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I didn’t say much as we got into Blake’s truck and started down the road. I wasn’t usually talkative early in the morning, and Blake didn’t seem bothered by my silence. Finally, I got enough coffee in me to find the courage to ask, “What do you want this weekend to be like?”
Blake glanced at me before focusing back on the road. “I get the feeling you mean something more than a list of activities for us to do.”
“Yeah, I… I’m feeling kind of nervous.”
“Riley, you—”
“I just don’t want to fuck this up.”
He reached for my hand. “The rules I’ve given you are the same, no matter whether we’re on the ranch or somewhere else. I want you to be honest with me, to listen to me, and to not put yourself down. As far as what else I expect, I’m hoping we can have some quiet time together. I like the idea of being able to be out in public with you where we aren’t likely to run into anyone we know, but mostly, I want to spend some uninterrupted time with you. As long as were together, talking and”—he glanced at me again—“enjoying each other, I’ll be happy.”
“You do mean fucking, right?”
He chuckled. “Yes, boy, I do. If there’s one thing you should expect, it’s that the ride home is going to be very uncomfortable for you.”
“I’m counting on it.” Blake seemed so sure we’d have a good time. I wished I could be that certain of things.
“This weekend is about having time and space to enjoy being together, in bed and out. You told me I had to relax, remember?”
I had. I did want that, but now that we were headed away from the ranch, I wasn’t sure he’d be able to relax when he had to deal with me.
“Riley, are you worried I won’t enjoy being with you if I’m not teaching you how to work cattle or disciplining your ass when you refuse to listen?”
Fuck, how did he read me so well? “Um…”
“That’s awfully close to putting yourself down.”
“No, I—”
“Do you think you’re not likable?”
“Is this a trap? If I say yes, does that mean this trip’s going to start off with me over your knee?”
He glanced at me again, and I saw the heat in his eyes. “I wouldn’t say that would be a bad way for the trip to start, unless I felt the need to discipline you in Grayland’s office. That could be problematic.”
I nearly choked on my coffee. “You wouldn’t—”
“No. I would never do that, but I would take you straight to the hotel afterwards and give you what you needed to remind you of our rules.”
“Okay, I just…”
“Riley, something drew me to you the moment I saw your fine ass in the barn as you leaned into Ginger’s stall.”
His words made my cock swell. “You were… You noticed…”
“Damn right I did. I wondered why the hell your dad hired someone without telling me and how I was going to keep my hands off his delectable ass.”
“Spoiler alert. You weren’t.”
The laugh that burst from him was bright and joyous. I wanted to ask him to pull over right there so I could kiss him and feel his arms around me. “I suppose my ass will look just as good in Houston as it does on the ranch, maybe even better, considering the pants I brought.”
Blake reached down and adjusted his jeans. I couldn’t help but smirk at the realization he was as affected by our conversation as I was.
“Are you sure we have to go to the law office first thing?”
“Yes, we do. And I expect you to learn and listen and conduct yourself like a professional.”
“I can do that.”
“Good, because if you do, I have a surprise for you afterwards.”
My mind whirled as I imagined exactly what Blake would do to me when our meeting was over. “I’ll be extra good, Daddy.”
“See that you are, and don’t think I didn’t notice that you tied your likability to how fine your ass is. I said I noticed it, not that it was what made me willing to take this risk with you. The way you looked at me, challenging but also vulnerable. The way you wanted to do a good job but fought what you needed to make that happen. Those things made me realize you needed someone to keep you in line, and I wanted that someone to be me. But do you know what really made me sure I wasn’t just feeling a protective urge or noticing how well you’d grown up?”
I shook my head. “No. What?”
“It was seeing you with the horses. The way that no matter how pissed off you were at me, your father, or yourself, you took the time to make absolutely sure the horses didn’t suffer for any of it. Not one time did you ever shirk any duty you were assigned that had to do with caring for an animal. That was how I knew there was a beautiful, caring man underneath that bratty exterior, and I wanted to get to know him.”
