Free Romance: Loving The Alpha Cowboy: BBW Cowboy Romance (BBW Romance And Alpha Males, Western Contemporary Romance, Cowboy Romance) by Lily West

 
     
     
     
    Chapter 1
     
     
    Cold and exhausted, it was fear that pushed Colleen to keep running. She pulled her arms up like a shield as she forced her way through a wall of tall bushes. Thorns tore at the exposed flesh of her arms and sides, her legs planting themselves and driving her through.
     
    Her shirt had been torn open, and Roland’s attempts to remove it entirely had only succeeded in ripping it to pieces. She’d lost her pants to some barbed wire a few miles back, the scratches on her legs still bleeding from it. Colleen didn’t look back to see if Roland was still chasing her. She didn’t need to.
     
    Just keep running. That was all she could do – just keep running.
     
    The next thing she knew, she was lying down on something hard.
     
    “What have we here?” A man’s voice said above her.
     
    Colleen cracked open her eyes, the early morning sun flashing across her vision. When had the sun come up? Sucking in air through her teeth, she shielded her eyes before looking over to see who had spoken.
     
    The most handsome man stood over her. His face covered in stubble from a few days of no shaving, and perfectly sculpted muscles over his torso and arms. His jeans were worn and sun-faded, and the tips of his boots looked worn smooth from use.
     
    He smiled at her as he moved his hands around in a shirt, looking for the sleeves before putting it on.
     
    “Where am I?” she asked.
     
    “Miss, you’re on my ranch.”
     
    “Ranch?” she repeated and looked around.
    The forest she had been running through was nowhere to be seen. Pasture stretched in all directions to the horizon.
     
    “Where am I?” she asked, unable to think of anywhere near the city that had such vast fields like this.
     
    The man lowered himself and spoke softly. “Now, I answered that one. Were you looking for something more specific?”
     
    Colleen forced a small laugh, hoping he didn’t think she was demented or anything.
     
    “No, I’m sorry. I’m just confused is all.”
     
    “Well Confused, I’m Tucker,” he said, holding a hand out to her.
     
    “Colleen,” she said, correcting him, and accepted his hand. He smiled and helped her to her feet.
     
    “Pleased to meet you, Colleen. Now, if you’ll pardon my saying, it seems you don’t have pants on.”
     
    Then, holding out his t-shirt to her, he added, “Or a shirt.”
     
    Suddenly realizing her state, she squeaked and took the shirt from him and held it over her chest as though it would cover her.
     
    “If you’d kindly come with me, I’m sure we can find you something that’ll do a spell while you tell me what exactly such a lovely lady like yourself is doing on my porch. I sure didn’t order you.”
     
    He guided her through his home to the bathroom so she could have some privacy while he picked out some clothes for her.
     
    The instant the door closed, she looked at herself in the mirror and grimaced. Dirt covered her from head to toe, old scratches had lines of dried blood going down her cheeks.
     
    Through the dirt, clear lines streaked her face where her tears had cut a path through the filth.
     
    Colleen washed her face first, using some water to get the worst of it off before gingerly washing with soap. The suds stung her cuts, but she forced her way through it in the same of cleanliness.
     
    God forbid she got an infection on her face. Wouldn’t that just be perfect. Using a washcloth she cleaned her neck, shoulders, and arms.
     
    She’d have to take a shower to really clean up, but she didn’t feel right asking. It seemed an oddly personal thing, to shower in someone else’s home, and she didn’t even know the guy.
     
    Of course, someone as good-looking as him, she’d shower with the door open just a crack and pray he was the type to take advantage. A knock on the door startled her, and she gave a sharp cry before coming back to herself.
     
    Tucker’s laugh on the other side made her blush.
     
    “Sorry Miss,