Page 72 of Ride Me Cowboy

“I can help you,” I say, the words tumbling over themselves.

“How, City Girl? You got a lazy million bucks sitting around somewhere?”

“I do, actually. In fact, more than that,” I say, so now Cole jerks his head to look at me, eyes scanning my features. “I wasn’t going to touch it,” I say, pressing a hand to his chest, excitement bursting through me at the fact I can do this for Cole. “But the money’s just sitting there, and I can give it to you. I’dliketo give it to you.”

“What the heck are you talking about?”

“Christopher was rich. Not just rich, like old New York establishment rich. He had a trust fund, and a massive lifeinsurance policy. Everything’s in my name now.” I shake my head at how ludicrous that is. “I swore I wouldn’t touch it, except maybe to buy some place to live, set up a new life for myself. But knowing I could take his money and do something so good with it, I mean, I feel like that’s exactly how it should be.”

“No way.” He sits up then, surprising me with his vehemence. “I don’t want a cent of yours, and I sure as hell don’t want a cent of that bastard’s.”

“But Cole, it can make all your money worries go away. You could buy whatever you need, build this place up again.”

“Not that way.”

“Why not?”

“Because, that’s not who we are. That’s not what this is. You’re here on a temp job, Beth. And while things between us may have gone way beyond what I expected, I’m not taking money from you.”

“It’s a gift. I don’t want anything in exchange,” I say, hurt spreading through me at his rejection.

“It’s just not how things are done. I’m not taking charity, least of all from you.”

“Are you listening to yourself? I have the money just sitting in an investment account. I could transfer it to you, just like that,” I click my fingers. “Let me help you.”

“Damn it, Beth. Drop it. That ain’t gonna happen. Not while there’s life in my body.” He sucks in a breath, visibly calming himself down, and then, in a softer tone, “Just let it go.”

I shake my head with impatience, but I can sense this is a losing battle. If Cole’s dad was proud, then Cole has that same streak running through him, making it hard for him to do anything but stand on his own two feet. Or in this case, lie in the bed his father made.

“Come on,” he says, voice gruff, but he offers me a tense smile. “Let’s get you back home before anyone notices you’re missing.”

He jumps out of the truck and starts getting dressed, jerking his clothes on with almost the same sense of impatience he removed mine with an hour or so earlier.

The thing is, I don’t want to go back to the house, and our separate bedrooms. I want to stay out here under the stars, naked as the day we were born, my head resting on Cole’s chest, listening to his heart, taking it all in. I want to sink into this experience and never let go. Which is a striking thought for someone like me, who’s sworn off any kind of lasting connection. It’s enough of a reason for me to nod and say, “Yeah, okay. Let’s head back,” and pull my own clothes on my over-sensitized body.

As we approach the house, he turns to me and says, “Beth, about what I said?—,”

“It’s okay, I won’t say anything. It’s your secret to share when you’re ready.”

His brow lowers. “I meant about the money, but thanks for that.”

I nod.

“I appreciate your offer, I really do. But apart from anything else, my old man would roll over in his grave if I took it. This is a ranch problem, something I’ve gotta solve.”

“I told you, I can help?—,”

“You are helpin’, sweetheart. You’re helping just by being here. By making me smile at the end of the day; the whole day, come to think of it.” He slows the truck to a stop and leans closer. “And I plan on eating you up just about every chance I get, until you walk off this ranch. Hope that’s okay with you.”

Okay? It’s more than okay. It’s just exactly how I want it to be. I sigh to signal my contentment and catch his smile as he starts the truck again.

It hits me in the middle of the night and honestly, I can’t say why it didn’t occur to me sooner, because the truth is, there’s another way I can help Cole, and it’s something that I’m pretty sure he’ll agree to.

My social media plan for the ranch was really just about getting a bit of extra revenue, to restore the guest house, to boost their profits. I had no idea when I was coming up with my proposal that it could actually be the key to turning everything around for Cole. There’s more than one way to help a stubborn, struggling cowboy, it’s just about finding my way around that pride of his, and bringing him to heel.

Which is how I know it’s time to enlist allies. AKA, his family.

Chapter Twenty-One

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