Owen. “What are you doing here?”
His smile didn’t falter. “You mean what is a bull rider doing in a store that sells snake skin boots and shiny belt buckles?”
“This isn’t a store. A store is where you buy apples and bubblegum. This is a shop.”
He laughed and walked by her. “Well, this shop has the best sunglasses in these parts.” He went to the display tucked into the far corner. “It’s a shame they’re hidden away in the back.”
Mary Beth had thought the same thing, but she wouldn’t admit it to Owen. “Don’t think you’ll get a discount just because you had dinner at the mansion with my papa last night.”
Owen mindlessly searched through the sunglasses. “We missed you at dinner. Where were you?”
“I was at a club meeting a real superstar. One who has been nominated for an Oscar, but you wouldn’t understand what it’s like to be nominated for something so prestigious. All you know is bulls and muck.”
“No shame in bulls and muck. It’s an honest wage,” Owen replied, unfazed. He put on a pair of sleek black shades that somehow made his face even more holy than it already was. “How do these make me look?”
Ridiculously gorgeous.
“Hideous,” she answered. “You look like an alligator trying to blend in with crocodiles.”
“That makes no sense.”
She batted her eyelashes. “That’s only because you’re not smart enough to understand.”
To her irritation, he laughed again. “You heading to Mesa for the big competition?”
“Only if Papa makes me.”
“So no then.”
“Not likely.”
“When was the last time you’ve been to the rodeo?”
Mary Beth swallowed. “When I was fifteen, after my mama died.”
Owen softened. “Is that why you don’t like to go?”
“No. I don’t like to go because it smells like muck and it’s full of rednecks who call themselves gentlemen but don’t know the difference between a knife and a fork.”
“You should go to Mesa with your father,” Owen persisted. “Remember where you come from. You were born a cowgirl. You can take the girl out of the rodeo, but you can’t take the rodeo out of the girl.”
“You can take the rodeo and shove it,” Mary Beth countered. “I was born in Beverly Hills, and that’s where I plan to stay.”
***
Her mansion sat on a lake in the far stretches of Los Angeles. Well, technically it was her papa’s mansion, and it was more of a ranch, built of whitewash stone walls and Spanish roof tiling with stables and barnyards surrounding it. There was very little Mary Beth liked about the Wild West, but she did like the mansion. It was the only home she had ever known.
In the drive, she stepped out of her black convertible and handed the keys to the valet, who would park it in the nearby garage with the rest of the cars. Most were her papa’s collection of old classics, but the convertible was all hers. It was fast. She liked fast.
“Papa!” she called when she entered the house, realizing she hadn’t seen him in days. He had the virtues of an early bird. She was a cat in the night, clubbing until sunrise and sleeping most of the day away, unless there was shopping to be had. That’s where the sunglasses came in handy. Sunglasses could hide eyes that were red and weary from a party gone right.
When her papa didn’t answer, Mary Beth turned to the intercom on the wall. “Papa, it’s me. Are you home?”
“I’m in my room packing for Mesa,” he answered through the box. “Come on up.”
She kicked off her heels and left them by the door for the housekeeping staff to put away before heading upstairs to her papa’s bedroom, enjoying the feel of her bare feet against the cool marble flooring. The marble was Italian. It was the best of its kind. Her family never settled for anything less than the best.
In his room, her papa had his suitcase sprawled open on his bed, which he neatly folded his fringed and embroidered rodeo suits into.
“You should really hang those in garment bags,” she recommended.
“Someone will take care of the creases in Mesa,” he returned, sounding tired. It was unusual for him. He was usually as peppy as a showman, even in his sleep.
“Do you have to go to Arizona?” she asked with concern as she sat on the foot of his bed. “You look awful. Take a day off. Get some rest.”
“Mesa is one of the biggest events of the year. I own it. I’m in charge. I have to go. Plus, it’s special to me.”
“It’s not worth your health. You can go next year. For now, send someone else to oversee it. Or hire a double.”
He chuckled. “A double couldn’t pull of my energy or charm.”
“No,” she agreed. “But they can run one show without you. Stay.”
Her papa answered by changing the subject. “Owen called. He said he ran into you.”
“He was probably following me,” she huffed, though she knew it wasn’t true.
Sighing, her papa put the last of his suits into his suitcase then started on his socks, which lay in a neat row near his pillows. He was an efficient man, no matter what it was he did. “I really wish you two would get along.”
“I know,” she said irritably, lacking her usual patience with her papa. “He’s the son you never had.”
“Don’t say it that way. I don’t regret not having a son. You are better than any son. But I do regret that you lost interest in the rodeo. I miss having you there.”
“I’m sorry I missed dinner last night,” she replied, unable to say more. She stood to leave, but her papa wasn’t finished.
“You know I opened up the shop for you. I had hoped Ray Chaudett could be a project we could work on together, a fusion of your love for fashion and my commitment to the rodeo.”
Mary Beth stopped in her tracks. “You never told me that before,” she said, stunned by the revelation. “How come?”
“I didn’t want to push you into it. I thought you would naturally migrate towards it, but you hate it as much as you hate the animals in the barnyard.”
“I don’t hate the shop,” she protested. “And I certainly don’t hate the animals in the barnyard. I actually kind of love the pigs.”
He smiled, a joy in him despite his exhaustion. “Then I guess we both have things to learn about each other.”
There was more he had meant to say, but as he opened his mouth to speak, his hand began to tremble, causing a sock he held to fall to the bed.
“Daddy?” she asked, frightened by how pale he suddenly became. “Are you okay?”
She stepped forward, but it was too late. Her papa collapsed to the ground and fell into unconsciousness.
* * *
Chapter Two
Mary Beth disliked hospitals as much as she did the rodeo. Hospitals were full of fear and uncertainty, especially now. When her mama had been in the hospital battling cancer, they’d known she was going to pass. They had time to prepare and say their goodbyes. She wasn’t sure the same would happen with her papa. She sat in the waiting room of the ER, his fate uncertain, her last glimpse of him when the paramedics had wheeled him on the gurney into the back.
A little boy sat next to her, his head down in his hands. “Tough day,” she said to him.
“The worst,” he said. “My brother fell off his bike. He has to have a cast put on his leg. Now he won’t be able to play soccer with me.”
“That is tough,” Mary Beth said, glad for the distraction. “But maybe you can still play. Ask your parents if they can get a pair of crutches for you too. That way you can both hop around on one leg trying to kick the ball.”
The boy raised his head. “That’s a great idea! Thanks, lady.”
She frowned. “Don’t call me lady. I’m not your grandma.”
A doctor walked in looking as if he hadn’t slept in years. “Mary Beth Chaudett?” he called.
Panicked, she quickly met him by the door. “Is my papa okay? Was it a heart attack? I told him those barbeque ribs would catch up with him someday.”
“Walk with me,” the doctor instructed. “I’ll take you to him.”
“Thank you,” she said, terrified as they walked. “Is he alive?”
“For now. It wasn’t a heart attack, but it does involve his heart. We believe he caught a virus, which has been left untreated for awhile. With his age, we’re afraid it may have damaged his heart. We’d like to keep him in the hospital for a few days to observe him.”
Mary Beth wasn’t sure how to handle the news; her relief that he was alive matched her despair that she could still lose him. His hospital room didn’t make the situation any easier to deal with. Her papa was hooked up to a herd of machines, and he remained ashen.
“My girl,” he said when he saw her, lighting up. He hadn’t called her my girl since she was ten. “I’m sorry you have to see me this way.”
“Don’t be stupid, Papa,” she said, trying hard to push back her tears. “You look very handsome, even strapped up like that.”
“You could never lie as good as I could,” he mused. “I’m glad you’re here. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
He sounded serious. “Please don’t say your will,” she pleaded, “because I don’t want to even think about that. You keep your money. I just want you.”
“Come here.” He took her hand when she met him at his bedside. “I’m humbled to hear it,” he said, emotional. “But I don’t want to talk about my will either. That’s for lawyers to discuss. I want to talk about Mesa. Go in my place. Wear my boots. I can’t go, and there are very few people I trust to run the show.”
Mary Beth was appalled. “Papa, I can’t leave you. What if… No. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to send someone else. What about Owen?”
“Owen is a competitor. He can’t be affiliated with the business, not on a professional level. Please. Do this for me. Mesa is where I met your mama. It’s special to me. It’s special to you too. At least, it used to be. The three of us always went together.”
“I haven’t been to a rodeo since I was fifteen,” she reminded him. “I’m not even sure I can tell the difference between a horse and a cow anymore.”
“Joke all you want, my girl, but I know the rodeo still lives on within you. You didn’t quit because you hate it. You quit because you got bored, but you’re all grown up now. I think you’ll enjoy it again. Owen will be there. If you have any questions, he’ll help.”
She could see how much going to Mesa meant to her papa. If these were his last days, she couldn’t deny him his final wish, so she reluctantly agreed. “Only if you promise to still be here when I get back. And if the whole place burns down, it’s on you. You don’t send a rabbit out to catch a snake.”
He snorted. “You’re no rabbit, Mary Beth.”
“You calling me a snake?” she teased despite her grief.
“No. You’re no snake either. You’re sunshine.”
She smiled. “Well, don’t be telling that to your staff. I plan to use their fear of me to my advantage. That includes Owen.”
He nodded, contemplative. Then he asked, “If anything did happen to me, you and Owen would put your differences aside, wouldn’t you? The two of you would keep my legacy going? The rodeo can’t stop, no matter how many cows go home.”
“Sure,” she said. “We’d try.”
He looked disappointed. “I really wish you were better at telling lies.”
***
To her relief, it turned out there wasn’t much Mary Beth had to do in Mesa. The people her papa had hired did their jobs well. All she really had to do was smile big and put the fear in anyone she thought might slack off. In a way, it was like hosting a big party. She could handle that. She was the queen of parties. Wearing stilettos paired with a floral skirt and oversized blouse, Mary Beth made her rounds, introducing herself to those in expensive fabrics, figuring they were her papa’s comrades, unlike the rodeo folk in their faded T-shirts and ripped jeans.
If there was one thing she had learned from her experiences when she was younger, it was that each rodeo was different. Smaller rodeos were usually outdoors in an arena where the crowd gathered around the fences. The larger televised events were in grand stadiums where thousands looked down at the arena. Mesa was a combination of the two. It would be filmed to air on television, but it was all outdoors, including the giant arena, where the men would ride their bulls and broncos, and they would rope their calves, and the barrelmen would entertain the crowd. The men and the women, actually. Mary Beth had been impressed to see there was a women’s bull riding competition scheduled. There hadn’t been the last time she stood so close to a pen.
The Mesa rodeo also had a fair. Surrounding the arena were countless games, rides, and food stands. There was also a convergence of beer tents where the fans liquored up before the bull riders claimed their eight seconds.
Meeting and greeting the elite at the rodeo was easier than she had anticipated, but Mary Beth couldn’t wait to return to Beverly Hills. Walking in the dirt in her stilettos killed her feet, and the dust around the place made her sneeze, but she had a much bigger worry on her mind. She didn’t want to leave her papa alone for too long. As soon as she was certain the rodeo wouldn’t burn down, she’d jump back onto the private jet she’d flown out in and go to him.
Standing at the entrance to the press tent where she had just done an interview, the crowd around her suddenly parted with murmurs of adoration.
Oh god no, she thought, tempted to run back into the press tent, anything to avoid the rodeo god. I don’t think I can handle Owen Hutch today. Mr. Sainthood. Mr. He’s So Gorgeous and Kind. Mr. Hardworking.
As she predicted, Owen broke through the crowd, but his casual manner was gone, replaced by an anger she rarely saw in him, an anger that caused his golden eyes to burn with the fury of a bear.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me!” he roared when he reached her.
“Hush,” she commanded, grabbing his arm, though her hand could barely grip its mass. “Not here. He doesn’t want everyone to know.”
Understanding, he allowed her to lead him to a private alley between the beer tents, far from the press. “You should have told me,” he asserted when they were alone, pressed between kegs of ale.
“How do you know what happened?”
“I called him as soon as you showed up. I didn’t buy your baloney story that he was busy with the new clothing line at Ray Chaudett. He would never miss the rodeo for something so trivial to him. This is where he’s happiest.”
“Ray Chaudett isn’t trivial,” she protested. “He started the company to be closer to me.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Owen hissed. “You should have told me. You knew I was in town. I shouldn’t have had to hear it from the maid over the phone.”
“I didn’t have your number,” she explained, though she doubted she would have called him anyway.
He shook his head. “Maybe I should leave and go visit him.”
“Don’t,” she said, putting a hand to his chest. She cared very little about where Owen went, but she knew her papa would be upset if Owen didn’t compete. “It’s the last thing he’d want,” she added, softening her tone.
“But what if he…”
“He won’t,” she insisted, hoping it was true.
Standing so close to Owen, she began to feel her heart beat faster. She was suddenly very aware of how strong a man Owen Hutch was, of how powerful he was. His body was thick and hard. His arms bulged through the T-shirt he wore. She felt her own body respond to his, pulsing in places other than her heart. Starving, she very much wanted Owen to pin her to the stack of kegs and run his hand up her skirt and past her lace panties, where his fingers could explore deep within her.
It’s the grief, she determined, trying to keep her breath steady. It plays tricks on the soul.
Owen must have felt the same. Tenderly, he took her hand and held it in his. Surprisingly, she liked the way it felt. It steadied her, helped ease her fears. But then he pulled a pen from his back pocket and scratched his phone number onto her palm, his anger returning.
“Call me if you hear anything,” he demanded. Then tipping his hat her way, he left.
It was a good thing. It gave Mary Beth a chance to catch her breath and to make a vow never to be so close to Owen Hutch again.
* * *
Chapter Three
Her mind full of worries, as Mary Beth walked out of the woman’s bathroom, she barely noticed the woman playing horseshoes nearby, not until she ran right into her, causing the woman to tumble to the ground, a horseshoe in hand.
“Watch it next time!” the woman, a brunette with wavy hair and light brown eyes, griped.
“I’m so sorry,” Mary Beth said, offering her hand to help the woman up. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I should be used to it,” the woman said, dusting herself off. “It’s not the first time it’s happened. At least you’re not a bear.”
Mary Beth looked the woman over. Dressed in denim shorts and holding a horseshoe in her hand, she seemed like she fit in, but Mary Beth knew better. The woman’s skin was tanned, but the freckles across her shoulders revealed the tan was new. There was no ridiculous hat or boots to her get-up. The woman may be a fan, but she was no cowgirl.
“Oh my god, you’re normal!” Mary Beth exclaimed. “I’m so glad to have another normal person around. Can I buy you a drink for making you eat dust?”
“I shouldn’t,” the woman said, suddenly uncomfortable.
“Come on,” Mary Beth insisted. “It’s better than playing horseshoes all by yourself. It’s a little sad.” She tucked her arm around the woman’s and dragged her towards the nearest beer tent. “Don’t be bashful. We normal girls have to stick together. Plus, I’m the boss around here, so you have to do what I say.”
“You’re the boss?” the woman asked, looking behind her.
“This is my papa’s show. He runs the rodeo, but he’s away attending to other business, so I’m taking his place.”
“I wouldn’t want to upset the boss,” the woman said reluctantly.
Mary Beth wasn’t offended. She was used to people shying away from her. “What’s your name?” she asked. “I’m Mary Beth.”
“Dakota,” the woman introduced.
“Well, Dakota, I hope you like to drink, because after the day I’ve had, I need several.”
“I’m not really much of a drinker.”
“Neither am I,” Mary Beth chirped. “That’s how bad of a day it’s been.”
Tables were lined in orderly rows beneath the tent, which reminded Mary Beth of her papa. He would have approved. But though the tables were disciplined, the people who sat at them were not. They were loud and merry. Some had broken into a country song on the charts that Mary Beth had listened to many times before, but she’d never admit to knowing the lyrics.
“I like the atmosphere in here,” she said to Dakota as they took a seat at the counter. “It’s not as stuffy as other tents I’ve visited today. It kind of reminds me of a club.”
“I don’t go to many clubs,” Dakota answered. “I’m more of a homebody. At least, I used to be.”
“What does that mean?”
She tensed. “Doesn’t matter.”
Mary Beth tried to put her at ease. “Don’t worry, I won’t bite. I’m here to have fun.” She turned to the bartender, a round guy with plump cheeks and a hat that barely fit over his head. “Two champagnes,” she ordered. “With strawberries.”
The bartender laughed condescendingly. “Ale or whiskey, darling?”
“I said champagne. And don’t speak to me that way. Do you know who I am?”
“Yeah, I know,” he muttered as he picked up a rag to clean a glass. “You’re the boss’s daughter. Makes no difference. I have ale. And I have whiskey. Unless you can magically make something else appear, those are your choices.”
She glanced him over. “I like you,” she decided. “I’ll take one of each for the three of us.”
“Gladly, darling,” he said, pleased, and he poured them their drinks. “To good times,” he cheered with his glass of whiskey.
“To good times,” she echoed.
They shot down their glasses while Dakota took a tentative sip of hers.
“Thanks,” the bartender bid before stepping away to attend to the line forming around the counter, abandoning the pint she’d ordered for him.
She turned her attention back to Dakota. “Where are you from?” she asked.
“Up north,” she answered, evasive. “And you?”
“California. Have you been?”
“Never.”
“You should. It is so beautiful there. It’s hot, but not like the cactus and tumbleweed around here. I hate the desert. In California, there are palm trees and beaches. Beverly Hills is especially nice. You have not shopped until you’ve been to Rodeo Drive. Do you like to shop?”
“I used to.”
“Well, if you’re ever in California, I’ll take you to Rodeo Drive and buy you a good pair of sunglasses. You’re going to need them if you’re hanging around the South.”
Dakota smiled, relaxing.
“What?” Mary Beth asked. “What did I say?”
“You know… Rodeo Drive… and we’re at the rodeo.”
She laughed, the whiskey coursing through her blood. “To the rodeos!” she cheered, picking up her pint glass.
“I never thought I’d hear those words coming from you,” Owen said, appearing next to them.
She pushed her pint away, her buzz suddenly vanishing. “What do you want?”
“To apologize for earlier. It ain’t never right for a man to act that way to a lady. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted,” she declared, enjoying the mood of the tent once more. “Now buy me another shot of whiskey. And Dakota too. She’s my new friend. And don’t call us ladies. We’re not that old.”
Owen looked at Dakota knowingly. “Did she kidnap you?”
“I let her,” Dakota answered, still smiling.
“Well it’s good to see you in high spirits. Both of you.”
“You know each other?” Mary Beth asked.
“We recently met,” Owen answered, signaling for the bartender to refill their whiskey glasses. “She’s dating someone from the clan.”
“Wow,” Mary Beth said to Dakota, impressed. “It takes courage to get cozy with a bear. Which one of the Tyrell Clan is it? Please tell me it’s Holden. He’s hot, isn’t he, with his dark hair and air of authority. Or is it adorable little Jacob? No, wait. Colby. I tell you, a man in a uniform is something special.”
“I’m with Eddie,” she answered.
“Really? The gambler?”
“He doesn’t gamble anymore.”
“Okay. I hope so. For your sake.”
Owen stepped in. “How do you even know all of this?”
Mary Beth sipped her pint. “Papa talks. I heard about the stunt you pulled out in Texas with the pigs. You’re lucky it wasn’t my papa’s show. He would have banned you from the rodeo for a year.”
“Nah. Your papa couldn’t stay away from me for that long. Maybe a month,” Owen speculated as Eddie stormed into the tent, frantic, causing a scene.
“Talk about summoning the devil,” Mary Beth muttered.
“Dakota!” he cried with relief when he saw her, and he came to them. “I was worried when you weren’t by the horseshoes. I thought maybe Girey was back.”
“I was kidnapped,” Dakota said lightly. “By your boss. I didn’t think I could say no.”
“She ain’t my boss,” Eddie said with disapproval. “No way in hell I’m ever gonna let a stuck up city girl tell me what to do.”
“Hey,” Owen said, stepping forward. “There’s no need.”
“There really isn’t,” Dakota agreed. “I like her. She’s nice.”
“She loves me,” Mary Beth claimed, pushing away the sting of his judgement. “I’m good company to be around, unlike unruly bears who burst in here trying to ruin the party.”
Eddie ignored her. “There’s a dance starting in a little bit,” he said to Dakota, pushing a strand of her hair aside. “Would you like to go?”
“Sure.” She stood from the counter, leaving her pint behind. “Thank you,” she said to Mary Beth. “It’s been fun.”
“It would have been more fun, before the clan arrived. I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, see you around.”
Eddie put his arm around Dakota, holding her close, and the pair left.
“So what is he protecting her from?” she asked Owen. “The look in his eyes when he came in was something I’ve rarely seen. He loves her. And he’s scared for her.”
“It’s a long story,” Owen said.
“I have all night,” she answered.
His expression shifted, as if her words taunted him. “As fun as that sounds, how about we go to the dance instead.”
“No,” she declined, thinking of her papa.
He read her thoughts. “It’ll be okay,” he assured her. “I spoke to the hospital. He’s doing well.”
“Yeah, they said the same to me, but I don’t think it’d be appropriate.”
“You know it’s what Ray would want,” he coaxed as he took her hand. Once again, they steadied her. “Come on. It’ll take your mind off things.”
Because what he said was true, that it was what her papa would want, she obliged, but she removed her hand from Owen’s. The last thing she needed was a press storm about how the rodeo superstar and the boss’s daughter were an item.
***
“How do you know the moves?” Dakota yelled over the music as the dance floor did the Country Slide while a live band played behind them.
“I’ve known the Country Slide since I was a little bumpkin,” Mary Beth told her, turning with the other dancers. “Don’t tell the guys, but I actually enjoy line dancing.”
“Me too!” Dakota said. “Who knew?”
Like the arena, the dance hall – an old grange that had survived three generations of scout meetings, charity bingo, and the jive – was a permanent fixture on the grounds. Mary Beth’s parents had danced here, once upon a time when they were young and carefree. She liked the history of the place, but the she didn’t care so much for the elk skulls attached to the walls.
“I used to dance back home,” Dakota revealed. “I took ballet. My favorite time to dance was at night, when it’s quiet and peaceful.”
A new song began, and the formation changed, taking Dakota away before she could tell more of her story. Mary Beth did her best to keep up with the moves, but she wasn’t familiar with the dance. She felt like a lily pad trapped on the sea.
“You lost?” Owen asked as he made his way across the floor to her. “Here, let me show you.” He bent his knees down and twisted his foot out, following the lead of those around them.
She immediately burst out laughing. “You have got to be kidding me. The bear dances?”
“I wouldn’t have asked you here if I didn’t,” he said, flashing her his superstar smile.
“Are we here together?” she asked softly, subdued.
Owen snapped his fingers at the band. Instantly, the music melted to a song that was as slow and sensual as country could get. “I like to think so,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Is that okay?”
“I’m not sure,” she said truthfully, enjoying the scent of his muscles, which were earthy and intoxicating. She moved her body with his, careful to leave breathing room between them. “I don’t like you.”
“You like me,” he asserted. “You just don’t want to admit it.”
“Why haven’t we gotten along?” she asked. “Besides the fact that you’re intolerable.”
“I think it goes back to the first time we met,” he reminisced. “We were fourteen and at a rodeo in Colorado. You’d just gotten the news your mama was sick, and you sat on the fence of the corral crying. I asked if you were okay, and you pushed me down and ran off.”
“I don’t remember that.” She was skeptical. “How could I push you down? You’re all muscle.”
“You did. You’re strong, sweetheart. I think since that moment, you’ve always associated me with your mama’s death. I understood. It’s why I didn’t tear down the walls you built between us. And it’s why I’ve waited so long to do this.”
He kissed her, a gentle kiss on the lips, discreet in the crowd of dancers around them, but it was a tease that ignited her, leaving her body shivering and burning for more. When it was over, she was speechless, so she rested her head against his chest, comforted in his arms.
“You should hear the way your papa talks about you,” he told her. “He’s so proud of you.”
“He talks about me?” she asked, surprised. “We live in two separate worlds. I can’t imagine he has a whole lot to say.”
“He has everything to say. You’re his daughter. There’s nothing you can do that’s wrong.”
“Except slight everything he cares about. I’ve been such a bitch when it comes to his commitment to the rodeo. He must hate me for it.”
“Never. He’s proud of how individual you are. And how smart you are. And generous.”
“Are we still talking about my papa?” she whispered, her voice thick with longing. She looked up into the gold of Owen’s eyes, which were filled with a wilderness she wanted to know.
“Girls off the floor!” the singer of the band hollered from the stage. “It’s time for the dance-off!”
Before they had a chance to kiss again, she was pulled off the floor by unknown arms. “What’s going on?” she asked Dakota at their table. “What the hell is a dance-off? I don’t remember this.”
“Maybe it’s new,” Dakota offered. “They divide the girls from the guys. The guys always go first. A random song is picked, and they have to dance to it. It’ll be something crazy, like hip hop or emo. It’s pretty hilarious. Some of the guys are good, but most are bad. So bad,” she said, smirking. “The girls always win.”
“Hmmm,” Mary Beth said, taking a sip of her drink. “Interesting. I can’t wait to see Eddie and Owen falling over themselves on stage.”
“Oh, we won’t be here for that.” Dakota stood and pulled Mary Beth towards the exit.
“Wait! I want to watch.”
Dakota stopped. “If you stay, you also have to play. You’ll be up next. Do you really want to shake your good stuff to a room full of strangers?”
She often did at the clubs in LA, unashamed of her goods, but she wasn’t in the mood tonight. “No,” she relented, heeding Dakota’s wisdom. “I think the fresh air will do me some good. I haven’t sweated this much since I made my premiere on the red carpet.”
“You were on a red carpet?”
“A few, but no one really paid attention to me. I have no desire to be famous. Just adored.”
They stepped outside into the night. Above, the stars sparkled down, and Mary Beth couldn’t help but think of her mama, wondering if the stars were a gate to heaven.
“Seems like Owen adores you,” Dakota stated. “I saw him kiss you on the dance floor.”
“It was innocent,” Mary Beth insisted. “But it was a mistake. My emotions are bubbled up at the moment like bad champagne.”
“I didn’t want to ask, but you do seem a bit sad behind your smile.”
“I could say the same about you.”
“It’s my family. I miss them,” Dakota admitted. “Especially my brother. It’s not so lonely with Eddie in my life, but I still miss them.”
“Family is everything,” Mary Beth agreed. “My papa is in the hospital. He’s in pretty bad shape. He has a virus that could destroy his heart.”
“I’m so sorry to hear it,” Dakota said. “So that’s why you came out here? To stand-in for him?”
“Yeah, but I don’t know why he sent me. I’m not really needed, except for a few press calls here and there. His staff has it under control. They don’t know about his condition, of course. No one knows.”
As they talked, they wandered. The events of the day were finished. The grounds had all been abandoned, except for a few stragglers who stayed behind to care for the barn animals. Everyone else was in the dance hall. The music and lights pouring from the dance hall was a beacon, summoning them back, warning them of dangers, but they continued on.
They stopped in an alley between the beer tents, the same where she and Owen had talked earlier. She wanted to believe it was a coincidence, but her more rational side told her she’d subconsciously returned, Owen on her mind.
“Dead end,” she muttered.
“Yeah,” Dakota said, distracted. She grabbed Mary Beth’s arm like a nesting crow grasping at straw. “You know how you confided in me about your father?” She talked quickly. “Well, I have something to tell you too. A few weeks ago, Eddie got on the bad side of a bookie named Girey who tried to kidnap us so he could drown us. He’s got some beef against the Tyrell Clan, but especially Eddie. Obviously, he didn’t succeed, but he got away.”
“Dakota, you’re shaking. What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to process the story. It was shocking to hear. “Are you okay?”
“No. I’m not okay. And neither are you. Someone has been following us. I thought I was imagining it, that I was being paranoid, but he’s walking towards us now, and I’m pretty sure he’s one of Girey’s men.”
Mary Beth looked. Sure enough, a guy in a leather jacket and ski mask stalked towards them, full of menace. Whatever his intentions were, they were not good.
* * *
Chapter Four
Beside her, Dakota continued to shake, a fear within her that Mary Beth knew little about but made her heart break for the woman. “Don’t worry,” she reassured her new friend. “I’ve got this.”
She focused on the man. “I’ll give you one chance to leave,” she said coolly.
“Or what?” he sneered.
Mary Beth removed one of her stilettos. “Because my papa never made me go to the rodeo, but he did make me take self-defense classes, and I was damn good at them.”
“I’d like to see what you’re good at, but first I have to take her to Girey.”
This caused Dakota to scream out Eddie’s name as loud as her lungs allowed. “Eddie! I need you!”
Minutes later, two bears charged into the alley, large grizzlies with fangs that could kill. Though bears, the fear and love in their eyes was evident, shining through the gold. It wasn’t just Eddie’s eyes. It was Owen’s too. They roared, claiming their dominance, but it was unnecessary. Mary Beth already had the man pinned to the ground, her stiletto raised over his head, threatening to impale him if he moved.
“Don’t worry, boys. I’ve got this under control.”
The bears changed back into their human form. As they did, the man pushed Mary Beth off and ran. Eddie chased after him, but he returned soon after, empty-handed. He went to Dakota and held her tight.
“I’m okay,” she reassured him. “Mary Beth was amazing.”
It didn’t calm Eddie. He remained tense and protective. “I’ll take you back to the trailer. This party is over.”
“You did good,” Owen praised her when they were gone. “How did you overtake the bastard?”
She blew on the heel of her stiletto like it was a smoking gun. “A girl doesn’t tell. What was that all about, anyway? I like Dakota, but she certainly has her secrets.”
“That’s trouble you don’t want to get involved in,” he warned.
“Are you telling me not to be her friend?”
“No, I’m telling you not to ask around about Girey. I don’t want you to have to defend yourself again.”
“I can handle myself.”
“I know you can.” He took her stiletto from her and put it back on her foot, his hand lingering on her leg. “You can handle anything.”
She closed her eyes, embracing the night. “I thought you told me to stay out of trouble.”
“I’m not trouble,” he said, his voice low, like a growl.
Standing, he put his arms around her like they were dancing again. His hands were strong on her waist. They took her hostage and refused to let go. When he bent down to kiss her, she was frightened by how much she wanted Owen, by how strong her feelings were. The thick bulge in his jeans declared to her how much he wanted her too, but her affection for Owen went deeper than lust. It went back to their adolescence, and to their years fighting through their attraction, their walls high, but she stepped out of his embrace.
“Not with Papa in the hospital.”
“I get it,” he said. “I don’t want to take advantage.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know,” he assured her. “Everything will be okay, but you need your rest. How about I call you a cab so you can sleep away your worries back at your hotel where it’s safe?”
“Thanks,” she said, “but I’m not going to my hotel. I’m ready to go home. I want to see my papa. I’m going to call the airport and have them ready the jet.”
“Don’t leave yet. Stay another day. I’m riding tomorrow. Will you watch? If I win, I’ll give you my lucky hat.”
“Did Papa tell you to keep me here?”
“No, but I think it’s what he’d want.”
“Sure,” she said, truly eager to see him in action. “But only for the morning. I really do want to get back.”
“I’ll follow you back to LA as soon as the rodeo is over.”
“He’d like that. And so would I.”
More than she could ever admit.
***
Stepping into the arena was like returning back to an old home. Memories she’d pushed aside flooded back to her. Roping a piglet when she was six. Crying because she was afraid she’d hurt the piglet. Showing ponies between the bigger events. She’d never been on a bull. Her papa wouldn’t let her, nor did she want to. It wasn’t for her. Even back then, Mary Beth preferred a manicure over a trophy. But had she gotten on a bull, it would have been for fun only. They didn’t have women’s competitions when she was a teen, but they did now.
Holding an armful of medals, Mary Beth went to the podium in the middle of the arena where the women bull riders stood. She placed a medal over each of their heads, saving the gold medal for Brianna Jackson, the auburn-haired champion with the powerful green eyes. She also handed her a fat trophy and an even fatter check, which Brianna graciously accepted.
It was the early afternoon. Owen had gotten the schedules mixed up. He would be competing after lunch, and likely into the early evening. The riders went in rounds, the champion the rider with the best average score. She didn’t mind, except that she was anxious to get back to her papa. It was fun reliving her childhood, much more so than she thought it would be, but now was not the time for fun. She had to be with her papa. She didn’t care if it went against his wishes. When she returned that evening, she wouldn’t leave his side again.
Later, as Owen prepared to ride, she stood by the fence, ignoring her right to the reclining seats and exotic drinks in the corporate tent. It was good to be outdoors. She’d forgotten how much she coveted the fresh air. Not enough to leave the smog of LA. She was still a city girl. She liked to go clubbing, shop the fashion boutiques, and walk the red carpet, but she also liked the parts of the world where nature dominated, like the mountains of the Wild West.
It’s good for the skin, she contemplated with a small joy.
In the arena, Owen entered the chute, the pen the bull was in, and then his ride began. The crowd roared for him, and the arena lit up as fans and the press took their photos. When he was bucked off, his ride over, he stood and turned in a circle, smiling for all who cheered. When his eyes met hers, he tipped his hat.
That’s mine, she mouthed.
The silent exchange was interrupted when her phone rang. “Hello,” she answered, struggling to hear through the noise around her.
“Mary Beth Chaudett?”
“Yes.”
“I’m one of the nurses at the hospital treating your father. We need you to hurry back.”
* * *
Chapter Five
Hospital called. On jet home. Sorry couldn’t stay until the end.
Frustrated, as soon as Mary Beth sent the text to Owen, she threw her phone against the seat across from her. She should have stayed by her papa’s side. If he passed and she wasn’t there, she would never forgive herself. Tears filled her eyes, but she shook them away. She had to stay strong, for her papa.
The jet had been delayed on the runway at the airport, so it was late by the time they landed. She was exhausted, but she went straight to the hospital, bracing herself for the worst, but outside the door of her papa’s room, she stalled, afraid to go in. She could protect herself from men in dark allies, but she couldn’t protect herself against this.
A hand was placed on her shoulder, and she spun around. “Owen!” she cried, surprised to see him. “How did you get here so fast?”
“You’re not the only one with access to a private jet, sweetheart. I’m a superstar, remember?” He joked, but there was no humor in him. He was as frightened as she was. She could read it in him. His fear was dark, but his love for her papa was bright.
“I’m so scared,” she said, embracing him, letting him be the strong one, a role she knew he was comfortable with. Still, it wasn’t fair on him, but it was what she needed, for someone else to be brave so she could cry.
As her tears soaked into his T-shirt, he ran his hand through the strands of her blonde hair, soothing her. “Don’t worry, darling. We’ll get through it together.”
It helped. Sniffling, she wiped her tears away. “Let’s go in.”
The lights were off in the room, but her papa was wide awake. Propped up in his bed, he had the television on and was cracking up to a late night program.
“Now I know why you stay up until sunrise,” he said to Mary Beth, his face red with laughter. “This stuff is a hoot. I think I’ll buy the network so I can air it all day.”
“Papa,” Mary Beth uttered, confused. She went to him, cautious. “The hospital called and told me to hurry back. I thought… Well, it doesn’t really matter. You look okay. Are you okay?”
He waved his hand as if the machines he was hooked up to were nothing. “I’m fine. The virus is out of my system. My heart is fine too.”
She looked at Owen who stood by the door, as bewildered as she was. “Then why did the hospital call?” she asked.
“Because I need a ride home, and I didn’t want to go home by myself.”
Finally, she let the relief of her papa’s good form overtake her. “I’m glad you called,” she said, falling onto the bed with him. She was moved by his sentiment. “You know you can always call me, Papa.”
***
The virus was gone, but her papa still needed his rest, so while he slept in his bedroom at the mansion, Mary Beth and Owen took a stroll down by the lake, consuming the morning, ignoring their own fatigue. As they walked, Owen’s hand was wrapped firmly around hers. It was sweet, but her body wanted more than sweet. A heat settled upon the land, kissing her skin left bare by her sleeveless denim dress, the same sensation she felt when she imagined Owen running his lips over her body.
“You owe me a hat,” she claimed, dipping her toe into the soft current of the lake, though it did little good in cooling her off.
“Not yet, sweetheart. I said you get my lucky hat if I win. I didn’t win. I left. If you want my hat, you’ll have to come to the next rodeo.”
“Owen Hutch, are you blackmailing me?”
“Never,” he said. “I’m daring you.”
“It’s no dare to me. A dare is something dangerous. Like daring you to run naked into the lake.”
“If I go into the lake naked, you’re coming with me.”
“Of course,” she said, her voice dropping as she ran her hands along his chest, which was hard and ripped beneath his T-shirt. “That’s what makes it so dangerous.”
“Then what are we waiting for?”
He stepped back, leaving a safe distance between them, and he turned into a bear. She had never seen him, or anyone, shift before. It was magic, but it was completely natural. Owen belonged to the outdoors as much as he belonged on the red carpet. In that way, they were similar. Roaring, he ran into the lake.
“Hey, that’s cheating!” she yelled, laughing. “Fur doesn’t count!”
A bear had gone into the water, but a man came out, his jeans and T-shirt soaking, the water that dripped off of him glistening beneath the sun like an ember rain.
“I forget something important,” he said. “You.”
“You can have me,” she breathed as she pulled his T-shirt off. Water continued to drip down from his hair to his tanned abs, which were as hard as stone. She rubbed her hands along each indent of flesh, admiring the man she was about to fuck.
Ripped with a desire to see more of him, she bent down to her knees and took the button of his jeans into her teeth. When the button was loose, she then bit onto his zipper and slid it down, staring seductively into his eyes.
“You drive me wild,” he said, running his hands through her hair. “You always have. I’ve waited years for this. I’ve waited years for you.”
In response, still on her knees, the sand of the lake cushioning them, she pulled down his jeans fully, exposing his manhood, which stood erect and thick. She ran her tongue across the tip, licking away the lake water and the salty wetness she caused. As her tongue glided in slow circles around his flesh, Owen moaned. His moans turned into a growl as she placed her hand at the base of his shaft then took his full tip into her mouth and sucked hard. It was impossible to fit his entire cock into her mouth, but she took in all that she could, savoring his flavor. His cock tasted like desire.
“I’m gonna come, darling,” he said, his grip tightening around her hair. “You’re too damn good.”
It was what she wanted. His cock grew, ready for release. Quickly, she moved her mouth away and leaned back, unbuttoning the top of her denim dress just in time for him to cum over her breasts. It was warm and satisfying. She liked that she could please him, and she trusted that he would return her affections.
When he finished cuming, he kneeled down into the sand with her, and he continued to unfasten her dress so that it slid off of her like silk from a bed, leaving her exposed in the purple lace of her bra and panties. With his almighty strength, he picked her up and walked into the lake. When they were waist deep in the water, he set her down. Using the water as if it were a toy to tease her, he gently washed the cum from her breasts. His hands were like fire against her skin, awakening her body to the possibilities of his touch. Each drop of water that rolled off of her was a blazing caress.
When she was clean, he pulled her close so that his cock pushed against her lace. Grabbing her hair once more, he kissed her with the force of a thousand hurricanes. His tongue wrestled against hers, ruling her, forcing her to surrender to him, to his desire and to his love. As they kissed, he removed her bra and tossed it to the sand. Holding her around the waist with one hand, he cupped her breast with the other, working her body, charging her so that it matched the heat around them.
When her lips were bruised by his kisses, he moved down to her breast, releasing it to lightly slide his tongue across her nipple, like a feather. It was a shock that added to her ecstasy. Waves of bliss mounted within her, and her core ached.
“Touch me,” she begged. “I want to feel your touch.”
His tongue continued to arouse her nipple, but his hand fell down to her panties, where her wetness was thicker than the waters of the lake. Like a snake slithering provocatively against her skin, his hand brushed across her small patch of hair to her wetness, and then he plunged two fingers into her, seizing her insides with a force that exhilarated her. With his tongue on her nipple and his brawny fingers thrusting within her, she reached her own brink of release. His touch was glorious against her inner flesh, hard like his cock. He moved his fingers within her in a way that swelled her core, reaching deep to stroke the back of her pussy, causing her to scream out in pain and bliss.
“I’m cumming!” she panted, arching her back, inviting him in deeper. “I’m coming hard.”
She did. Her wetness seeped out of her, over his fingers and into the lake, but he continued to bang her with his touch as her body contracted, riding her to the end.
She came, but she wanted more, and so did he. Pressing his mouth to hers, he ripped off her panties and lifted her up so that she straddled him. Water rained down around them as he cusped her ass and glided her pussy over his cock. His tip filled her, sensual against her opening, which still throbbed from his touch. When he lowered her down completely, his cock stretched her pink flesh in a way that made her cry out, but it was euphoric, like mating a god of the lake.
With his strength, he bobbed her on top of his cock, thrusting hard each time it filled her. She could barely breathe through the pleasure. Her cries echoed across the lake and circled back to them so that they heard their own love making.
“Cum inside of me,” she told him, scratching her nails across his back. “I want to feel your cock release inside of me.”
Her words were a trigger. Like he had in her mouth, his cock grew within her, ready to cum. She arched her back, a golden glow within her that matched the light within him. He thrust harder, deeper, and then he came, circling his cock around her flesh as he poured himself into her. She came with him, their souls claiming each other as their bodies exploded together.
Cuming with Owen was transcendental. She didn’t want him to let go, nor did he want to let go of her. Remaining inside of her, he kissed her again, harder than before. She returned his passion, biting his lip with the force of her love. Her kisses roamed to his neck where she sucked hard, tasting his flesh once more, making sure to leave her mark on the bear.
Later, they slept in the grass by the lake, giving into their exhaustion. Owen’s arms were the only place Mary Beth wanted to be. When she woke, she allowed him to continue his sleep, listening to him mumble incoherently about missing shifters, and she looked up into an endless blue, happier than she ever had been. I’ll have to buy taller shoes if I’m going to be walking down the red carpet with Owen, she thought. And I’ll definitely have to go to more rodeos.