Marry Me for Real, Cowboy - Valerie Comer Page 0,39

wheel.

Well. She knew where she stood for sure. He wasn’t concerned about Scotty’s veiled threats at all. For Adam, it was all about Running Creek. She’d known that all along, but she’d begun to think she meant something more to him than a means to an end.

She’d been wrong.

Everything was a game with one single payoff at the end. Her only job was to make Declan believe they were in love so he’d deed the ranch to Adam. That’s what she was getting paid for. Nothing more. Nothing less.

They jounced around the final bend to the house in record time, Adam still silent and stewing.

Riley’d had enough. “Let me off at the house.”

“The house?”

“Yeah. I’m going to check my email before everyone else gets back from town.”

Adam shrugged. “Sure. I’m taking Jupiter out for a good run.”

In this kind of a mood on this kind of a day? “Don’t break your neck.”

He offered a sharp laugh. “Afraid you won’t get your money if I’m dead? Explain it all to Noah. He’ll pay you out.”

“Like I care about that.”

He hit the brakes in front of the house. “Nice try. I haven’t forgotten why you’re really here. See you at supper.”

“Be that way.” Riley unbuckled, shoved the truck door open, and slid down.

“Be what way?” He sounded genuinely dense.

It didn’t require an answer. She slammed the truck door and hiked for the house without a backward glance. In a few seconds, she heard the spatter of flying gravel as he revved away.

Wow. Temper, much? And all that over a rundown house and a few outbuildings? So they were his dad’s. She got that. But it was still just a place. Nothing that important in the grand scheme of things.

Riley let herself into the house, threaded through the quiet kitchen, and sat down at the computer in the office beyond. She needed to keep in better touch with the outside world. Definitely needed to plan where she’d go and what she’d do when she left Rockstead in a month or two.

She navigated to her email account then scanned the list of senders, her gaze catching on Raul’s name. What did he want? And, more to the point, who’d passed on her email address? He’d never needed it since they’d texted between dates back in Santa Fe.

With a trembling hand, she opened his email.

Hey, Riley!

What’s this I hear about you being engaged to some cowboy not a week after throwing my ring in my face? Your parents finally heard that from your sister. Not from you. Were you two-timing me the whole time? Did you think you were too good for me? Does the cowboy know what you left behind in New Mexico?

Raul

She hadn’t given Adam’s name to Jodie, had she? She was pretty sure she hadn’t. She’d mentioned the ranch was nearby. Think, Riley. What else did you tell her?

Nothing that would bring Raul to her doorstep, she was pretty sure. Unless he could geolocate her by her phone calls to her parents on Sundays after church. Did she have locations turned off? She’d make sure.

That would send Raul to the church’s doorstep, not hers, but it wouldn’t take long to track her from there. Mrs. McDiarmid was the biggest gossip in town. The church secretary was so tickled that Riley had captured Adam Cavanagh, there was no way she wouldn’t share the information.

She snorted a bitter laugh. Adam had gone all caveman with Scotty. He could certainly send Raul back to New Mexico with one perfectly placed punch. But, what if Adam wasn’t at the ranch? He spent hours every day riding the range, checking fences, keeping an eye on the weather and the cattle for the right day to shift the herds closer to the home place.

Maybe it was time to take him up on the offer to ride with him. He’d said Declan could assign Ryder to the stables. Or, everyone could clean their own if they came back in half an hour earlier. Daylight hours were scarce this close to the winter solstice, and the stable well lit. It could work.

Yes, she’d ask Adam for the chance... but could she do it without getting his suspicions up, especially after their chilly drive today? Maybe he was about to send her packing anyway. But, no. As much as he wanted Running Creek, he wouldn’t let go of Riley until he had the bigger prize in his grasp.

He still needed her.

She’d ask.

Chapter Fifteen

For someone who’d begged Declan to let her ride

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