Maggie scowls at him for another few, long seconds before scoffing and rolling her eyes.
“Whatever. Dr. Mulaney will probably call you during her lunch break.” She directs the words at me, but doesn’t tear her gaze away from her dad as she stalks around him to the doorway of the feed room. “Have a good day,Ben.”
She stresses my name like she thinks it’s funny, but all I can do is be grateful that she didn’t correct him on what he calledme. If I’m lucky, she thinks it’s a nickname and won’t mention it. I doubt David would recognize me just based off my first name, but I don’t want to test my luck with how pissed off he is right now.
I don’t respond to Maggie’s farewell, smart enough to keep my mouth shut since David is still glaring at me like he wants to rip a limb or two off me. She blows a kiss at me from behind his back, but I ignore that too.
If he knew what I did to his daughter just two days ago, I doubt he’d be happy with just glaring at me.
“Maggie is a spoiled brat, and she’s trying to get under my skin,” David says, sounding exhausted and threatening simultaneously. “I hope, for your sake, that she really was just checking on your arm. You’re not stupid enough to try anything with my daughter, are you, Ben?”
The air between us is thick with tension. If David had any inkling of who my father was, he’d throw me off the ranch here and now, cattle drive be damned.
I shrug off the lingering tightness in my chest at the thought of Magnolia using me and offer David a crooked grin. “I may be dumb, sir, but I’m notthatdumb. I know better than to get myself in trouble like that.”
If only that was the truth.
David doesn’t know me well enough to see the layer of dishonesty in my eyes. Fuck, maybe I should be glad that she’s not pushing for more. I’m dodging a bullet in more ways than one by staying off David’s radar.
“Good kid,” he says with an answering laugh. He claps me on the shoulder, the hard edge of anger fading away from his features. With a nod toward the door, he drops his hand and steps away. “Come on, I’ll have someone else handle feeding this morning. I want you and Bo to help me handle the drive this year. Let’s go hash out all the details.”
I settle the saddle in my hands over one of the racks and wipe my hands off on my jeans, using the moment to center myself again. This is what I’m here for, after all. I’m not going to let some girl who doesn’t even want me mess things up.
I squash down the bitter guilt creeping up my throat and shoot David an easy smile before grabbing one last set of reins and slinging them over the saddle.
“Sounds like a plan, boss.”
This won’t go anywhere serious, but Maggie already said she’d be stopping by tonight. It can’t hurt to play along for one more night. After all, I still owe her a punishment for lying to me. I look down at the reins I just set down, a grin twitching at my lips.
I have just the thing in mind.
Chapter Twelve
MAGGIE
“Come in.”
It feels weird to be invited into Bennett’s trailer after letting myself in last time, but I swing the door open and step inside. The lights are on this time, but there’s not much to see. A mini kitchen sits along one wall, a bathroom behind me, and a shirtless Bennett in front of me.
Three guesses where my attention is.
He sits on the edge of his bed, jean clad thighs spread wide and bare feet planted on the ground. His hands dangle between his knees, strips of braided leather lazily twined between his fingers. What the hell is he doing with horse reins? My gut tightens in excitement as my mind runs wild with thoughts of what he might have planned for me. I’ve been fantasizing about him all day, the few hours after I got off work before I could come seek him out absolutetorture.
“Waiting for me?” I ask with a cheeky grin, stepping closer to him.
He clicks his tongue at me like I’m a fuckingdog, sharp and reproachful. Heat floods my face even as I stop on the spot, arousal pooling deep in my gut.
“You don’t speak unless spoken to tonight,” he says, his voice dark, eyes unwavering on mine. “You sayredif you need me to stop. Otherwise, I’m taking what I want. Understood?”
I gape at him, uncertain of my next step. My heart hammers in my chest—Ilikethis, that much I know, but I’m off kilter and have no clue what to do. Bennett looks different. Intense. Like he’s going to fucking eat me alive.
“I asked you a question, Magnolia.”
“Yes.” The word comes out on an exhale, shaky with excitement. “Yes. I understand.”
Nerves and excitement wrap around each other in my chest as I watch Bennett twist the reins in his hands. He’s the very picture of control, his shoulders straight, eyes steady as he watches my every movement. I feel like prey trapped beneath the eyes of a predator, and my whole body buzzes with excitement.
“Good girl.” His lips twitch up in a hint of a smile. “Come here.”
