Page 21 of Beauden & Yelena

“That was…” she utters, breaking the silence. “That was…I don’t know.”

“Good or bad?”

“Better than good. Just very unexpected.”

Definitely unexpected for me.

These leadership and corporate retreats bring many women to the ranch. And many of them come with a twisted fantasy of being with a cowboy. There have even been several unsuccessful attempts by some to get into my bed. I’ve curved every last one of them. Not only am I not a fantasy, I’m not a one-night stand type of man either. I don’t do this.

Curious about her expectations, I ask, “What did you expect?”

“I honestly expected to be stuck in long meetings then forced to be outside, making a fool of myself on the ranch.” She laughs. “Well, I didn’t skip on the fool part today but that’s not my point. You were unexpected. Yesterday on Midnight Love was truly unexpected and I definitely did not expect what you just did to me.”

“Expectations and assumptions can be wild. When I heard a woman screaming at Billy, I definitely didn’t expect to see a woman like you.”

Her head lifts. With a raised eyebrow, she asks, “Like what?”

“Beautiful and sexy,” I admit and her brow relaxes. “What did you think I was going to say?”

“I don’t know,” she responds while shaking her head. “I momentarily let my overthinking mind trick me for a second.”

“Get out your head and stay here in the moment,” I tell her then rub her back. “There’s nothing to overthink. I saw you, wanted you, and you must have wanted me too, right?”

“Right, but you make it sound so simple.”

“It is. Everything in life should be simple, especially the good stuff. Look at my life. It’s simple. You are a beautiful woman and I’m a man that appreciates beauty.”

“A cowboy,” she corrects. “On a big ass ranch. And I’m the city girl who failed miserably at milking a cow.” She sighs.

“It was your first time.”

“And my last,” she says assuredly and I stiffen a little.

Something about the finality of her words hits me in a way I didn’t expect. I’ve only known her for a few days. I shouldn’t have any reaction to her words. This makes no sense.At all.However, I can’t shake the slight disappointment.

“You don’t like it here?” There’s more concern than there should be in my voice but I need to know her answer. A strange part of me feels like her dislike of the ranch equates to a dislike of me.This shit is crazy.

“It seems like this ranch doesn’t like me. The first day it was the goat. Today, the cow. I’m trying to be open and adjust but your ranch doesn’t seem to like me,” she says and I relax.

“But what if the cowboy does?”

“I hope he likes me. If not, I just gave up my goodies for nothing.” She grins then inches closer to my face. “Please tell your animals to be nice to me.”

“They are only following their owner’s instincts. Like me, they do like you. That’s why they keep trying to touch you.” I palm her ass then pull her all the way on top of me. Then, I wrap my arms around her. “Nothing or no one here will hurt you. You’re with me and I got you.”

“And for some reason, I believe you.”

“As you should, beautiful.”

“You’re smiling.”

“I doubt that,” I lie because I’ve been smiling since we entered her room.

“Well, you are.” Her finger traces my bottom lip. “You should smile more often because you have a beautiful one.”

“You just said the very reason why I don’t smile. I’m herding cows, baling hay, managing horses, and running a ranch. I can’t do that with somebeautifulsmile on my face. That shit don’t even sound right.” I immediately stop smiling to prove my point. However, it doesn’t land; she merely laughs and smirks.

“The brooding cowboy.”

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