Page 19 of Take Me Please, Cowboy
“Yes, from you.”She stepped toward him, closing the distance between them until she could easily reach out and touch his chest.“You must think you’re pretty destructive if you have to warn me off like that.”
“I don’t date.I don’t seduce women.I’m not a player, and yet I feel as if I’ve played you.”
“How?By kissing me?Big deal.”Her head tipped back to try to see beneath the brim of his hat.“I have five big brothers.I understand guys.I know how you work.Just because we flirted a little bit doesn’t mean I’m planning a future for us.”
“If I lived here—”
“But you don’t,” she snapped.“I had fun tonight.I’ve been pretty lonely since moving from Texas.I’ve made no friends yet.I rarely leave my uncle’s ranch.Don’t make me feel bad for enjoying your company.That’s not cool, or fair.”
He reached for her, pulling her against him, his hand low on her hip, fingers curving around her butt.“I don’t want you to feel bad.Not tonight, not tomorrow, not Sunday, not ever.”
“Then let me make decisions for myself.Trust that I’m old enough to know what’s good for me, and what’s not.”She was still trying to see his eyes, still trying to figure out who he was and what motivated him.“I mean that nicely, too.You have a lot of pressure riding on those big handsome shoulders.I shouldn’t be adding to that pressure.I’m not interested in being a burden—”
“You’re not.Not at all.I enjoyed tonight, very much.”
“Good.”She smiled crookedly.“I should go, though.It’s late.”
He kissed her forehead.“I don’t want to say good night.Or goodbye.”
“Then don’t.Just say I’ll see you tomorrow.”She hesitated.“If you don’t mind me going to watch you compete.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you.Anything could happen in the ring.”
“Win or lose, I’ll still love being there, your own little fan section.”
“My fan section of one.”
She laughed and stood up on tiptoe to kiss his mouth, his lips firm, cool, and then he kissed her back, and the sweetness turned to an impossible craving, absolute fire.He wrapped his arms tighter around her, almost lifting her off her feet.His tongue parted her mouth, teasing her tongue, tasting, demanding, and pleasure coursed through her, wave after wave of want, wave after wave of need.No one had ever kissed her like this.No one had ever made her feel so fierce and bright and alive.
She didn’t know how long they kissed but she was lost to the world until a car passed behind them and a bunch of teenagers whistled and catcalled.
Rye ended the kiss, and Ansley staggered back, hot and cold, her legs trembling, heart pounding so hard she could only hear the blood rushing in her ears.“I don’t know what you do to me,” she breathed, “but it’s ridiculous.”She pushed a heavy wave of hair back from her face.“Insane.”
“I’d invite you back to my trailer but it’s not very comfortable.”
“And we wouldn’t sleep, which wouldn’t be good for you tomorrow.”
“I can handle myself, and we would sleep.I have excellent self-control.”
She slowly smiled until she felt as if her chest would split with joy.“You make me laugh.”
“I’m actually quite serious.”
“I know.But that makes me laugh, too.”She moved close and kissed him quickly on the mouth.“Good night, Rye Calhoun.I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”
Chapter Four
In his smalltrailer at the fairground, Rye turned out his light and stripped down to his boxers since the night was hot and there was no fan or air-conditioning in his trailer.In the dark, he stretched out on his narrow bed, arms folded behind his head, and looked up at the ceiling, moonlight spilling through the narrow window, patterning the metal ceiling.
He tried to relax, but he was amped up, emotions not at all manageable.Tonight had been a roller coaster, mostly highs, but he was aware that the highs would lead to lows.He didn’t want the lows.He didn’t want to expose Ansley to lows, either.Perhaps it was old-fashioned but it was his job to protect those in his life, and now Ansley was one of the ones he needed to protect.
She didn’t understand his world, or how complicated it was.He didn’t want her in his world, didn’t want her to be part of the struggle.Better to keep the walls up than let her in, because if she got in…
He shook his head, not wanting to continue the train of thought.He’d not open his family to criticism or ridicule.And maybe Ansley wouldn’t make any of them uncomfortable.Maybe she wouldn’t be uncomfortable, either, but he wasn’t taking chances.He loved his family too much to render them vulnerable.
His phone vibrated with a text.Was it Ansley letting him know she was home?He hated how his pulse quickened as he reached for his phone.
It was.
