Page 34 of Parading the Cowboy Billionaire (Bluegrass Ranch 4)

“My mom didn’t understand. She came from a family of two—just her and her sister. She has no idea what it’s like to be one of eight boys. Loud, opinionated, capable men now,” he said. “I had to have a way to matter.”

“I’m sure you do matter to them all,” Ginny said gently. “To this ranch as well.”

“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “I love and respect my brothers, and I get along with all of them. It’s my mother I’ve never really gone to again with any problems in my life. With anything, really, and that includes the women I’ve dated.”

“Ah, I see,” Ginny said. “You don’t trust her to take you seriously.”

“Something like that,” he said.

Ginny’s heart tore for him, and she wished she could reach out and touch his arm or hand. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know a little bit about not having a close, personal relationship with your parents.”

“Thank you,” he said. After that, the whispering of the wind dominated the conversation, and Ginny let her thoughts wander where they may.

“Look at all those flowers,” Ginny said several minutes later, her soul as quiet and peaceful as it had ever been. “They must be Olli’s.”

“This is her land here, yes,” Cayden confirmed. “Should we head back?”

“Sure.”

He started to turn around, but Ginny had no idea how to do that. As he peeled away from her, she increased the grip on her reins. “Wait. How do I turn this thing?”

“C’mon, Raven,” Cayden said, and the horse started to turn on her own.

Ginny’s heartbeat danced in her chest, especially when the horse increased her speed to catch Cayden and his palomino. “Whoa,” she said, not thinking it through all the way.

The horse came to a stop, and Ginny almost flew forward. “Um.” She squirmed in the saddle like that would tell the horse to keep walking. “Go?” she guessed.

It took Cayden a few more steps before he realized she wasn’t at his side. He twisted in his saddle, and how he did that, Ginny would never know.

“Help,” she said, her voice getting somewhat stuck in her throat. “Do I spur this thing, or what?”

He started to laugh, swung his animal around, and came back to her as easily as if he was born on horseback. His grin was infectious, and she returned it. “I’m bad at this.”

“You’re fine.” He came right up next to her, his gaze serious and his smile faltering. “Thank you for listening to me this afternoon.”

“Of course,” she said, holding his eyes. “I like talking to you, Cayden. Are we…are we okay? What else do you need from me to feel okay about us?”

“Nothing,” he said, ducking his head. “I’m trying, Ginny. Trying not to get too far into my head, and trying not to go too fast with you.”

“I don’t have a speed limit,” she said.

“I do.” He looked up, his eyes wider and full of vulnerability now. “No sense in falling in love tomorrow if it’s going to take a year for your mother to come to a place of acceptance, right?”

Ginny’s eyes widened too.Love?screamed through her head. He’d said he’d never been in love, but she knew why men and women dated.

He started to laugh, and all of the fear stomping through her dissipated. “You look like I just hit you with a frying pan.” He reached over and touched her thigh. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get back and put these horses away. Blaine won’t like it if we’re late.”

He swung around again and came to her side. “You just say, ‘Let’s go, Raven. Get us back to the barn,’ and she’ll do it.”

Ginny looked into the dark depths of his eyes again, utterly mesmerized by him. “Thank you for taking me riding,” she said. “It’s been really amazing. I can see why it cleanses your soul.”

He nodded, his smile genuine and so handsome. “Church is at ten-fifteen on Sundays. I can come pick you up about thirty minutes before that if you’re serious about coming. I usually ride on Sunday afternoons too, and you’re welcome to come with me.”

“Done,” she said, grinning a genuine grin too. “To all of that.”

“All right,” he said, nudging his horse without saying a thing. Honey started plodding along again, but Ginny’s horse just stood there.

She tried copying his movement and touching the heels of her boots to the horse’s body, but Raven didn’t even move.

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