The Billionaire Cowboy: A Billionaire's Club Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

perhaps,
someone
—else dredged up memories that it was obvious Lara would rather forget.
    How could he possibly convince her that his interest in her had nothing to do with some petty conquest and “owning” her? If anything, she owned him. Hell, he’d spent thousands of dollars on a horse he had absolutely no use for just to get her out here. She owned his every waking thought and even his body, which responded to her in ways that no other woman had managed to coax from him. With nothing but a look Lara could awaken every nerve in Ryder’s body. Own her? It wasn’t ownership when you gave yourself over freely. And he was going to do everything in his power to make her see that.
    Ryder decided to give her a few moments before heading after Lara into the stable. Though she’d thought to unveil some great revelation by letting him in on the not-so-secret details of his love life, he was well aware of what folks around town said about him. As well as the women he’d been with. You’d think they’d bagged a trophy buck—a top score on the Boone and Crockett scale—the way they talked about him. And whereas he’d never let the rumors get to him, he wondered what would prompt these women to so salaciously share their sexual exploits with anyone who’d listen.
    One of the drawbacks of having money: you never really knew who wanted you for you or for what was sitting in your bank account.
    Maybe that’s why he was doing everything short of jumping through flaming hoops to get Lara’s attention. She wasn’t some silly cowboy groupie, like the women who frequented the rodeos in the hopes of landing a bull or bronc rider. And unlike the socialites who slipped him room keys at whatever swanky event he might find himself at, she didn’t see him as a diversion to whatever boredom she suffered. If she wanted his money, like any other gold digger, she would’ve jumped on his cock the first time he asked her out.
    Lara was beautiful, feisty, and intelligent. Fiercely independent and not a little stubborn. Ryder wanted her not only for those things, but because she wanted absolutely
nothing
from him. It was borderline perverse that he’d gone out of his way to buy October, giving Lara a reason to want something from him when he resented every other woman for the same reason. The hell with it, though. He’d started down this road. He had no choice but to follow it to the end.
    He hopped down off of Dakota and took him by the reins, leading the stallion toward the stable. Through the large barn doors, he caught sight of Lara standing near one of the box stalls with Samson. The gelding stamped his foot and Lara spoke low next to his ear as she stroked his muzzle. The horse let out a chuff of breath and Lara laughed, the sound vibrating down the length of Ryder’s spine and infusing him with a warmth that urged him to close the space between them. Dakota snorted as though mocking Ryder for his sappiness.
Stupid horse
. Lara cocked her head toward the sound but otherwise didn’t give any outward sign to acknowledge Ryder’s presence.
    Her dismissal made him want to snatch her up in his arms. Lara’s lips practically begged to be kissed, drawn into a stubborn pout. Every curve of her body called to him, countless secrets for him to uncover and explore. Maybe what she needed was for a man who knew her body to show her how good she could feel. And goddamn it, he was going to be the man to do it.

Chapter Four
    Lara pulled the saddle off Samson’s back and hung it on a stand in the stable. Without turning around to face Ryder she said, “Look, I’m playing your game, for whatever reasons, but that doesn’t mean I have to sit back and let you humiliate me.”
    “This has nothing to do with humiliation,” Ryder all but drawled. “All I gave you was honesty, doc. You should have told me first if you didn’t think you could handle a truthful response.”
    Maybe he was right. Damn him. She unbuckled Samson’s bridle and