Page 287 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

“Yes,”shesaid.

“So if you grew up there, how did you end up on a school fieldtrip to LA? That had to be one hell of abusride.”

“Fine.” She huffed. “I didn’t want to bring it up, but I went to stay with my grandmother in LA one year. My parents were having problems and they sentmeaway.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” heasked.

“Because it’s hard to talk about.” She looked away. “There are things in my past that I’d rather leavethere.”

He frowned. What else was shehiding?

“I won’t judge you for whatever happened in your past,” he said. “I just hate liars. Are you lying to me aboutanythingelse?”

“No,” she said quickly. Almost tooquickly.

“If you are, now’s the time to tell me,” he said. “I can understand why you wouldn’t want to confess all of your secrets to someone you didn’t know very well, but I was hoping we could get to know each other alittlemore.”

“I’m leaving at the end of the week,”shesaid.

“I know. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least see if there’s somethingbetweenus.”

“You want to get to know me?” sheasked.

“I guess that’s what I’ve been trying to do,” he admitted. “I know I said I’m totally against a relationship, but I do believe in fate. Who knows,maybe—”

“Maybe?”

“I don’t know what I’msaying.”

He looked away. What was he doing? Wasn’t this the exact reason he’d stayed away from relationships all these years? All they did was complicatethings.

She stood and circled around to his side of the bench. As she slid in next to him, he turned toward her. She placed her handonhis.

“I’m sorry I lied. Can we just start over from here?” sheasked.

He hesitated until her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The sincerity in her voice broke hisresolve.

“Okay,” he said. “Let’s startfromhere.”

“Good,” she whispered as she leaned over tokisshim.

The brush of her lips against his stole every last bit of reluctance. What started as a gentle kiss deepened until his heart raced and blood surged through hisveins.

“We should head back,” she said as she placed her palm on his upperthigh.

His cock twitched at her invitation. His bear roared with approval, and he groaned in response. He’d gone far too long without a hot woman in his bed. How could he turnherdown?

* * *

Cindy stoodin the bathroom inside her bedroom with her hands on the counter and her head down. What was she doing? If she walked back into the room and joined Drew on the bed, she’d only be adding to the pile of lies. This was nothing more thanaploy.

Why did he have to be so scorching hot and so honorable at the same time? Well… maybe not honorable considering he’d wasted no time climbing into her bed. She’d retreated to the bathroom in an attempt to calm the flutter of nerves in herstomach.

She turned her back to the mirror and lowered her robe to her hips. She looked over her shoulder at the long, jagged scar that slashed across her back from shoulder to waist. How in the hell was she going toexplainthat?

“You coming?” Drewcalled.

“In aminute.”