She was passionate about the things she liked. The shit was infectious.
“Is this a drive or a walk?”
“I need sustenance. You know, since someone kept me up all night.” Jo opened then promptly closed her mouth. She wrinkled her nose, realizing the mistake she had almost made.
It seemed she had learned the lesson about sticking her tongue out at me. The last time Jo had done it, she had ended up bent over the back of a sofa, with a pussy full of my dick.
“Aw, too bad.” I winked at her. It would have been my pleasure to show her the consequences of sticking her tongue out.
Going to breakfast with women I slept with wasn’t the norm for me, but Jo and I developed a friendship. When we weren’t horizontal, or flirting, hanging out with her was like being with the guys. She had a smart mouth that I appreciated. The woman didn’t blow up my phone either. Often, I was the one who reached out to her. I’m old-fashioned and not much into texting, so, I would sooner pick up the phone than send a text.
“You are the only person I know who doesn’t text. It is 2025. Even my parents text instead of calling.”
“You don’t want me calling you?” I asked.
“Now, Texas, did I hurt your feelings?” She laughed.
“I don’t have feelings, Sunshine.”
Jo went quiet, and her next words were sombre.“I know.”
Her answer hadn’t felt the best, but I shook off the feeling. I didn’t do serious and had made it clear to her. Jo had agreed it was best for both of us.
“Our arrangement is perfect. You live in South Dakota, and I live here in Alberta. We can get together while it is fun when you visit,”she had reasoned.
So far, it had been working well.
Our arrangement didn’t change what kind of man I was. There was no way I was going to allow her to open her wallet to pay for anything while we were together. I watched her eye the bill the server handed to me after we finished breakfast.
“Texas,” she called. Her tone was softer than usual.
I sighed because whatever she was about to say was sure to piss me off. I wasn’t fixin’ for an argument, but it looked like it couldn’t be helped. We had this discussion before. Well, some version of it.
“No,” is all I said, reaching for my wallet.
“It isn’t a big deal.”
“That’s where you are wrong. We already had this conversation, Sunshine. When we are together, you don’t pay for anything, be it food, the hotel, a cab, gas, nothing.” I took out the cash and placed it in the billfold.
She nibbled her bottom lip. “I don’t mind.”
“Yeah, but I do. Are you ready to go?”
She nodded. We walked silently to the car. It would be a cold day in hell before I let a woman pay my way. I might not be old-fashioned about a lot of things, but I stand firm on that. If the men Jo dealt with before allowed her to pick up the tab, no wonder she didn’t trust them enough to open her thighs to them. Bunch of weak-ass bitches.
Besides, my financial situation isn’t what she thought it was. The money I saved when I was enlisted, was invested wisely. It sits there growing. I don’t need much, so I spend little.
Jo did not know, but I wasn’t just a ranch hand at Broken Stone Ranch. I had stakes in the place. The owner, Big Teddy, ran into some problems with land tax, and other things. The only way he would accept help is by giving me a share of the ranch.
Not to mention the part I hadn’t acknowledged in decades. I was a Kay, one of the ones from the family that owns Kay Walters Machinery. It was a household name in the farming industry. What most people didn’t know was that Kay Walters wasn’t a person; it was the last names of my grandfather and his lifelong friend, who founded the company. Although I have nothing to do with the family business, my trust fund still sits in my name, untouched. So money would never be an issue. Even if it was, I would work three jobs before I let anyone, much less a woman, pay my way.
The silence stretched between us until we returned to the room.
“So, are you gonna pout for the rest of the day?” Jo asked, smirking at me.
It wasn’t often I was left speech-less, but this woman looked up at me and fixed her mouth to ask if I was pouting? I removed my hat, then quirked an eyebrow at her.
“I have some briefs I can go over if you are…you know, going to continue to pout.”
