Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“It would be so easy to flip out right now,” I admitted. “But you know what, Flynn—and I can’t believe that I’m saying this about you—I really feel sorry for you. I’m not claiming to be some naive kid who just stuck his dick down a guy’s throat for the first time, you know. Truth be told, I loved everything you did to me up there”—I pointed to the top of the rise—“but you… you I can’t figure out. That first time in the motel… when that happened, I tried to convince myself it was because you were really fucking deep in the closet or in complete denial about who you really were, but I think maybe you’re just like every other piece-of-shit guy who gets off on fucking with people’s heads. You’ve just got a better act.”
I paused to rein in my runaway emotions because if I didn’t, I’d let the man in front of me get by my defenses yet again and if I did, it would all be over. I’d be his puppet for as long as he wanted to toy with me. I let out a harsh little laugh as I realized it was already too late.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be complaining because so far the rules seem to be in my favor. Mind-blowing orgasms that I don’t have to return. No worrying about the whole ‘I’m not looking for a relationship’ speech. Just a lot of no-strings sex where you get to call all the shots, I get all the pleasure, and the only thing I have to do is not touch you? What dotted line do I need to sign?” I said snidely.
Flynn’s only visual reaction to my words was the hardening of his jaw. Of course, that just pissed me off even more.
“The sad part of all this is that I don’t think even you know what you want exactly. Based on the few times I’ve seen you with other ranch hands and, of course, this big old guy here”—I patted BJ’s neck—“I don’t think you have a cruel bone in your body. Either way, I’m going to have to say no to what you’re selling because I’ve gone the knockoff route enough times to know that no matter how much you wish it to be so, it will never be the real thing and worse, it will always end up biting you in the ass—and not in the good way. So, the new deal is that if you touch or kiss me one more time or if you so much as even look in my direction, I promise you, along with every ranch hand, horse, chicken, and other mammal who happens to be present at the time, will see my flipping the fuck out side.”
With that, I shifted so I could turn and keep walking down the trail. This time there was only silence behind me. Unfortunately, I got absolutely no satisfaction from it. There was no relief. I didn’t hurt inside any less. I knew that deep down, I was the knockoff. I’d needed an exit strategy to protect my heart, and I hadn’t hesitated in using everything in my arsenal of lies to make it so Flynn would want nothing more to do with me.
I didn’t look behind me to confirm it, but I was certain that Flynn had retreated so he could get BJ saddled back up. I didn’t bother trying to physically outrun him because I’d ultimately need him to get back to the ranch since I had no idea where we were.
Mate for life.
What a crock of shit. The idea of two creatures being so devoted to one another that they wouldn’t or couldn’t find comfort in the presence of another was ridiculous. Maybe there were some members of the animal kingdom who managed it, but mankind would never evolve to that line of thinking.
As predicted, by the time I reached the bottom of the hill, Flynn and BJ had caught up with me. BJ gave me a horsey kiss on the back of my neck, but Flynn didn’t make a sound.
Dread filled my veins when man and horse stopped next to me rather than continuing on so I could fall into step behind them. I didn’t care if I had to stare at BJ’s ass the entire way back or that my feet hurt so bad that the insides of my shoes would probably be slick with blood when I took them off. No way in hell was I going to put myself in a situation where I’d be forced to have physical contact with the man I’d worked so hard to chase off. I’d walk all the way even if it meant having to make a pair of shoes out of twigs or rocks or some shit like that.