Bought by the Cowboy, page 1
Bought by the Cowboy
Alexa Riley
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Lassoing the Virgin Mail-Order Bride
Chapter 1
Read Me Romance
Stalk the Author
Copyright © 2022 by Author Alexa Riley LLC. All rights reserved.
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http://alexariley.com/
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Edited by Aquila Editing
Bought by the Cowboy
by Alexa Riley
Bull riding and beer. That’s all the big arena in town is known for, even though Tracy works herself ragged every night of the week to make it a popular rodeo stop. Too bad her dad owns the place and is in debt up to his eyes. What’s his solution? Make Bronco an offer he can’t refuse.
Bronco isn’t looking to buy an arena, especially one that’s run down and falling in. But when the owner says the deal comes with Tracy, how can he refuse?
Warning: grab your spurs and giddy up! Find out if this cowboy can hang on for more than eight seconds… and how fast he falls in love.
Dedicated to men that know when to shut up…
And still use their mouth.
Chapter One
Tracy
“Nina, I need your, ah, count?” I finally say. It comes out more a question than anything. “For the night,” I add, practically stumbling over my own words. I’m supposed to be her boss, but here I am being as awkward as ever.
I’ve known Nina my whole life. We live in a small town that’s about thirty minutes from the big city. Everyone knows everyone here, but we still get lots of new faces coming and going for a night out at the rodeo.
I’ve been standing here for ten minutes waiting for her to finish her conversation with one of the steer wrestlers that performed tonight. If I recall, he hadn’t been very good, but I don’t pay much attention anymore because all those guys blend together.
They all have the same personality and air of cockiness. A cockiness I don’t understand because while the Circle C Rodeo might be mid-tier for performers, it’s like being in the minors in baseball. Sure, they could move up, but you’d think these men have already made it. The buckle bunnies don’t help with that either. There’s nothing wrong with a big attitude if the man can back it up. So far, I’m simply unimpressed.
Sometimes we get lucky and get real steer wrestlers in here but not so much anymore. Each month, this place drops down a notch. The money coming in seems to be the same, but upkeep isn’t being maintained, and my father keeps cutting more staff. Things are starting to fall apart. At least that's how it seems to me.
Both Nina and the man she’s talking to finally notice that I’m here. I’ve got my hip pressed against the stand she worked tonight slinging canned beer, and my feet are killing me. Normally I can go all day in boots, but we’d been short-staffed, and I had to do a list of other things tonight that I usually don’t. One was cleaning stalls.
I don’t mind doing it, but at this point I’m pushing sixteen hours on my feet for the third day in a row. I could’ve been in sneakers and my feet would still be killing me. All I want to do is sit down and do what I need to do to get out of here and back to my trailer in the parking lot.
“And who are you?” the man drawls. His eyes roam up and down my body, and I fight not to fidget. I’m used to the looks, I'm just never sure what kind of stares they are.
All the girls that work here wear the same thing. It doesn't matter that my father owns the place, I’ve gotta wear it too. Our uniforms consist of jean shorts and a tight black V-neck tank top. The only problem is, all the other girls are tiny in comparison to me. They fit into the uniform the way you’re supposed to. Or I suppose the body type that was imagined when it was created. Me? Not so much.
I’ve got curves everywhere, and they are begging to escape these tight clothes. Some men turn their noses up at my size, and others have some kind of kink for chubby girls. No, thanks. Oh, I want a man to want and enjoy my body, but not because it’s all he sees. With how slowly this man’s eyes roam up and down my body, I’m not sure where he falls, and I don’t care.
“Trashy.” Nina snorts as she answers the guy. “I mean Tracy,” she corrects with another laugh as if she didn't mean to call me the terrible nickname. The worst part is it doesn’t bother me. Somehow, I’ve grown used to it. Or maybe I’m lying to myself in hopes that if I give no reaction people will stop using the stupid name, but it’s been years, so that’s not working either. “She’s no one.”
“She could be a third.” The man smirks, but Nina’s smile dies. In fact, her whole face starts to turn red, and she’s pissed.
“You couldn’t stay on the bull for two seconds and you think you can not only handle two girls, but one that big?” She points her thumb toward me, and I almost want to laugh because it’s kind of funny.
“Fuck you.” The man steps back from her, and his hand falls away from her hips.
“Wasn’t that the point?” They glare at each other. Is this foreplay? I want out of here.
“Can I just get the—”
“It’s in the cooler!” Nina snaps at me.
I turn and open the lid to the cooler and see the bag at the bottom. She really must have wanted to get to this one because she cleaned up her area quickly. Half the time, I have to help her clear out her cooler stand and return beer.
I open the bag and match the count of the unopened beers she returned to the amount of money in the bag. I have to do this with every stand, but I save Nina for last in hopes that I don’t have to pull some of her weight to get the hell out of here.
Once that’s done, I make my way back toward my father’s office. On the way, my eyes linger on the peeling paint across the concrete walls. I remember when some of them were done when I was only a little girl. I used to love this place. The sounds of the crowd and the rush of excitement were so much fun. It would be hard to work sometimes because my attention would always drift to the ring to watch the riders.
Those days are long gone, and the peeling paint feels too familiar. What would I be without this place? It seems to be slowly fading, and I wonder if the same will happen to me.
You’d be free.
That’s what my mind screams at least. Free to do what? Leave? Is that really an option? It’s never felt like one.
As I draw closer to my father's office, the ominous black door is closed. I can hear the grunts even from forty feet out. No matter how old my father gets, all the buckle bunnies he bangs stay the same age. Which now happens to be my age.
I’m almost thankful he’s busy so I don’t have to talk to him right now. I drop everything into the box outside his office and lock it.
“Fuck, I love this fat ass.” My stomach lurches hearing my father as he fucks some girl on his desk. It’s followed by a loud slap and moan.
What’s even more disgusting is how he always shames me for my body. He doesn’t seem to care when it comes to whoever he fucks; he always goes for the curvy ones. I mean, I’ve seen a picture of my mother, and we could almost be twins.
He always refers to her as the trashy whore that left him high and dry with a three-year-old. It’s really where my nickname comes from. My own father created it, except for the whore part. No, he makes sure I remain a virgin. I don’t understand why he cares who I might sleep with. Not that there’s temptation here.
There are other places far away where I could be happy, but I try not to even dream about them, knowing it will only make me ache. I live in a small town, and all I’ll ever be is trash.
Or so they keep saying…
Chapter Two
Bronco
“That should do it,” I say as I pull the metal arm down so it latches across the trailer door. “I appreciate you driving her back.”
“No problem,” Troy says as he tosses his bag in the backseat of the truck. “That extra paycheck is gonna be nice.”
“Anytime you want an extra pickup or two, you let me know.”
“As soon as my wife agrees to let me go for more than a day, I’ll drive your horses wherever you need them to go.”
“I heard you got married last month, congratulations.”
“Thanks, Bronc.” He shakes his head and smiles. “Truth be told, I’m crazy after more than a day away from her too.”
“That’s the way it’s supposed to be, right?
“I think my wife and I would both appreciate that. And the extra money.”
“I’ll make sure and email Jake when I get home tonight.”
“Are you flying out already?”
“Soon. I got a call about this arena looking to sell, and I might take a look at it.” I nod back to the event center that seems busy for it to be so run down. “Thought I’d take care of two birds since this horse was coming back to my ranch. Thanks again, you’re saving me the hassle of driving her home.”
“I’ll take good care of her.”
“Be safe.” I tip my cowboy hat to him as he climbs in the truck and takes off with the trailer in tow.
The Circle C Rodeo is an event center that hosts some of the mid-level competitions. I’m not necessarily in the market for a new one, but the owner called me last week and invited me to take a look. I’ve never been out this way, and for some reason, I was curious.
Looking around outside, I see the parking lot is packed. There’s no shortage of people coming, I just wonder why when it looks so run-down. There’s trash all over the parking lot and potholes the size of a calf. Hell, even the sign out front is missing lights. People are coming out of the doors, and I notice one of them hangs crooked on its hinges.
Inside, it’s not much better. The area itself isn’t in terrible shape, but the bleachers are dated and wonky. Instead of sitting, people crowd around the arena and watch the last runs of the night. After that, they divvy out the buckles and cut checks. There’s still lots of money to be made in rodeoing, but whoever is running this place isn’t investing in the arena and it shows.
The crowd begins to thin as I walk around and see the last of the winners presented. The boys riding tonight aren’t top tier yet, but this is a good place to start. Checking my watch, I see it’s almost time to meet the owner, so I find the sign for where the offices are and walk that way.
Just as I reach the door, it opens, and standing there is a young woman fixing her shirt and a man old enough to be her father behind her zipping up his pants. She wipes her bottom lip and then looks me up and down like I’m next in line.
“Hey there, cowboy,” she says and winks at me.
I take a step back because I don’t want her to try to touch me. I don’t like to be touched, especially by strange women. The old man behind her says something I don’t hear, and she makes a face as he shoves her out of the office.
“You must be Bronco.” He holds out his hand, but there’s no way in hell I’m touching that thing.
“Why don’t we take a walk,” I say and nod in the opposite direction the girl went. I’m not about to sit in that office with the smell of his dick all around me.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’d like to see the place.”
“I’ve seen most of what I need to,” I say as we fall in step beside each other. “I also had my finance office pull your records.”
“Well, some of the taxes are a little behind and—”
“You’re swimming in debt, and the IRS is about two seconds away from putting a lien on your land.” I nod toward the arena where some of the bunnies are crowning the winners. “Yet you’ve got this place packed to the roof on a Tuesday night.”
“Like I said in my email, I’ve got a few things I can offer up to sweeten the deal.”
“Why would I take on all your debt that I won’t see back for a decade even if this arena sells out every night of the week? With all due respect, Mr. Walker, you’ve wasted a good thing, and there’s no reason for me to unburden you from it.”
“My daughter comes with the place,” he says, and I blink at him.
“I don’t need a secretary—”
“No, you don’t understand what I mean.” The smile he gives me sends a chill down my neck. “I’ve been saving her up for this. You see, I like being kept in a certain lifestyle, and going bankrupt isn’t going to let me keep doing that. I saw you’re not married, and I’ve kept my daughter fresh just for the right price.”
Anger burns hot and fast though me, and I want to punch his teeth into the back of his throat.
“She’s a little on the chubby side, but I’m sure with a firm hand, you could get that under control.” He looks past me and then raises his hand to wave at someone behind me. “Now, keep in mind this deal is on the table for Wayne Johnson too, so don’t lowball me, son.”
Son? Wayne Johnson? This guy can’t be serious. What the actual fuck have I walked into tonight? He’s really using his daughter as collateral for this bankrupt arena, and not only that, he’s got Wayne fucking Johnson thinking about it too? Wayne owns a ranch down south, and he’s got a reputation for passing his women around for all his ranch-hands to use. The guys that work for him always brag about it at rodeos and get excited when he brings a bunny home. I can’t imagine what they’d do to a virgin if what he’s saying about his daughter is true.
“Mr. Walker—” I start, but he cuts me off.
“Come over here, Tracy, and meet Bronco,” he says to the person behind me.
Chapter Three
Tracy
I can hear my father’s voice, but I can’t see him. Not with the giant man standing in front of him. All I can see is a tight black shirt that shows off how in shape this stranger is. His faded jeans mold tight to his butt, and I can see his boots have put in some work. His clothes aren’t showy, so they’re probably tight because that’s all that fits.
I think my ears might have deceived me as I stare at the broad back. I’m dead on my feet at this point, so it’s either a dream or I’m hallucinating. No way this is Bronco. Like The Bronco. He’s big enough to be him. Hell, he might be too big. In all the pictures and footage I’ve seen of Bronco, he’s always been a big man, but this is a whole new level. I thought the camera added ten pounds of fat. Not twenty pounds of muscle.
Still, this might all be happening in my head. I’d barely made it to my trailer, and my father was texting me to get my ass back here. He hadn’t given a reason but made it sound urgent. I thought maybe something was wrong with the count for the night.
The giant man starts to turn, and when I finally see his face, I know it’s really Bronco. My stomach drops as my heart races. Every part of me reacts to the sight of him. His dark eyes lock with mine, and my breath catches in my throat. Holy cow. He’s even more ruggedly handsome in person. Is that possible!?
We both stand there for a long moment just staring at each other. That is until my father snaps at me because I haven’t done what he told me to do.
“Come meet him.” Bronco has shifted to the side so I can now see my father. The cowboy glares at him, and whatever expression is on Bronco’s face has my father taking a step back.
“Tracy?” Bronco says as his attention shifts back toward me. For the first time in my life, my name actually sounds sexy. The way it rolls off his tongue with a rough twang makes my legs weak.
“Yeah, that’s me,” I manage to get out.
Why am I always so awkward? I don’t want to be Nina, but sometimes I wish I had some of her confidence when it came to men. Well, this man. One that has ruled way too many of my fantasies.
I’ve more than once brought up to my father how cool it would be if we could get Bronco to perform here. We could double ticket prices and people would pay it. It was a pipe dream idea that I never thought would happen. The Circle C Rodeo is so far under his tier. Once upon a time I thought maybe we’d work our way up, but each day that dream slips through the cracks that are forming all over this place.
