Page 79 of Roping Her Alien Ranchers

Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention. Vantor was approaching from the direction of the stables, his imposing superhero-esque form seeming bigger than ever. From the opposite direction, near the equipment shed, Kalith emerged, his carved features set in determination.

My alien cavalry had arrived, summoned by some unspoken alarm system that I suspected had everything to do with the distress pheromones they claimed humans emitted. For once, I was grateful for their alien super-senses.

Derek hadn’t noticed the other two yet. His attention was fixed solely on Cyro, sizing him up like a bull encountering a rival for the first time. I turned back to face my ex, a new confidence straightening my spine.

“Actually, Derek,” I said, “I think you should leave. Now.”

Derek’s jaw tightened as Cyro positioned himself beside me. He’d never liked competition. In the past, if a man so much as smiled at me across a bar, I’d spend the whole night listening to whispered accusations about my supposed flirting. Now here was Cyro—tall, otherworldly handsome despite his human disguise—standing close enough that our shoulders touched. I felt the subtle shift in temperature that always came when he was agitated, his alien body heat rising to meet the challenge.

For one horrifying moment, I thought my inner Omega was going to riot, sending me into a violent heat right then and there. I had to swallow hard, concentrating with all my might to calm down, so I wouldn’t absolutely lose it. All I needed was for Derek to see me get soaked with slick. Asshole would probably think it was because of him.

I couldn’t stop the blush crawling up my cheeks, no matter how much I tried to regulate my breathing. I felt my face catch fire as Cyro shifted just a fraction, pressing more firmly into me. Oh, Jupiter help me, I was two seconds away from jumping Cyro’s bones in front of Derek!

I could practically feel the lava rising off Cyro, his Alpha cologne pouring out in heady waves. He was right there, his presence grounding me, yet also igniting searing need I desperately tried to shove out of my mind. Arms. Legs. Tentacles. His ability to shapeshift into… anything. The possibilities clouded my good sense. Even with Derek’s smug face right in front of me, I wanted to forget the chaos and dive into whatever potent mix of alien chemistry Cyro and I were brewing. If Kalith and Vantor showed up, I’d be a lost cause.

But leave it to Derek to kill my mood with one sentence.

“You still blush like crazy for me, Tammy.” His gaze had darkened, not with anger, but with odious desire. One time, I’d thought he was the most attractive man on Earth. Now, looking at the sheen across his brow, the mottled tan from the fake tanner he insisted ‘evened out the sun’s work’, and the teeth he had whitened yet again—seeing as how they are jarringly, unnaturally white—I only felt revulsion. Not a single ounce of attraction.

He leaned forward, causing Cyro to automatically wrap one human arm around me, tugging me into his side. The sight of that only made Derek pause momentarily in his advance. He pressed onward, running his calloused finger down my bare arm. I shivered, and not with desire. This man was repulsive. He’d always been, but now I was sane enough to see it. “Admit it, baby. You can’t live without me. Drop this crazy act, stop pretending these guys mean three shits to you, and come home. I’ll have the bank paid in a matter of hours. Hell, we can even keep this place if you don’t want to sell it. It can be your pet project. With my help, you can’t fail.”

Even though my need for Cyro still existed as smoldering embers in my tightened belly, my hatred for Derek was enough to overpower it and clear my head.

“No,” I said simply. I didn’t offer further explanation. He didn’t deserve it.

But… I knew better than to think Derek would accept a one-word answer. Even if it was a complete, firm sentence.

“You know you don’t mean that, Tam-Tam.” He brushed one finger down my cheek now. I flinched away, Cyro’s arm wrapping further around me. Almost… too far. God, I hoped he hadn’t forgotten to keep his tentacles looking human. I risked a glance down, breathing a shallow sigh of relief to see the very large male hand pressed against my abdomen.

“No,” I said again, with all the conviction I could muster, but Derek didn’t flinch. His arrogance flowed over me like a filthy oil slick, and as that jaw of his tightened, I could only feel my resolve hardening further. “I won’t be bought. Not by you. Not now. Not ever. I never should have been with you in the first place, Derek. You. Don’t. Deserve me.”

“Come on, Tammy,” he grinned, the kind of smile that promised manipulation and danger. The kind that didn’t reach his cold, calculating eyes. Because to Derek, I wasn’t a person. I was his object. I still was, despite cutting the cord months ago. “This is about the reality of your situation.” The way he leaned in close—too close—made me want to recoil, but I stood my ground.

I wished Cyro would loosen his hold so I could back away. Even the smell of Derek’s breath was making me nauseous.

But Cyro didn’t let me back away. He made me stand my ground. He also reached out one muscled, thick arm and pressed one giant palm against Derek’s chest. Cyro’s beefy fingers splayed out, enveloping one pectoral muscle and beyond.

Derek glanced down in surprise. His brow furrowed. His lip curled.

“Get your damn hand off me,” he snarled.

“Step back from Tammy,” Cyro said clearly, without aggression.

“She’s my girl,” Derek spat, “I’ll get as close as I fucking want.”

“You can try.” Was all the response Cyro offered as he stared Derek down.

Maybe I imagined it, but I saw real fear flash through Derek’s haughty eyes.

Then, for one horrifying moment, I thought my ex was going to get into a punching match with my alien. Maybe if it was Vantor, I’d not be worried. But Cyro was the quintessential pocket square, pencil toting nerd. His human guise might be a tall glass of water with muscles for days, but I wasn’t sure that would translate in a fight.

Crap.

30

TAMMY

There’s nothing quite like seeing your asshole ex covered in manure.