Page 10 of Take Me Please, Cowboy (The Calhouns & Campbells of Cold Canyon Ranch #1)

He should walk her back to their table, but he was loath to break the contact when her long legs fit perfectly against his, between his, her breasts against his chest.

Not even aware he’d made a decision, he dropped his head and his mouth covered hers. He hadn’t intended to kiss her, but her lips were so full and pink. They were warm and soft beneath his. It would be so easy to keep kissing her but instead he pulled away and shook his head.

She looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

“I probably should have asked,” he said, lifting a hand to lightly stroke her cheek.

Her lips curved, tremulous. “I would have said yes.”

“Still, it would have been more respectful if I had.”

She leaned closer, her breasts crushed to his chest. “You’re very respectful. And I only have one problem with the kiss.”

“Oh?”

“It was too brief.”

It was the last thing he’d expected, and the corner of his mouth curved. “I’m sorry to disappoint.”

“It was a little disappointing.” Heat and humor warmed her eyes. “You see, I couldn’t tell if you were a good kisser or not.” She lifted a brow. “These are important questions. A girl always wonders.”

His body tightened, his chest full of a tender pain.

He felt desire but also something else, something far more unsettling, something that made him aware that he had to take things slow.

He had to be careful with her. He wasn’t promising her anything.

There was no future. There was just this weekend, and it was lovely being with her, but there was no way he could take her home, and there was no way he was staying here.

There would be no long distance of anything, even if she was willing to try.

He wouldn’t be willing. He’d done that before and it was a disaster.

No, love and relationships had to wait. His future would wait.

But how did one explain that to someone like Ansley that made him feel like Superman?

As if he was a hero and could do anything?

“The kissing will be a problem,” he said, his hand low on her back, close to the curve of her butt.

“And why is that?”

“I think once we start kissing properly, it’s going to be very hard to stop.”

“You are assuming you’re a good kisser,” she said, mischief and blaze of fire in her stunning blue eyes.

“You want me to say I’m a good kisser.” Air bottled in his lungs, his heart thumped slow, heavy, matching the ache in his body.

“No, I don’t want you to say it. I want you to prove it. And, not that it matters, but I don’t say this to all the boys. I don’t go out anymore. I haven’t had a date since my boyfriend and I broke up two years ago.”

Rye took her hand and led her back to the table where they’d been sitting. Their beer was still there. The dishes had been cleared away.

“Why not?” he asked, sitting on the bench and pulling her down between his legs. He put one hand on her thigh, unwilling to let her go.

“Not interested in anyone. Not interested in getting involved or getting hurt. Not interested in any of it.” She turned her head and looked at him over her shoulder, the blue of her eyes darker, deeper. “Love isn’t a game. I don’t want to be won. And I don’t want to capture or conquer anyone.”

“You sound like someone burned you good.”

“Not at all. I was with my boyfriend for three years. We met each other at UT. We were happy together, it was a good fit, but then he wanted to get married, and I didn’t.”

“And then what happened?”

“It ended, and it sucked. I’d hurt him and I loved him. He was the last person I’d want to hurt.”

“So why not marry him?”

She suppressed a shiver. “I wasn’t ready. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure he was the one for me, not forever.” She shifted away from him, scooting back on the bench, turning her body so she could face him.

They were now both straddling the bench, her knees against his knees, her blue eyes looking into his, trying to read him. “Forever is a long time, and people change. I was changing and he wasn’t, and he wanted the Ansley he met in college, but that wasn’t who I wanted to be.”

“Who did you want to be?”

“Independent Ansley. Self-sufficient Ansley. I wanted choices. I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny, not just someone’s pretty little wife.”

Her words felt like a punch to his gut, not because they were wrong, but because they resonated so strongly with him. He, too, wanted more choices. He craved freedom, but Rye wasn’t in a position to pursue his dreams. He’d shelved them for now, possibly forever.

“Have I shocked you?” she asked trying to read his expression.

He shook his head. “No. I’m impressed. It takes a lot of courage to say I want, and I need, and it takes strength to hold out for the right person who will give you those things.”

*

A half hour later, Rye walked Ansley to her car.

He was holding her hand, but they weren’t talking.

They hadn’t said very much since that conversation about Clark and freedom and not just being someone’s wife.

Ansley feared the conversation had gotten too honest, too real and had killed some of the evening’s magic and mystery.

She shouldn’t have mentioned Clark. There was no reason to bring up regrets and mistakes, not when she and Rye were just getting to know each other.

Ansley wished they could go back to the kiss and the sizzling seductive energy that had made her burn, her veins full of heat and need. The kiss had been amazing. He’d lit her up and she was still humming.

At her car, he waited while she unlocked it and opened the driver’s side door.

“Thanks for coming tonight,” he said. He was standing a good two feet back, thumbs hooked over his leather belt, hat on his head, the brim and the night shielding his features.

She hated for the evening to end this way. She wasn’t ready for the weekend to end, either, not when he would still be in Marietta two more days. “I’m sorry if I overshared—”

“You didn’t.”

He’d answered too quickly, and he seemed even more detached.

“Then what happened? We were having fun… weren’t we?”

“I—” He closed his mouth, jaw hard.

She lifted a brow, prompting, “You?”

“You’re incredible.”

“And?”

“I don’t want to lead you on. You deserve someone who is going to be around for a while, but that’s not me. When the rodeo ends, I’m on the road again, and once I’m gone, I’m gone. I won’t be coming back.”

She wished she could see his face, wished he’d let her in, but that apparently wasn’t going to happen.

“I’m not looking for a commitment, Rye. I’m twenty-five, and very happy being single.

Just because we had fun tonight, doesn’t mean I want you to put a ring on my finger, because I don’t.

I could easily be married now, but it’s not what I want.

I have plans, and dreams, and they don’t include becoming a wife or a mom anytime soon. ”

He nodded but didn’t speak, and Ansley stood in front of her car, arms folded across her chest, struggling with indecision.

“I’d hoped to go watch you tomorrow if I wasn’t needed to drive Uncle Clyde home. But if you don’t want me in the stands—”

“Don’t say it like that. Don’t make this about me. I’m trying to protect you.”

“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.”