WRECKER: A Bad Boy Cowboy Romance (A steamy billionaire romance story) Read Free

from the racetrack. Where do I see myself? I see myself married to that gorgeous, sexy man. Three kids? Maybe two, maybe four! And a golden retriever. I’m not picky!
    “In five years?” I say out loud. “I’m not really sure, to be honest. I just moved here from up north, and honestly I’m a little bit more focused on the moment right now. Probably not what you want to hear when you ask that question, but it’s the truth. I suppose ideally I would like to see myself happy with my job, maybe have a little house with a garden…” I’m rambling now, but I’m not sure what else to do. I look up at Jeremy. His expression is bemused.
    “Hey I get that,” he says. “That all sounds great. I’m not sure why we’re supposed to ask these specific questions anyway. I guess it gives us something to say if we’re stuck.” He pauses. “So… let me see here. What would you say is your greatest fault?” There’s a lightness in his voice. Maybe I am going to get this job after all.
    Driving home, I wonder what my greatest fault really is. In the interview I said I was a people pleaser. I figured it might be the most positive fault for a waitress to have. But in all honesty it’s not exactly my greatest one. And now that I’m thinking about it, I’m looking deeper inside.
    Jeffrey used to tell me my greatest faults—not in that language of course—were how impulsive I could be, and how I beat myself up over things that I didn’t have any control over. But what did he know? He always seemed in control when he was alive. He was the kind of guy that had everything mapped out. If he had been asked where he saw himself in five years, he could have given a PowerPoint presentation on it, complete with soundtrack. But with what I know now, he was never really all that happy that way.
    And all I’ve got is Taylor Swift. Maybe a new waitressing job. And a fantasy.

    * * *
    L acey is on the phone , and she wants to know if I want to go out tonight. And not just anywhere, she wants to know if I want to go to the rodeo.
    “This your first rodeo, Chastity?” I imagine Kanen saying, in that sweet-tea voice of his, as he puts his index finger under my chin, tips my face up, and covers my mouth with his kisses.
    “Yeah I’m not sure,” I say back to Lacey, “I kinda have a lot to do around the house.” Of course, it’s just a lame excuse and she jumps on it right away.
    “A lot to do, is that right? A lot of watching TV? A lot of cleaning the bathroom? A lot of picking your nose?”
    “Nothing wrong with that,” I say. “Well, everything but the last one.”
    She laughs, though she’s not far off and she knows it.
    “You know what I think about ‘you got a lot to do’?” She’s going in for the kill now and I cringe, waiting for her to poke me. “I think you got a whole lot of living to do, girlfriend. And we could start now.”
    “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I capitulate. “What time do we need to be there?”
    “Not sure. I’ll pick you up around six? That should give us time to get drinks beforehand,” she says.
    I guess there’s no avoiding it. I want to ask: Is it a night when Kanen is going to ride? But I know she’ll make mincemeat out of me for that one. And I wouldn’t blame her one bit. And let’s be honest, that’s why she wants me to go.
    When I go to my closet, I find myself choosing my sexiest blouse and the soft blue jeans that make my legs look as long as can be. I’m even gonna break out my new cowboy boots. They’re gorgeous. Hand-tooled leather, black, with eagle stitching. Toes so pointed you could put out a snake’s eye with them. At least that’s what the salesman said.
    I plug in the curling wand, and start to do my makeup. I find myself putting on a little extra mascara and blush. I’m not sure why. The last thing I want to do is draw the eye of that dangerous man. But somehow, the makeup seems kind of like armor. Like it could protect me. I’m not sure from what. When