Page 26 of The Cowboy Takes A Bride

Did he expect to have sex with her tonight? She tried to picture it, and though she had no difficulty picturing Jace without a shirt, she couldn’t begin to see herself as the other participant in the event.

They drove down a long stretch of road, a highway, before turning down another long two-lane road. She didn’t know if they were close to his house but with each mile, she felt as if time was running out. She’d soon have the answer to her sex question. She needed to decide if she was going to doitor not. She didn’t want to freak out on him. Wanted even less to make a fool of herself. She knew she needed to bring up the topic. Waiting to see how it played out might be an option, but that gave her heartburn.

Meredith wasn’t sure she had the courage to have the much needed conversation with him. She’d used up whatever courage she had earlier with her one retort about his anger. Like a new runner with aspirations of a marathon, Meredith was going to have to build up her nerve bit by bit. She nibbled at her lip and tried to work out what to say, then moved to chewing her thumbnail.

“We should get to know each other better. Why don’t you tell me something about yourself,” Jace said.

She paused her nail chewing. “I’m really boring.”

The open road was before them. To each side of the car were trees that fell away to clearings with the occasional house set way back from the road. Some were surrounded by fences, and cattle spotted the landscape in the distance.

“I doubt you’re boring. Give me something.” He dropped one hand to his lap, resting it on his upper thigh.

Was that a sign? A clue as to what he wanted?

She accidentally bit the pad of her thumb, not knowing what he meant about giving him something. She’d seen enough movies to know guys liked to get frisky in cars, let the girl do the work, but she wasn’t the person to do that. Or at least she didn’t think she was. She’d never even had a finger near her nether regions; a blowjob was way far out of her repertoire.

“Let me see your hand?” He held out his, waiting.

Meredith wiped her damp palm on her coat before slowly putting her hand in his.

He wrapped his fingers with hers, brought them to his lap to rest on his thigh. “Relax, take a deep breath.”

A deep breath? She couldn’t even take in a shallow one as all her air was stuck in her upper chest, panic about to take over. They turned onto a driveway that looked to run miles before them. The entrance was grand. Large beams supported by beautifully crafted, dusty red bricks pointed the way. An automated wood gate swung open to allow them entry. Fencing ran the length of the road for miles beyond what she could see. There was no house in the distance, but she knew they were at his ranch by the large twisted-iron sign that hung from the top beam touting they’d arrived at Three Peaks Ranch.

He squeezed her hand, and a tremor ran through her. He adjusted in his seat, their hands moving closer to his crotch andMeredith knew—she just knew—he wanted something. A hand job at the very least. She’d read plenty of books that talked about the insatiable libido that consumed men.

“I can’t sleep with you,” she blurted out and then jerked her hand from his and buried her face in them. She was a hot mess of a woman with her social anxiety and all-consuming uncertainty. He should have the marriage annulled and find someone else who was less a dumpster fire.

“You can’t today or ever?” His voice was even, as though he’d asked a simple question. “Is this sandwich turkey or ham?”

Meredith looked at him through her fingers. “I’m sorry. I have no tact. I meant to say that we just met and…” She impersonated a fish as she searched for words, lips moving but nothing coming out.

Jace smiled and slowed the truck to a crawl. “I’m not going to force you to do something you don’t want to do. I’m not that kind of man.” He bent forward so their eyes could meet. “All right?”

She closed her eyes and nodded.

“Look,” he said.

She opened her eyes and peered at him through her fingers. He ticked his head toward the window. Dropping her hands, she looked through the windshield at the most breathtaking view she’d ever seen. Variegated shades of green covered the land with spots of happy yellow wildflowers. The mountains, three distinct peaks that lay just beyond, were giant slate gray forces looming over them. She leaned toward the window to get a closer look.

“I hope you like the view. Maybe it’s better than the one in town?” he said softly.

Without looking away, she reached out her hand and touched his upper arm. “It’s stunning. Please tell me it never gets old.” She glanced at him and found him staring at her and not the view.

He shook his head. “I’ve been here my entire life, with the exception of being away for college, and I’m not sick of seeing them yet.”

She smiled, looking between the mountains and him. “I can’t wait to see the changes the seasons bring,” she said more to herself. The land was untamed, but solid. Its story new, she guessed, with each season. She wanted to be like the landscape. She wanted her story to be fresh but solid. She wanted to have a story beyond what was written so far.

She sucked in a strong, relaxing breath and smiled. Here was a version of freedom. Not the one she pictured, but definitely the chance to be the person she thought she could be, the person her father had no interest in but her mother had helped create before she died. Starting today, she wasn’t going to be the sum of her past but the whole of her future. Each day would be a new version of Meredith, created from her own desires and dreams. No more Meredith Hanover, doormat. This is her time to really figure out a new true Meredith.

“Meredith?”

When she looked at Jace, something shifted. He was smiling at her, and a dimple peeked out from his cheek. The energy pulsing through her increased, sending shock waves of something foreign but exciting right to her core. It pulled her to him with such a force, there was no denying it. She caressed his cheek, her thumb stroking the dimple. Their eyes held as he turned his mouth to her palm and delivered a gentle kiss.

Heat shot into her palm, up her arm, and surged through her body. He laid his hand to hers, pressing it into his face, and kissed her palm again.

“Jace,” she whispered.

---