The Cowboy Claims His Lady by Meagan McKinney

friendly chat, but I don’t want to be mauled.”
    â€œWho’s maulin’ ya, huh? Not me, huh? I’m just a good ol’ boy in town for a while, wanting a good ol’ time.” He bent to kiss her.
    Her adrenaline surged.
    Trying to push him away, she spat, “Look, you might be a legend in your own mind, but I’m not really impressed. So hands off!”
    His eyes chilled with anger.
    â€œYou uppity woman. You come in here thinkin’ you’re too good for us, huh? Well, I’ll give you a spin around tonight that’ll put you in your place.”
    It wasn’t quite a scream that came out of her mouth, it was more of a half moan, half grunt as she tried to shove the man away. She was just realizing she couldn’t succeed, when someone pulled him off her.
    â€œShe said scat.” Bruce, his face filled with unspent rage, nearly lifted Joe off his feet.
    â€œWho are you?” Joe hollered.
    â€œNobody you need to know, just somebody you need to listen to,” Bruce answered ominously.
    Lyndie was ready for Joe’s retort.
    But not the fist that met with Bruce’s eye.
    Her instinct was to rush to Bruce’s side to see if he was okay.
    But she was completely out of her element. Bruceignored her cry of sympathy and laid several nasty blows in Joe’s gut.
    â€œStop this!” she exclaimed, but neither of them listened. It was as if they were stags in rut, acting on nothing but testosterone and rage.
    â€œStop this at once!” she demanded, as Bruce laid into Joe like a madman.
    Joe, bloody and aching, began to look afraid of the man he’d riled.
    â€œPlease stop!” she screamed, before any other men could join in the fray.
    Bruce withheld the final blow and Joe sank against the wall.
    â€œI can’t believe this,” she gasped, staring at Bruce.
    â€œWell, believe it,” he said, fury snapping in his cold eyes. “You got what you wanted. We came here. Now we’re leaving.”
    â€œI didn’t want this! I wanted a night out.” She looked around.
    Justin was holding Kim and Susan by the arm as if comforting both of them.
    Everyone in the bar was staring at her and Bruce.
    â€œMaybe your boyfriend’s right, lady. Maybe you ought to leave,” the bartender nudged.
    Bruce grabbed her by the hand. He pulled her out of the bar and toward the SUV.
    â€œBelieve me,” she implored, “I never thoughtsomething like this would happen. I mean, I can take care of myself—”
    He stopped in his tracks and stared at her.
    She suddenly felt as foolish as she probably looked. “I’m sorry. Maybe I couldn’t take care of myself back there. I guess I should admit it and thank you.”
    â€œI don’t want your thanks,” he sniped.
    â€œThen, what do you want? An apology? Look, I’m sorry, but I had no idea that would happen, and I certainly didn’t plan on getting you a black eye this evening.”
    â€œI don’t want your apology.”
    She looked at him, defeated. “Then, what do you want? My blood? What else is there?”
    â€œThis—”
    He grasped her chin and tilted her head up toward him. His lips planted on hers in a deep yearning kiss.
    â€œWhewwweee!”
    The voice made them freeze.
    Lyndie stepped away from Bruce, only to find Justin, Susan and Kim staring at her.
    She flushed with embarrassment—and guilt.
    Susan had been quite clear she wanted to go for Bruce, and Lyndie had made it clear she wasn’t interested. At best, she now looked like a hypocrite, at worst, like a liar.
    â€œThis—this isn’t what it looks like,” she stammered, trying to inject some sense into the insane night.
    â€œIt looked pretty clear to me,” Justin remarked.
    â€œMe, too,” Susan said softly.
    â€œEveryone get in the truck. We’re going back to the ranch,” Bruce ordered gruffly, glancing at her as if she’d