Bucked Off: A Fake Fiance Romance (Ryker Ranch Book 2) Read online

  Bucked Off

  A Ryker Ranch Romance

  Kim Loraine

  Copyright © 2020 by Kim Loraine

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  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

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  SADDLE UP

  Also by Kim Loraine

  About the Author

  1

  Buck

  "In two weeks, all this officially changes. Can you believe it? A goddamned reality show." Clint, my older brother, stared across the vast expanse of our family's land as I spoke.

  I steadied my horse as we watched the Montana sky go from purple to pink. "It'll be a big adjustment, that's for damn sure. But Saddle Up saved us. There's no denying it. We’re already booking guests between seasons of the show and it hasn't even started filming yet." Clint nodded and let out a grunt of approval. "Ever says it’s only the beginning."

  "It's the beginning of something."

  “Speaking of the show,” he began, voice low and hesitant.

  “What?” A sense of dread curled in my gut.

  “Joey told Ever the studio wants to add a…romance to the season.”

  I laughed. “Great, good luck to them. Though it seemed to work out for you.”

  “They, uh…well, Buck, they want it to be between you and one of the cast members.”

  I nearly choked. “You know, it’s early and I don’t think I heard you right. Did you say they want me to have a romance on the show?”

  “Yep.”

  “You told her no, right? I’m not an actor. There’s nothing about me that says pretty boy TV star.”

  He shrugged. “Figure they’ll call you in for a meeting today to set something up. You can handle it on your own.”

  My brother didn't say anything else. Instead, he clicked his tongue and took off on his horse, Max. Time to go to work.

  I pushed the looming meeting out of my mind as I headed for the pasture. We had calves to tend and plenty of chores to help usher in spring. The sun was up earlier every day but it was still damn cold this morning. Mist hovered over the grass as I rode out to start rounding up the calves so our vet, Clara, could check them over.

  But as the day wore on, every call on the radio, every car coming down the long dirt drive had my heart lurching. There was no way in hell I’d be their Romeo on this show.

  “What crawled up your ass and died?” My youngest brother, Tristan, asked as the two of us worked our problem horse, Wildfire, back and forth in the arena.

  “I need a way out of something.”

  He cocked a brow. “What?”

  I told him my problem, and he chuckled. “That’s an easy fix.”

  “Oh, is it? Tell me how, then.”

  He shrugged. “Simple. Do what Clint did. Make yourself unavailable.”

  “I doubt I’ll be able to fall in love and get engaged in a week.”

  “Maybe you don’t have to. Find a girl, make her an offer. No-strings-attached. Twelve weeks as your fiancée. Enough money to make it worth her while.”

  I let his words sink in. It could work. If I could figure out who to ask.

  Ten years ago:

  Buck

  “One more day, then these girls are gonna get off our ranch and we won’t have to worry about them anymore,” Sam said as the two of us leaned against the fence rail outside of the arena. We had barrel racing duties today. Which meant helping the four teenage girls who’d joined us for our summer internship get ready for their first rodeo competition.

  “Come on, you don’t mind it. They worship you. You’re a bull rider. You’re basically a god to them.” Sam was twenty-two, already a rodeo champion, and he had girls lining up to date him. Of course, he didn’t give them the time of day. My brother was focused on one thing. Winning.

  “It’s not so bad having them giggle every time I tip my hat. They’re pretty cute.”

  I looked at the four girls, three of whom were crowded together, whispering and casting glances at Sam. When he was around, I didn’t stand a chance. Both my older brothers were broad shouldered and chiseled, and the confidence Sam exuded made me look like a kid next to him.

  “We’d better get started. They’re gonna turn on us any minute now.” I put on my hat and caught the eye of Penny, the little redhead. There was something about her. Something I really liked. I couldn’t stop looking at her, wondering what her hair felt like, what she smelled like. Girls always smelled good. She had sparkling green eyes and a spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and she never looked at my brother. Not once. Not that she looked at me much either.

  “All right, ladies. Let’s get this show on the road. The rodeo is in a few days and this is our last real chance to do some time trials.” Sam strode into the arena like he owned the place, and I guess he kinda did. One day this whole ranch would be ours. The Rykers were born to ranch. That’s what our dad always said.

  We spent a good part of the day working with them on technique, and by the time they were done, we all were hungry and ready for supper. Except for Penny. That girl was standing in the center of the arena, scoping out the set up, and I could see her wheels turning. She was working out the route in her head. I’d watched my mama do the same thing.

  “You need to use your legs more to get that horse going and sit deeper in your saddle.”

  She nodded. “I know. There’s just so much to think about. And I get scared when we go too fast. I don’t want to fall off.”

  “You can’t rodeo if you’re afraid of falling, sweetheart.”

  Setting her jaw, she took a sharp breath. “I’m not here for rodeo.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “My parents always ship me off for part of the summer. Same with my sisters. We’re too much trouble when we’re out of school.”

  That made my throat tight. Her parents made her feel like she wasn’t wanted? I’d never had that.

  “Buck, come on, what are you doing out here? Your mama is holding dinner on account of you.” My dad’s voice boomed from the end of the long path to the arena. “Get those barrels put away and go wash up.”

  “Yes, sir,” I said before turning my attention to Penny. “You should go. Your supper’s gonna get cold.”

  She shook her head, then started helping me clean up the arena with no other comment. We worked in silence until everything was put away, and I didn’t miss it when she watched me carry the barrels one by one and place them in the rack. I might have put on a show for her benefit, lifting the barrels rather than rolling them. She smiled, and it made my whole body heat. There was something about her that I just…liked. I wanted to be closer to her.

  “I’ll walk you to the bunkhouse,” I offered.

  “Thanks.” Her cheeks turned bright pink, and the two of us fell into step beside each other. She was so damn pretty.

  When we got
to the bunkhouse door, I shoved my hands into my pockets and worked to clear the nervous lump in my throat. “Did you have fun?”

  “Here? Now?”

  “I…well, I mean…on the ranch? Tomorrow’s the last day.”

  She smiled and toyed with the end of her ponytail. “Yeah. I did. It’s hard work, but I love the horses.”

  “You’re good with them. You look good on the back of one.”

  “Thanks. You look good too.” Her eyes widened, and embarrassment colored her features. “I mean…on a horse. You look good on your horse.”

  “You never look at Sam,” I blurted.

  She cocked her head and furrowed her brow. “What?”

  “All the other girls. They look at him. You don’t.”

  “I…” she hesitated, then stepped a touch closer. “I have someone else I like to look at.”

  My heart was beating so fast I thought for sure she could hear it. “You do?”

  Nodding, she bit her lower lip then looked away. “Yeah.”

  Everything was hot and cold all at once, and I felt like all the blood was rushing from my head to…other places. She was close enough I could touch her, and the thought of that made my hands shake. This was my chance. My only chance. I went for it. I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers, my hat getting in the way until I took the damn thing off. She was soft and warm and everything I hoped my first kiss would be.

  “Buck Ryker!” my dad called. “Get your butt home for supper right now.”

  We broke apart and she stared at me, lips swollen, eyes bright. “That…”

  “I gotta go,” I said, placing my hat back on my head. “I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetheart.”

  Except I didn’t see her. She left that night and I didn’t know why.

  Penny

  He kissed me. Buck Ryker kissed me under the stars, and I wasn’t dreaming. My lips still felt like he was there, the ghost of his kiss lingering like…well, like a ghost. I’d never been kissed before. Sure, I’d practiced kissing my own hand, pretended I was kissing him. Him. The boy I’d had a crush on since I was twelve. The boy who I thought didn’t know I existed.

  “Hello? Earth to Penny,” Suzi said, waving a hand in front of my face. “Why do you look like you’re floating? You need to bring your feet back to the ground where they belong.”

  I brought my fingertips to my lips, not wanting to share my experience with Buck. I didn’t want her to ruin it. “Just had a good time in the arena today.”

  “I had a good time watching Sam. God, he’s so cute. I think he likes me too. Did you see the way he was watching me on Max?”

  I laughed, happy to take the focus off me. “Yeah, I’m sure a twenty-three year old bull rider wants you, Jess. Aside from the fact that you’re jailbait.”

  “He’s only twenty-two. And I’m turning sixteen next month. We’re not that far apart.”

  I scoffed. “Sure.”

  “Did you guys hear about the bet?” Darcy skidded in from her bedroom and sat on the couch. “Sam bet Buck to kiss one of us before tomorrow night. I wonder who it’s going to be.”

  “What?” My stomach hurt. A bet? He made a bet? How could he do that to me?

  “Yeah. I was in the tack room grabbing a crop, and I overheard them. They didn’t know I was there, but it was definitely Buck and Sam.”

  “Why would they do something like that?” I hated how my voice shook. I was mortified.

  “Because they’re guys? Besides, a kiss is a kiss. If it takes a bet to get Buck to lock lips with one of us, I don’t care. I’d kiss any of the Rykers for pretty much any reason.” Suzi ran a brush through her sleek blond locks. I envied that hair. My own red curls were constantly frizzy and out of control.

  My mom swore I’d figure it out one day, but how would she have known? Her own hair was straight and smooth, not wild and constantly tangled. “I think it’s mean.”

  “That’s because you’re still a virgin. You don’t understand how guys work.”

  Darcy threw an angry glare at Suzi and sat on the couch. “Don’t listen to her, Penny. She’s still a virgin too. She just wants us to think she’s hot shit.”

  “I’m—“

  “If you try to tell us about that British guy you dated over spring break, I’m going to remind you that he was actually a fourteen-year old friend of your brother’s who pretended to be a Brit online.”

  She deflated. “I can’t help that I’m a sucker for accents.”

  “He didn’t have an accent. He lives next door to you.” Darcy exaggerated every word of the last sentence.

  “Okay, okay. I get it. We’re all virgins. But can’t I just dream that maybe I’ll get to end this summer with a kiss from a hot cowboy?”

  I couldn’t tell either of them that their chances were over because Buck had already picked his victim. He’d used me and kissed me until I was weak in the knees. But it was all a lie.

  That night I called my sister to come pick me up, telling her I was sick. My parents would be pissed, but I couldn’t look Buck in the eye the next day. I couldn’t pretend he hadn’t hurt me.

  So I left with the memory of his mouth on mine etched onto my heart forever. I wouldn’t ever forgive the Ryker boys for what they did to me, but I also wouldn’t forget the boy I always thought I’d end up with.

  Buck

  I sat across from three network executives dressed in their designer suits and shiny shoes. My family and I couldn’t have been more different from this crew in our living room.

  “So, we’re about to get started and we wanted to finalize some details with you all,” the woman said.

  Clint and Ever sat together on the loveseat, their hands linked and him rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. Mama and Sera took the couch. Tristan and Sam were the only ones missing. Lord knew where Tristan was. Probably finding himself a date for the night already. The two men and one woman who were going to be running Saddle Up smiled at us.

  “The bunkhouses are ready, spa construction is going to be done in a few days. Though I don’t know why we need that,” Clint said, his tone surly.

  “We talked about this, Clint. It’s another revenue stream for the future of this place as a guest ranch. Spa services will be good for the guests after they spend their time on horseback.” Ever was gentle in the best way with my brother. She was also right. I’d done my research. The ranches that were the most successful made their money on more than the room rates. The extras kept things in the black. And that was what we needed in order to take care of Mama.

  The man on the right, I thought his name was Brad, cleared his throat. “Good, that’s good. Now, the guests will arrive within the week, and we’ll get them acclimated. They’ve all been through a basic animal safety course, but will have varying degrees of horseback riding experience. You’ll have to assess them all, and we plan for that to be part of the first episode.”

  I sighed, but I was prepared for that. I’d given my share of lessons, and now that we had Sera to help us, between Tristan, me, and her, we’d get it done.

  “Clint, we’ll need you to keep doing your normal thing. We want you to be the authentic rancher they all want to see. The rest of you, we’ll have plenty we need you to focus on.”

  Here it came. “Like what?” I asked.

  The blond, polished woman lit up like a firework. “That’s where you come in, Buck. We have a proposition for you.”

  I sighed, knowing exactly what they were going to ask. Thank God for Ever. “What is it?”

  “We want to pair you off with a contestant. Sort of a scripted romance between the two of you. There’s a significant pay increase if you do this.”

  “No.”

  She frowned. “It’s nothing permanent. You don’t have to marry the girl.”

  “I said, no. I can’t.” My chest was tight with anxiety. I hated being pressed to do something I didn’t want to do.

  “Well, why not?”

  “I’m already engaged.” The words tumble
d out of my mouth before I could stop them. Tristan and I had talked about this plan, but I hadn’t been seriously entertaining it. I had no idea who to ask.

  Mama’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open in shock, but Sera nudged her and shook her head slightly in warning.

  “That’s right, my big brother got engaged just last night,” Sera said.

  “Well, that’s fantastic news. Congratulations, Buck,” the woman said. “That makes this even easier. We won’t have to script anything, and the love story will be authentic.”

  Shit. “I don’t want her to be part of this.”

  “Well, hold on now, brother. Let’s see what they’re offering.” Sera knew my plans for the future of the ranch meant we needed as much money as we could get from this show.

  Brad pulled out a folder and handed it to me. “This is the amended contract for the addition of the romance. We’d offer the same amount to your fiancée, plus a substantial payout to you both, to do an exclusive Ryker Ranch wedding special. People love stuff like that. Watching a couple in love and seeing their happily ever after. It’s even better when it’s real.”

  “Why don’t you do that with Clint and Ever then?” I asked.

  “That story has already broken. Ever’s got a book deal, her blog took off. The world knows what happened with them. We need something fresh if we can get it.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “I can take one for the team if you need me to,” Sera offered. “I have no issue following a script.”

  Brad shook his head. “No. Buck’s the one we want. No offense, Sera. You’re too young. People won’t take your story seriously. Not until you have a few more years under your belt.”