Chloe’s expression was one of concern. “The whole truth about what?”
“Why she turned her cell phone off, especially on her birthday weekend. Why she’s afraid for the Spatafore brothers to know she’s here at your bed-and-breakfast.”
“You mean why she’s having breakfast on your ranch?” Chloe teased and then grew serious. “Who are the Spatafore brothers?” After he briefly explained, she asked, “Is one of them her boyfriend?”
“She says no and that it’s more complicated than that.”
“One or both of them is crushing hard on her, Chase.”
“Yeah,” Chase grumbled. “They don’t want her doing anything remotely dangerous, like riding a horse or kayaking. She’s not allowed to be in the sun or drink alcohol. She can’t eat certain foods.” He rubbed his forehead, and his grumble turned into a growl, “Hell, they tell her what she can and can’t wear.”
“I can’t image that.” Chloe shook her head in confusion. “Just ask her why.”
“I did. She wanted to change the subject. She said she’d told me more than she’s told anyone else and didn’t want to cause me trouble.”
“You’ve got twenty-four hours to figure it all out before she heads back to town,” Chloe reminded him. “She’s leaving after Cash’s fireworks display tomorrow night.”
“If she leaves with the lies, I won’t be there for the truth.”
“She’s not like any of the others, Chase,” Chloe said.
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do, and you sense it too. Maybe what she’s told you are not lies. Maybe, like you said, you just aren’t getting the whole truth. Give her the benefit of the doubt. Try again.”
Rachel walked into the kitchen and said she’d run into Jade upstairs who was all aglow about the kayaking. Chase smiled, thinking how gorgeous Jade had looked in her white bikini. The top had tied around her neck, pushing her breasts together into the most smoking-hot cleavage he’d ever seen. Strings tied the top across her back, and when he’d spread the suntan protection, he’d threatened to untie the bow. She had squealed and then whispered okay. Only the fact that there were other people in the distance prevented him from doing so.
“Here she is,” Rachel said with a smile as Jade joined them.
Chase thought,Jade, the virgin. But was she really? If she was an innocent, what—if anything—did he want to do about it? He had his reasons for not planning to bed a virgin. Carrying the gift bag her cowboy hat had come in, Jade smiled at him, and just like that, his resolve weakened. Damn. It didn’t help that she was still wearing that sheer white cover-up over her bikini.
Chloe said to them, “We had a ton of leftover ribs from the picnic. I appreciate both of you agreeing to help us with them.”
“I’m starved,” Jade said, placing the bag on a chair.
“We’re paying you back for making those breakfast burritos, Jade,” Rachel said.
“Yes, please sit,” Chloe said. From the oven, she served up ribs with potatoes and carrots. “Now you guys won’t have to cook when you get to Chase’s.”
As they all took places in chairs around the table in the kitchen, Chase could hardly take his eyes off Jade. His brain wanted to know what she was hiding, and below the belt, he just plain wanted her. Luckily, his heart wasn’t involved. He reminded himself a virgin wouldn’t know what she was doing in bed. He enjoyed experienced women, not a girl he had to teach. He wanted a woman who knew exactly what she was getting into and not be disappointed because it might be painful the first time. He had no desire to hurt a woman, even if she was a willing participant. Besides, a virgin might get too attached. Might expect too much. Might want a future with him.
Might be the best he’d ever had.
“Chase,” Rachel said, cutting into his thoughts. “How’d you like Jade’s breakfast burritos? Chloe and I thought they were delicious.”
Chase grinned at Jade. He’d liked the appetizer of her lips and breasts before the breakfast burritos. “I liked everything about ‘em.”
“Thank you,” Jade said, with a blush across her cheeks that heightened the sun she’d gotten at Lake Pueblo.
* * *
When they finished eating,Chloe and his aunt wouldn’t hear of them helping to clean up. They shooed them out to the Hummer as fast as they had to the horses a couple days earlier. Chase opened the door of the vehicle, and Jade hopped in. They took off to his ranch, parked the Hummer in the garage, and spotted Coop. Coop waved as he made his way from Bob and Teresa’s house toward his cabin with Crockett at his side. Crockett ran to Chase, who scratched him behind the ears. Jade did the same, and then the cattle dog trotted away to catch up with Coop.
“You have such a relaxed and wonderful life here among your loved ones,” Jade said, holding the gift bag. “I hope you realize how blessed you are.”
“Yeah, I do.” Chase frowned.
“What?”
