Page 33 of Revelry (Cowgirls Do It Better #2)

Gertie

I don’t think about you like a friend should…

Tate’s words rumbled around in my brain and the memory of his mouth had me shivering. It had been two days since our fun activity that resulted in the most mind-blowing orgasm I’d ever had, topping the last one he helped me achieve.

I hadn’t seen Tate and I was grateful for that.

My defenses were low, almost demolished by him and his damn tongue.

Now all my plans of avoiding men and entanglements were being ruined.

I needed to back away, to give us space because this was just meant to be a lil’ fun friendship.

I was meant to be helping him out and bringing him back to life.

What I hadn’t counted on was how much I loved seeing him blossom.

And instead of brushing it off as a casual encounter between two friends who probably wouldn’t mention it again, I was standing here picturing what it would be like to get my hands on him and see what made him moan and writhe and beg.

Did he beg?

Did he moan?

I didn’t know and it was driving me insane.

He’d worked me over so perfectly; how was he so fucking talented with that tongue?

He was a dark horse when it came to the bedroom.

I’d never had an orgasm like that, never had an encounter like that and I was desperate for another.

Which is why he had been pushed into the things I’m not dealing with column of my life, which is where my future career and a phone call to my mother also sat.

Things with my mom were fine but I was worried she was going to say they would be coming home soon, and I wasn’t ready to find somewhere else to stay.

I wasn’t ready to face questions about my future because she’d want to know about that.

She always wanted to know how life looked for me and I think it was to do with making sure I was happy and secure.

I was all twisted up and I needed to do something, I needed to create.

I needed to make ice cream.

“Earth to Gertrude,” Kat tapped my forehead, soap suds sliding down her forearm.

“Huh?” I blinked, watching the tracks the suds made.

She scoffed and tossed a wet sponge at me. “These saddles aren’t gonna clean themselves. You’re meant to be helping me.”

“Sorry,” I muttered and started scrubbing off the dirt and debris that coated one. When I realized Kat wasn’t cleaning, I glanced over. She was staring at me, eyes narrowed.

“You got something you wanna share with me, Gertrude Phyllis?”

My cheeks flushed hot. “No.” Damn she was too good at reading me.

“That was almost as convincing as the time Mama lined us up after a night of underage drinking and asked if it was you that vomited in her herb garden.”

I snorted at the reminder, a slight pinch in my chest at the memory of Sherry.

“She whooped us good that day.”

“She sure did. Made you ride up and down the pasture looking for cracks in the fence until you were vomiting over the side of Pickles.”

I stood up, rolling my shoulders and listening to them crack. “I still don’t think that horse has forgiven me.”

Kat stood in front of me, flexing her arms. “Pickles never forgets, she’s like an elephant. I’m already aware that you were out at Tony’s with a certain dark-haired, chaps-wearing, local farrier.”

I knew Tilly would gossip. “Damn small towns.”

“Mm-hmm. So spill.”

I stared up at her blue eyes, her blonde hair in a long braid over her shoulder. “I may have crossed a line with Tate,” I mumbled.

Kat shrieked. “You had sex, didn’t you!”

I shushed her, glancing over to the stables where August was ushering in some children from a local foundation. She frowned at us and I slapped Kat on the arm.

“You are the least discreet person ever!” I scolded.

“I’m sorry, I’m just excited.”

“Well for your information we didn’t.”

Kat pouted. “Oh. Boo.”

“Yeah, boo. I mean, no boo! Well…” I trailed off, running my hand over the bristles on the brush I was holding. The smell of leather and saddle soap in the air. “We did other things.”

“Hand things or mouth things?” Kat bounced eagerly on her feet.

I rolled my eyes. “Mouth things.”

“Good mouth things?”

“Yes, good mouth things. Very very good mouth things.”

“Did you both get mouth things or just one of you got mouth things?”

“Oh for god’s sake, he ate me out!” I shouted and then darted a glance over to August who shook her head at us reproachfully as she steered the last child into the stables.

I mouthed sorry .

“Girl.” Kat swatted my arm. “Where?”

“On a pool table.”

“Seriously? At the bar?” She shot me a reproachful stare. “Gertrude.”

The reproach bothered me for two reasons.

One, I knew she’d done mouth things with Jack in that same bar, so she had no right.

Two, there was only one person who I liked full-naming me, and the knowledge of that unsettled me greatly.

“I’m just going to take a giant step back so you can climb down off your high horse, Kitty Kat. I know all about your sexploitations with Jack in Max’s office!” I hissed.

Kat gasped, then her expression softened. “Dang, I forgot I told you about that.”

“Uh huh, so you can button it, missy.”

Kat rolled her eyes. “So, now what?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, squatting down and grabbing the leather conditioning oil and brushing it over the saddle in smooth strokes.

“Are you, like, girlfriend and boyfriend now?”

I chuckled. “You’re so high school.”

Kat began applying a different conditioner to her saddle, rubbing it in smoothly with her hands and working it into the crevices. “But are you? What’s the goal here?”

“No, we’re not. I don’t want anything serious, I just got divorced.”

“I know, hon. That’s why I’m asking.” She hit me with her soft blue stare. “You’re not a casual gal, so what’s the endgame?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“I can’t watch you get hurt again, Gerts.” Kat shook her head.

“I won’t. I’ll watch myself. I wouldn’t fall for Tate anyway, he’s too serious.” But as soon as I said the words, I felt icky. Not like I was lying to myself because, really, I wasn’t but it just didn’t sit right.

Kat rubbed her hands together, smearing the conditioner. “Then do all the mouth things you can. Do some hand things and then some bathing suit part things.”

I laughed loudly. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I know,” she winked. We teased back and forth a bit longer but my brain was already focused on having some adult time with Tate.

Casually .

Maybe I just needed to relax and have some fun. Take all the advice I’d given Tate and apply it to myself.

I looked up when I heard a commotion and saw Daisy and Maddy running towards us. They came to an abrupt stop, both of them with big grins on their faces, their cheeks flushed red from the cold and excitement.

“What’s the matter with you two?” I asked.

“I’m a genius!” Daisy shouted.

Maddy nodded. “She’s a freaking genius!”

Kat laughed. “What? Why?”

“One word,” Maddy said.

Daisy waved her hands through the air with a flourish. “Cowboylesque!”

There was silence as we all looked at each other.

“Hot damn she’s a genius!” Kat cried and then pulled Daisy into a hug.

“We can do it at the fair, raise money for charity or the ranch or both. Whatever. Women will be throwing money at them!” Daisy gestured excitedly.

Redemption Ranch had some financial issues which the girls were working through.

They’d been planning events to raise money to pay off the debt and the first fair was coming up.

“You think Jack would do it?” Maddy asked.

“He’ll do anything I ask him,” Kat replied shyly.

“You know Leo’s gotta get involved,” I joked.

“Of course. That man is just looking for an excuse to take his clothes off.” Maddy rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed deeper.

Daisy turned to me. “You think Tate would do it?”

“Yeah, he looks like he’s hiding a very nice rig under those shirts. And those leather chaps, woo!” Maddy fanned herself and a completely irrational flash of jealousy hit me.

But being around lots of people? Forced socializing, removing clothes and dancing? In an environment he couldn’t control? Didn’t sound like a plus for Tate. I stuck up for my man-uh-my friend.

“I don’t think it’s his thing.”

Daisy pouted. “Okay then, that’s fine though. It’s a lot to ask. I bet I can make Max do it too.”

“What about Duke Raleigh?” I asked. “He’s pretty hot. You know, in that snooty, know-it-all way.”

Daisy’s excited gleam waned a little. “I don’t think he’ll do anything to help out Ramshackle Ranch as he calls us.”

“Well, we don’t need him!” Kat said.

“I’ll ask around town and see if there’s anyone else.

We only need another guy, maybe two. As long as they’re under eighty I don’t think the ladies will care.

I’ll start working on the marketing, the socials and posters.

Oh my God this is going to be amazing!” Daisy squealed before she ran off, dragging Maddy with her like two tornados.

“She’s so good at what she does. I just wish there were more opportunities in Reverence for her. I’m scared she’ll move away and leave us, and that’s awful to think,” Kat said, staring after them.

“You mean Daisy?” I asked, putting an arm around her waist.

“Yeah. She needs room to fly, but I don’t wanna lose any more family.”

“That’s understandable.”

She rested her head on top of mine which can’t have been comfortable for her given our height difference. “That means you too, Gertie. Now I’ve got you back, I don’t want you to leave so we need to figure out what we’re gonna do with you.”

I sighed. “We sure do.”