Page 11 of Unexpected Sweetheart
I lick my lips and sit back, frowning as I choose my words carefully. “What exactly are you saying here, Lorelei? That you’ve never…offeredyourself to a man before?”
She nods again.
“So…” My eyes drop to her body before they lift back up again. “You’re untouched?”
She presses her lips together and nods. My jeans tent. “Does that freak you out?”
“No.” I’m quick to answer, then even quicker to clear my throat. “I just…I guess I’m trying to understand here. Why are you telling me this?” I adjust to give my growing appendage some room. “Why did you offer yourself tome? I’m pushing forty, and last I checked, I’m a total asshole.”
“Because you looked at me like a woman and not a paycheck.”
“But youarea paycheck. The ranch was paid to look after you.”
“Yeah. But it isn’t enough to make a difference in your life, right? You said so yourself, you’re stuck here as much as I am. You saw me as a person—a woman—and I wanted you to make me feel like one too.”
She looks at me expectantly, and I’m honestly not sure how to respond. Did she just want me to break her in for some other guy down the track? Am I her idea of roughing it? The obscenely rich don’t tend to mix with the poor long term, so I’m of half a mind to be offended.Did she think I’d just fuck her brains out for three weeks then send her on her way?My dick seems to think that’s a good idea, but that’s not the road I think I should be taking. On one hand, I’d fucking love to show her what it’s like to be a woman. I’d push her down on my bed and refuse to let her up unless it’s for food or showering, and I’d probably be fucking her while those were happening anyway. And on the other hand, she’s here because I’m honoring a contract made between her father and mine. I’m supposed to be her teacher, not her perverter.I could teach her how to please me…
The thought makes my cock twitch.
No!I do still have a modicum of respect for myself. And I may have a lot of bad feeling toward my late father, but besmirching his good name by defiling one of his waywards is where I draw the line. No matter how much I want her, I need to return her untouched. I’m no rich girl’s toy.
Thankfully, before I can think or say anything more, Alice returns with our food, and I’m back to ignoring the situation again.I will not fuck this girl. I will not.
Rory
Isit in the truck as I wait for Ryan while he’s in the supply store collecting the grain order. It's been another week of hard work and bossiness on the ranch. The bossiness, I love. The hard work, not so much. But that's about as far as it goes. After my virgin revelation in the diner last week, Ryan has done his very best to avoid me as much as possible.
Most mornings, he puts me to work in the stables—which takesforeverat my pace—while he rides around on Comet doing the feeding and whatnot. I’ve mucked and swept and groomed until my hands have split and my shoulders ache. But I’m getting pretty great at talking to and understanding horses since they’re the only other living creatures I get to hang out with. And when that’s all over, we’re either running errands or he's locked in the study doing his other job—turns out he's a financial analyst and not a full-time rancher—and I'm told to keep an eye on the heifers or given a box of old paperwork to sort and file. There's never a non-busy moment, but I miss the easy conversation of those first couple of days. If I could go back to that diner and have the conversation over again, I’d leave the virgin part out. Despite his words, I’m pretty sure I freaked him out and now he’s hiding from me.
Despite my exhaustion from work and loneliness, I lie in bed every night keyed up to my eyeballs with unrequited desire. I’ve rung my own doorbell so many times I’m about to go blind, but still I’m unsatisfied, and Ryan shows no signs of wanting to help me out. Actually, that’s a lie. When he looks at me—for the briefest of moments—his eyes are dark and wanting. So, there are definitelysignsof interestthere. I just don’t think he’s willing to act on that interest. I don't know what it is that's stopping him from taking what he wants. Maybe it’s the responsibility ofbeingmy first that has him holding back? But, I’m not a kid, and I understand it’s going to hurt. It’s not like there are any laws stopping us from being together, either. Sure, he’s a heck of a lot older than me. But that just means he should know how to treat a woman, right? He can teach me all about my body and his, and he can totally be bossy while doing it. I think I’ve made it obvious that I’d happily be his little sex slave. I mean, I threw myself at him then practically handed him a written invitation. But for some reason, he prefers to ignore what I feel sure about. I’m sure I want Ryan Oakley to be my first.
It’s also possible I want him to be my only.
Taking the virgin issue away, I might think he was avoiding me because he already has a woman in his life. But after nearly two weeks, I haven't seen a shred of evidence that he's in a relationship or even has eyes on someone else. There’s only me, the way he eye fucks me when he thinks I’m not looking, and the impressive tent in his jeans he thinks he’s hiding. But I see it. And I know he wants me at least enough to give me one night. But he's holding back, and beyond jumping the man in his sleep, I'm not sure how to make this happen. This is why I am taking this moment of alone time to make a call to my best friend. I haven't had cell reception since I got here, so she probably thinks I dropped off the face of the planet.
“Giiiiirl," she says, drawing the word out as soon as we connect. “Where in the world have youbeen? I've been calling and calling, and all I get is your Voicemail. I even stopped by the house and your maid said you were at some retreat somewhere. And if that’s the case, I am pissed, girl. You know I love going to the spa. If you were going away on some fancy retreat, you should've told me, and I would've come with."
I chuckle as I listen to her friendly tirade, feeling suddenly homesick. Dell and I became friends in prep school. She's the tall, dark supermodel to my tiny round marshmallow. Where I’m reserved, she's bold. You probably wouldn’t think that since I’ve been quite the bold one since arriving on Sweetheart Ranch. But it’s from Dell that I learned these things. I have spent a lot of years living vicariously through her antics, and it’s only now that I’ve been brave enough to try her go get ’em attitude on for size—not that it’s working out for me.Maybe ask for some tips.
"It's not that kind of retreat," I say, holding up my free hand and looking at my short nails before studying the blisters I’ve collected from wielding shovels and brooms when previously the only thing I wielded was a makeup brush. “This is more a spa for an attitude adjustment."
"A spa for an attitude adjustment?" she repeats, disbelief in her voice. "What the hell is that? Like, some kind of working camp they send kids to who are headed for juvie?"
"Something like that," I say with a humorless laugh.
“Oh, my god. Where are you? I’m coming to get youright now.”
I smile because it’s just like her to want to swoop in and fix everything. She’s the one who’s always prepared for anything. If your bra strap breaks, she’s got a sewing kit in her purse to fix it, and if the party is boring, she’s got an idea for something more fun. Life is never dull with Dell around, and she’s always happy to go out of her way for a friend.
"I’m at the Sweetheart Ranch in Colorado. It's not so bad here,” I say, not wanting to bother her with the fact my father has cut off my money supply. “It's only for another week and a half, and it’s just me and the rancher who runs the place. I've gotta say, though, he's pretty easy on the eyes."
Dell lets out an excited squeal. "Rory is gonna ride herself some hot cowboy," she sings, making me laugh.
“I don’t think he sees me like that,” I say, keeping my eye on the front door of the store so he doesn’t suddenly open the door and hear me sighing over his hotness.
“How could he not? You’re gorgeous, Rory. You’ve always had guys after you.”
“They wanted my money, not me,” I say quickly.
