Cash cocked his head. “You’re a virgin.”
“Yes.” Tracy had noted it wasn’t a question. And instantly she knew that’s why he’d stopped and sent her back to her own cot. Her blood warmed and her heart melted. She did her best to ignore both. Raising one shoulder in a shrug, she said, “Full disclosure.”
“Full disclosure, I’m flattered.” Cash winked and drained his coffee cup. The chow bell clanged and he held out his hand to her. When she took it, he tugged her out of the chair and then let go. “I’m hungry.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Yeah, hungry for Tracy. Only for Tracy.
What kind of holy water or hellfire could cure him? None, he knew of.
As she walked by his side along Turkey Pond, Cash didn’t want the previous night to be his first and last with her. He’d made this camping outing on the ranch countless times and never gave a thought to who was with him. Until he’d ridden his horse alongside Tracy. Fished on that dock with Tracy. Shared a tent on his favorite hillside with Tracy. Cash reasoned if he took her to bed she would be out of his system. That was always the case. Tried and true. But she was a virgin.More,she’d whispered to him. He’d been with virgins. Granted it had been a while. Probably not since college. To be honest, being with a virgin wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as being with a woman who knew what she was doing in bed. So far.
“Hi Jacob,” Tracy called and waved as they saw him and Jeff standing outside their tent, drinking from tin cups. “I don’t see Donna anywhere,” she said as they neared the breakfast line.
“Me neither,” Cash replied, looking past the table Kellie had laden with breakfast burritos, which were easy to eat when out on the trail. “Mornin’,” he said to Kellie as theystopped. Tracy picked up a burrito and he took two. He spoke to wranglers and guests who were lining up for breakfast. Then to Tracy he said, “I usually eat down by the pond.”
“Sounds good.” They moseyed to the pond and sat near the water’s edge. Cash had finished his first burrito and Tracy was halfway done with hers when she asked, “Do you bring people here just during official dude ranch excursions or do you come here for private getaways as well?”
“Are you asking me if I bring women here?”
“That was a magazine question, not a personal one.”
“My magazine answer is I come here mostly on ranch excursions.” Cash wondered if she’d ask him where he went for private getaways. But in the next second Donna burst through the flap of her tent, stumbled down the slight incline to the pond, and knee deep in the water upchucked whatever it was she’d last eaten. Or drank. Cash frowned. “That did not just happen.”
“I’m afraid it did,” Tracy said as Donna heaved again before sloshing out of the water and traipsing back up the hill. “I’m so sorry, Cash.” Before entering the tent, Donna turned and scanned the campground until she spotted Tracy. Tracy waved directly at her but without acknowledging her, Donna disappeared inside the tent. “Honestly, I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you threw the two of us off your ranch and let Jacob stay.”
“And miss out on things like almost being run over, sideswiping you into my saddle, watching you chase chickens, or rescuing you from a laptop? And then there’s the whole cot kerfuffle.”
“Kerfuffle?” she repeated.
“Commotion.” He chuckled. “So, no chance, I’ll throw you off the ranch. Who knows what other entertainment you might provide?”
Tracy’s turquoise eyes had grown wider…until they narrowed dangerously. Raising her index finger and wagging it at him, she teased him back, “You swore a pinkie promise.”
“No, ma’am.” He grabbed her finger. “I sure as hell did not.” Letting go of her finger, he laughed. “From now on, I’ll be telling the story about how my tent mate moaned herself right off her cot.”
“Did I moan?” Tracy gasped.
Cash only grinned. “You’re fun to tease. You aren’t offended over every other word or deed and you laugh at yourself. You give as good as you get.” He took a deep breath on purpose and admitted, “You’re a breath of fresh air, Tracy Dalton.” Her expression conveyed that was not what she’d expected to hear from him. It wasn’t what Cash had expected to say. But the words were true. “Couple of clichés there,” he acknowledged with a shrug. “I’m not a writer.”
“You’re a rancher,” Tracy said as if it were high praise indeed. “Thank you, Cash.”
“I call it like I see it.”
“Boss?” Jeff said as he walked toward them. “Are we gonna fish or head home?”
“Ask the ladies,” Cash said with a roundabout gesture toward the tents. He got to his feet and extended his hand to Tracy, helping her to hers. “If they’re ready to go now, you could take them on the longer, more scenic route back to the ranch.”
“That’s what I was thinking too. We have provisions for lunch.”
“Since it’s Thursday and the barbecue is tomorrow, I’ve already saddled Captain and after I break down my tent, I’m taking the shortcut home.”
“Got it. We’ll load your tent.” Jeff left with two fingers off the brim of his hat.
Cash turned his attention back to Tracy. “What would you like to do?”
“If you mean fish or head out with you, I’d like to go with you,” she said, and when he grinned, she blushed. “Ifyou meant take the longer more scenic route back to the ranch?—”
