Free Espino, Stacey - Hogtying the Cowgirl [Ride 'em Hard 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Stacey Espino

decided she may as well do a little good with her free time. Her brothers may have forbid her from pissing off the hotshot, Clay Roberts, but he was just a flesh-and-blood man, not a god. She could do as she damn well pleased and deal with the ramifications when she got home. Grant and Matthew would be mad at her for a while, but they always forgave her, especially when she turned on the charm.
    Angel squeezed through the crowd of cowboys noisily yammering on about feed pricing and other uninteresting nonsense. It reminded her think of the mob at the auction house, which only made her angrier. Clay had certainly done a number on her, but nobody messed with Angel’s friends. She pushed open the glass door, leaving the chaos in exchange for a relatively quiet reception area. There was a pretty woman sitting at the front desk, her wavy brown hair clipped back off her face, and eyes as black as Clay’s.
    “Can I help you?” she asked.
    “Clay Roberts around?” She wasn’t here to make friends, but raise hell. “I have a bone to pick with him.”
    The woman bit her lower lip. “He was here a few minutes ago clearing out the office for me. I’m not sure where he disappeared to now.”
    So that’s why all the farmers were outside, not in here bothering the secretary. Well, now it was Angel’s turn to make trouble. The poor woman would be an unfortunate casualty. “Do you realize this new company had put small business owners into bankruptcy? You should be ashamed to work for a man who steals women’s horses and puts old folk out into the street. I don’t even know where my friend, Landon, has disappeared to. For all I know he’s drunk himself to his grave.”
    “Miss, I really don’t know—”
    Angel felt like a madwoman but couldn’t stop. She’d had nobody to talk to since she last saw Landon, and it was all pouring out. She laid both hands on the edge of the desk and leaned forward. “Landon may not know it, but I might just love him. It’s stupid considering he’s made no declaration to me. I promised myself never to wear my heart on my sleeve, but here I am now a sorry fool.”
    The secretary’s eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open with no words to say. Angel felt like a jerk, but anyone working for Clay had to be her enemy, too.
    The little bells chiming off the glass door pulled her from her thoughts.
    “Thank God, Clay. Can you please get a lock for the front door? I have a ton of work to get done.”
    Angel twisted around. She froze for a moment, taking in the sight of him. Clay was finer than she remembered—black boots and hat, tight-fitting, faded blue jeans, and a white, short-sleeved button up. “You here bothering my staff now, Ms. Garner?”
    A menacing look crossed his eyes as he stepped toward her. He exuded confidence and control, both qualities she currently lacked. Clay hooked his hand around the edge of her jeans, tugging her forward. He stared down at her, securing her with just his dark gaze. “I—”
    “I don’t want to hear one peep from you, young lady. Now, my truck’s outside. I suggest you get in it before I lose my temper.”
    She glanced back at the secretary and then to Clay. Two to one. With no support and her emotions fragile, she bolted from the office. The same crowd impeded her retreat as she tried to find Clay’s truck. What did he want from her? Was he going to gloat? The only reason she humored him was the small chance he could know something about Landon’s whereabouts.
    The truck smelled of leather and man, a fine combination. She squirmed in her seat, feeling a sudden rush of energy as she waited for Clay. His door opened, and he climbed in, bringing the freshness of the outdoors and the scent of his cologne in with him. The seat creaked as he got comfortable, turning to face her with one knee slightly bend up. “What am I gonna do with you?”
    “I’m not your concern.”
    “You are my concern when you’re hell-bent on ruining my reputation,