Chapter 53
LUKE
If Brandon and Clay weren’t vying for my girl’s attention, I’d have really liked them.
They were laid back and seemed like decent guys.
Except with Brandon’s dark skin and chiseled jaw, he looked like he might have to flick the women off him like flies from the backside of a horse.
And his beef joke? Hilarious, except he was offering it to Aspen.
If anyone was going to give her some Grade-A beefcake, it was me.
Then there was Clay. A champion bronc rider? That meant he had balls. Maybe not a lot of sense, but women found that shit hot. And I already knew how Aspen could ride a cowboy. Firsthand.
I wanted to punch both their lights out, storm across the stage, past the stupid hay barrier, and claim my woman. Grovel first, but then claim her.
But no.
NO. This was live TV.
She had to ask us stupid questions.
“Bachelor number one,” she said. “What’s your favorite cowboy accessory? Rope, spurs, or belt buckle, and why?”
What kind of dumb question was that? Oh yeah, a cowboy dating show question.
Brandon grinned and wiped his palms on his jean-clad thighs. “Rope because, well… I can’t say on TV.”
I glared at him as the audience tittered with faux embarrassment. What the hell was he thinking of doing with Aspen and some rope?
“Bachelor number two?” Aspen asked.
“Belt buckle, especially when a lady’s undoing it.”
The audience laughed while my hands clenched into fists.
“Bachelor number three?”
What was the question again? I ran my hand through my hair.
“It seems bachelor number three isn’t sure what to say,” Jax said, laughing at me.
Yeah, literally laughing at me. The fucker.
It was time to act, not kill him. I smiled. “Sorry, Jax. I find a little time outdoors makes me reflect on the little things.”
Jax’s smile froze, and he blinked at me.
“Oh, um… I don’t know what that means, but… well, I think we can all agree with that,” Jax said, and the audience agreed. In the sea of faces, I found my parents. My mother gave me an amused, and a little confused, look.
“Next question, Aspen,” Jax prompted.
“Bachelor number two. If you were going to cook me dinner, what would you feed me?”
“I’m not sure if I have to remind you or bachelor number one of this,” Jax began. “But a big piece of meat isn’t an answer.”
I growled. The audience chuckled. What the actual fuck?
Clay opened his mouth to answer, but that was it. I was done. I didn’t want to hear any more innuendo or witty banter. Aspen was mine and she didn’t need to hear anything else about the way they made their beef jerky or whether they liked butter on their cobs of corn or any other twisted shit.
“Do not answer that if you want to keep breathing,” I said to Clay as I hopped from my stool. I strode across the stage.
“Um, bachelor number three, what are you–”
I had no idea what else Jax said after that because I was around the bales of hay and in front of Aspen.
“Fucking finally,” I muttered, tossing her over my shoulder.