“I needed a shower after… um… Blake and I were really shaken up, and we…”
Casey’s eyes went wide. “Damn, so y’all are really together now?”
“I guess so, but this has got to stay between you and me.”
Casey held up his hands. “I get it. I won’t say a thing, but is he as good as—”
“Better.”
“Fuck.”
We both burst out laughing. When our laughter settled down, I took a steadying breath.
“It’s more than that though.”
“More than him being sexy-as-fuck?” Casey asked.
“Yeah. I really like him.”
“He seems like a great guy. Perfect if you’re into that Daddy vibe.”
Heat rushed into my cheeks, and Casey grinned. “Damn, y’all got some kinda Daddy kink thing going on?”
“Casey.” My cheeks were so hot I thought they might burst into flames.
“How kinky is he?”
Kinky enough to spank me, and I didn’t know yet what else. “I am so not having this conversation.”
Casey grinned. “Fine, and just so we’re clear, I’m totally not kink shaming you. I think it’s hot as fuck that you get to play boy to your cowboy Daddy.”
“Oh. My. God. Stop.”
“Okay, stopping for real this time. Do you think you might change your mind about staying here now?”
All the happiness I’d felt drained away. “I can’t. Whether or not I can prove to my dad that I can run the ranch, he’s going to make me leave because he’s moving his latest girlfriend in, and she doesn’t want me here.”
Casey looked horrified. “That’s just… Your dad is—”
“An asshole?”
“Yeah, he really is.” Even when he was theoretically giving me what I wanted, he was still fucking me over.
“You could move to Houston. That’s not too far, and then you—”
“That might be a good idea, but Blake hardly ever takes a day off, and he probably isn’t even interested in this lasting past the time we’re here.”
“Sorry. I guess I’m just…always trying to be a matchmaker. It drives my brothers crazy.” Casey blushed, and I felt terrible. He was only trying to help.
“It’s okay. I wish things were different but they’re not, and it’s pretty crazy to even think that way when this is all so new.”
Casey shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. My parents were together like a week when they got engaged, and they’ve been married for thirty years now.”
An image flashed into my mind of me and Blake on the ranch he would one day buy. Married. Happy. I shook my head. I was being ridiculous.
“I don’t think that’s where Blake and I are headed.”
“You never know.”
I gave him a get-serious look.
“All right, I’ll stop, but I’m glad he’s got you at least for a little while. I think he’s lonely a lot of the time.”
“Really?”
Casey nodded. “Yeah. Should we go check the water now?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
Casey stood, offered me a hand, and pulled me to my feet. “Sure you’re okay?”
“I am. I feel a lot better. Thanks for listening.”
“Any time. Seriously.”
13
Blake
The afternoon seemed to drag on forever, and around four o’clock I needed a pick-me-up before tackling the last few chores of the day, so I stopped by the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Maryellen was there, rolling out crusts for some chicken pot pies. My stomach growled as soon as I smelled the filling cooking.
“Hungry?” she asked.
“Apparently, but coffee will do for now.” I grabbed a mug from the cabinet, poured myself a cup, and sat down on one of the barstools at the kitchen island.
“Have a few cookies with that,” Maryellen insisted. Before I could respond, she’d put some chocolate chip cookies on a plate and handed them to me.
They were still warm from the oven. “You know I can’t turn your cookies down.”
“I should hope not.” She gave me an appraising look. “Rough day?”
“Yeah. Kinda. One with a lot of unexpected shit anyway. You’d think as long as I’ve been at this, I wouldn’t expect days to run smoothly, but I’m still hopeful.”
She smiled as she picked up her rolling pin again. “You always manage to handle it well.”
“Mmm. I guess.”
A few moments passed in silence. Then she said, “What happened with Riley?”
I jumped, nearly dumping hot coffee on myself. “What do you mean?”
“Something had that boy sneaking in here and taking a shower in the late morning.”
“I don’t think he meant to be sneaking.” Shit. I couldn’t have sounded less like myself.
Maryellen put a hand on her hip and glared at me. “Blake North, are you lying to me?”
I decided not to answer that. “A bull got out. I went to get it, and Riley came with me. I was riding Midnight. He spooked and threw me. Riley got the bull away from me and herded him back to his pen. He did a damn good job, but he was shaken up and I sent him back here to take a break.”
“It’s probably good I didn’t know about that then. What a terrifying thing for him. And you.”