Chapter 24 Brainwashed!
Luke decided to follow Hallie and make sure nothing crazy happened between the two sisters. Out of everyone he had met so far, Terry was the one who seemed to cause the most emotional reactions from Hallie, and he felt strangely concerned.
He wandered lazily through the crowd, trying not to make it appear like he was following the blond beauty as she walked briskly through the food stalls.
He was dropping his guard with her. He hadn’t meant to reveal that he played polo. It was too close to his real self. He was only supposed to be a wealthy businessman here, nothing more.
But then again, he had never been a very cautious man, and he was even more inclined to throw caution to the wind when he was with a beautiful woman.
“Hello,” a female voice interrupted his thoughts as he stood there leaning against some kind of paddock and trying to listen in on Hallie’s conversation. “Are you liking the rodeo?”
He turned to find the sexiest red-head in bootcut jeans and a midriff-revealing flowery blouse.
“A little,” he said.
He wanted to respond to her flirting, but for some reason, his so-called girlfriend’s face flashed into his mind like a vision of a radiant goddess. Hallie wasn’t the most beautiful woman he had ever met, but there was something irresistible about her.
He could never get it together these days. Hallie must have brainwashed him! Maybe it was like being a method actor. After pretending to be her boyfriend for so long, he was starting to believe he really was.
This was ridiculous because Luke had sworn never to become seriously involved with anyone. He knew that as the crown prince he was bound to marry whoever his parents chose for him, so there was no room in his life for romantic feelings.
“Have you been to the rodeo before?” the red-haired woman asked.
“You know how people say ‘this is not my first rodeo?’ Well, this is actually my first rodeo.”
“A rodeo virgin!” she said saucily, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I thought you might be. You look like you’re from the city.”
“Actually, I’m here with my girlfriend,” he blurted out. He wondered if Hallie was a witch and she was using mind control to make him say these things.
“Oh, that’s a shame,” said the woman. “Of course, all the good looking guys like you are taken.”
Luke tried to summon up his playboy spirit despite feeling like he was cheating on his fake girlfriend. “But if I wasn’t, I’d definitely—”
“Carly, what the hell is going on over here?” a gruff male voice shouted.
Luke didn’t like his tone at all. “That’s no way to talk to a lady,” he said.
It was that guy who was always spoiling for a fight. Luke remembered him from the dance. What was his name? Trevor? Travis? He was approaching at speed, dressed in his bull riding outfit, fists clenched.
“Hey, this isn’t Europe!” he yelled, barging between Luke and the woman. “You think you can waltz in here and pick up someone else’s girlfriend?”
Luke stood his ground. “This being the land of the free and all, I’m free to talk to a woman if I want to. And I’m not doing anything wrong.”
“I warned you, didn’t I?” the bull rider growled.
“You assume I took you seriously,” Luke responded.
He didn’t want to start anything, but this guy had been getting on his nerves lately.
The bull rider jutted his chest out, his face looming much too close for comfort. He stout body seemed to be filled with explosive energy and no doubt well-trained to withstand the rigors of riding a furious five-hundred-pound beast.
Two of Travis’s buddies approached, scowling at Luke.
A fight was inevitable.