Page 22 of Sweet and Wild

I turn and find Cash exiting the cabin a few doors up. His smile is wide and a gorgeous woman wrapped in a sheet stands in the doorway, placing the hat on his head. “Well, didn’t expect to see you here slinking out of Colt’s room before sunup.”

“It’s not at all what it looks like.” I walk closer so I won’t draw any more attention.

Cash’s gaze rolls over me and the smile deepens. “And wearing yesterday’s clothes too?”

“Leave the girl alone, cowboy,” the woman says. “Hi, I’m Carla.”

“I’m Lemon. Nice to meet you, Carla. Where are you from?”

“California.”

“Oh, nice. I spent a weekend there once with my fiancé,” I say. Carla raises her brows and Cash too looks a little taken aback. Seems not all news has traveled to every corner of the ranch. “Ah, myex-fiancé.”

“Girl, good on you for getting back on that horse. I always say the best way to get over a man is to get under another.”

“Is that what you say? Well, giddy up, darlin’.”

I shake my head. “Oh, it’s not like that. Colt and I didn’t sleep together.”

“Mm-hmm,” Cash murmurs. “You wearing yesterday’s clothes says otherwise.”

I roll my eyes and choose to ignore that statement. “Well, I hope Cash has been showing you some of the South’s finest hospitality.”

“Oh, he’s shown me everything the South has to offer.”

“I really do not doubt that, but if you need anything at all, you just holler, okay?”

“Thank you so much. Though you might come to regret that. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to stay in a place more.”

“Well, we could always use more women on the ranch. Who knows, maybe we’ll find a way to keep you after all.”

“Uh-oh. That’s my cue to hightail it on out of here.” He winks at Carla and jumps off the stairs. “You want a lift back to the ranch house, Lemon?”

I glance at Colt’s cabin, praying he doesn’t come out right now and make this all one hundred times worse. “Sure. That would be great.”

“Alright then. I’ll see you later, L.A. Woman.”

“Bye. Good to meet you, Lemon.”

“You too, Carla. Hopefully we’ll see one another around.”

“Hopefully,” Carla says with a sly grin, and I have to wonder whether everyone on this damn ranch isn’t in on some big joke that I’m not privy to.

I climb into Cash’s truck. “Don’t say a word, and wipe that damn cocky grin off your face.”

He frowns and points to his toothpaste-commercial-worthy teeth. “This grin?”

I stare out the window just waiting for him to bring it up.Three, two … one. “So, you and Colt?”

“No. There is no me and Colt anything. Nothing happened. I got drunk and he took me back to his cabin.”

“Well sure, but what were you doing out drinking anyway?”

“Daddy’s funeral was yesterday, or did your night with the Jessica Rabbit lookalike knock all the brain cells from your head?”

He makes apfftingsound, as if that’s not even remotely possible, but Cash wouldn’t be the first man to be struck dumb when it comes to a woman’s lady parts. “I didn’t forget. Just find it interesting that you found yourself back in the arms of your ex.”

“Okay, for a start, no one was in anyone else’s arms.”

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