The Reluctant Virgin [Ride 'em Hard 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Stacey Espino

  “What was that all about?” asked Adam. He’d been standing in the same spot long after Cindy left the ranch. His mind was processing so many things at once—past, present, future. He finally concluded that the cute blonde would only make him weak. Maybe he’d pick up a hot little number at the bar tonight to take his mind off things.

  “Business. Just business.”

  “You have eyes for her, don’t you?”

  His defenses rose. “I was just playin’. A girl like that sleeps with curlers and a nightdress. I need a woman with spice.”

  He returned to the house, needing to be alone with his thoughts. What he’d said to Adam wasn’t entirely a lie. Good girls didn’t interest him. Then why the fuck couldn’t he stop thinking of Cindy?

  After dropping into his recliner, Josh replayed their many brief conversations, including their last in his head. She’d mentioned Matthew was an old friend. Since his neighbor had never left town, a born and raised local, it meant Cindy lived here once upon a time. It could have been long before his daddy bought their ranch, but he was beginning to put two and two together. Taylor. Was it possible that the stunning, ball-breaking, blonde irrigation specialist was actually the shy Taylor girl?

  He’d only known her briefly, not enough to call her a friend or acquaintance. She’d been cute back then, but nothing compared to now. It was like comparing apples and oranges. She had filled out, had a mature beauty, and confidence. If she was the Cindy Taylor from his past, why didn’t she say anything? He had so many questions. How was her family getting along since they lost their ranch? Did she remember him at all? Had she dated Matthew Garner before she left?

  He was starting to think it would have been better to let his wheat scorch under the heat of the sun than get Oakley to send that girl to his door.

  Chapter Six

  Cindy parked her truck on the side of the road, away from any prying eyes. She’d put herself in a horrible predicament. She had promised two men a dinner date and offended a third. Chance was probably preparing for their night out, and she secretly had been looking forward to it. Although she knew she had to stay single for her own self-preservation, it didn’t mean she lacked for wanting. Some nights she couldn’t even sleep her body was so hot-wired and squirmy. But she’d force her inappropriate thoughts away and start counting down from one hundred. It didn’t take away the urges, but it kept them at bay long enough for her to function.

  If she drove home now to make her dinner date with Chance, she’d be ditching Matthew. She wasn’t even sure why Matthew Garner wanted to go out with her. Was it just to reminisce about old times? She hated everything about her former life, and he was an icon of those bygone days. Why couldn’t he leave her alone? He’d never asked her on a date before she left town at twenty. No man had. She was so used to rejection and people considering her a second-class citizen that it was difficult to fathom she had three men vying for her attention.

  Chance and Josh she could understand. They were men doing what they did naturally. But Matthew? He knew she was a cripple. He may have even seen her without her leg, because when they were in high school, one of the girls from town thought it would be funny to hide it during one of the annual corn roasts at the Garner Ranch. It was just one of the many humiliations she had to live through. Life was a constant struggle by no fault of her own. She had no accident or illness to blame. Her missing limb was the result of a rare birth defect in utero. It was the only life she ever knew. And she hated it.

  Her cellphone began to ring. She reached over and picked it up, thankful for the distraction from her thoughts. It wasn’t easy going through college and studying her ass off to be the best in her field. She was a strong woman, proud of her independence. She wouldn’t ruin that by sulking or feeling sorry for herself. Those days had to be left in the past. “Cindy Taylor.”

  “I thought you drove plum off the face of the earth, little lady.”

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Oakley. It got late so I stayed the night. I’ll be heading back shortly with all the information about the Granger Ranch.”

  “He sound interested?”

  “Maybe a little too interested.”

  “Now what kind of talk is that? We’re in business to sell.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  She finished up her brief conversation with her boss. He was harmless, a sweet older man nearing retirement age. She’d originally applied for the job so she could make a difference for farmers in the same predicament as her parents. No family should lose their home and livelihood because nature wouldn’t cooperate on the Alberta prairies. She still recalled how much her parents suffered after the bankruptcy.

  Now she had to make a personal decision. Cindy felt like she had a devil on each shoulder, one Matthew, one Chance. Nothing romantic could develop with either, so she’d only be leading them on if she went on a dinner date. As much as she’d like to kiss her dreaded virginity good-bye and embrace the love of a good man, she knew she’d freeze up when things got serious. She was beyond insecure about her missing limb, certain a man would up and leave her for a whole woman once it was discovered. So she’d stay strong and remain single.

  She finally decided she’d take Matthew up on his offer. At least she wouldn’t have to hide anything from him. He knew the real her, faults and all.

  Cindy drove back into town and parked her truck at the feed center. It had changed a lot since she’d last been in town. It used to be a small one-man operation, but now it was a thriving business with cowboys and traders going in and out every few minutes.

  “Boo!”

  She gasped, tightening her grip on the steering wheel.

  “Matthew, that’s cruel!” He’d managed to sneak up from behind her truck and grab her arm through the open window. “You’ll have me in an early grave.”

  He laughed, leaning against the driver’s side door. She’d never looked at Matthew as a potential mate before. He had been nice, funny, and down-to-earth, but not relationship material. Her eyes were usually focused on the ground back then. Now she could see a new side to him. His chocolate-colored hair was tousled and a sensual amount of scruff darkened his jawline. He’d lost his baby face and now had chiseled features worth of a GQ magazine spread. His body had grown substantially, filling out like his older brothers. The Garner men were known for their size and strength, and apparently Matthew was no different. Why on earth did he want to entertain dinner with her?

  “I’ll make it up to you,” he said.

  “How so? Did you get reservations at the best place in town?” she teased. The local diner was the only place to eat out. Cindy expected no more than a hamburger and fries.

  “Cute. But I’m more creative than that.” He started to open her door. “Come on. Leave your truck here. We’ll take mine.” She was hesitant of leaving her mode of transportation behind. What if things went sour?

  “Where we going?”

  “It’s a surprise.” He helped her step down and then pushed her door closed. “I’m just over here.” They walked side by side. She was constantly worried one of the many visitors to the feed centre would recognize her and point fingers, but her fears were unfounded. Everyone went about their business, oblivious to her.

  When they reached his pickup, he opened the passenger side for her like a proper cowboy. She climbed in, instantly taken by the scent of rich leather and masculine cologne. It was so much different than her truck, but she liked it. Once Matthew sat beside her, he shifted and smiled at her like the Cheshire Cat.

  “What?”

  “I just can’t believe you’re really here. I never expected to see you again, not after your parents left town.”

  “Actually, I never planned to show my face around here again.”

  His smile faded. “Why not? It’s your hometown, your roots.”

  Was he that dense? Didn’t he remember how she’d been treated by her so-called friends? “It’s not, Matthew. Not for me.”

  He didn’t question her further. �
�I’ve thought about you a lot over the years.”

  She swallowed hard, surprised how affected she was by the serious tone of his voice. The moment carried a strong sense of intimacy, something she still wasn’t accustomed to. As much as Matthew was a virtual stranger to her now, he was also familiar. She didn’t have to put on an act because he knew everything there was to tell about her.

  “How’s your family doing?” she asked to break the silence.

  “I’m all alone now,” he said. “Chase and Grant have moved off on their own. Even my little sister is married.”

  “You work that whole ranch on your own?” She remembered the Garner Ranch. It was a huge piece of property, acre after acre of wheat fields and a small herd of cattle.

  “Not for much longer. Grant still stops by to help out once in a while, but it’s too much when he has his own responsibilities. My parents put the place up for sale. They’ll be moving to the city. Our father already put a conditional offer on a retirement condo.”

  She chuckled. “I can’t imagine your dad living in the city. He’s a cowboy through and through.” Cindy remembered his yearly corn roasts when he’d barbeque a whole pig.

  Matthew pulled out of the parking lot, following the back road on the west side of town. “People change, I suppose. Hard times and necessity can be very motivating factors.”

  Cindy nodded. Hard times got her into college and helped her begin a new direction in her life.

  “And what about you? How have things been since you left town?” he asked.

  “I work for Oakley Irrigation. My dad works at a local hardware store. My parents seem happy. It took a while, but they’re content with their new lives. I think losing the stress and responsibility of the farm really helped their marriage.”

  Why was she offering so much information? She was just so comfortable around Matthew that she felt she could say almost anything. When she had no friends to share her innermost thoughts, they came spewing out when given the chance.

  “That’s wonderful, darlin’. But what about you? I don’t see a ring. You have a boyfriend?”

  She scoffed. “Obviously I don’t.”

  “Why obviously? Am I missing something?” He alternately looked to her and the road.

  Did she have to spell it out for him? There were plenty of eligible cowgirls in the province. Men didn’t need to resort to dating a mutant like her. “Matthew, don’t play games.”

  “What games? I thought for sure you’d be married with a couple kids by now.” Then he reached to the side and squeezed her upper thigh. She knew it was meant as a friendly gesture, but her body had ideas of its own. “I can’t say I’m disappointed.”

  His touch registered like a tsunami of sensation had washed through her. Her pussy began to pulse, his fingers dangerously close to her intimate parts. Had she flushed? Cindy’s entire body began to heat, her heart racing. Being a twenty-seven-year-old virgin was clearly taking its toll on her body. She was repressed, deprived, and yearned for his touch.

  “Matthew, I’m a ghost from the past. Surely you’ve had better prospects than me.” He must be desperate because she knew Matthew wasn’t a player. Maybe his parents were pressuring him to settle down now that Angel was married, especially since they were moving out of town. Cindy wouldn’t be any man’s scapegoat.

  He pulled onto the Garner property, driving down the long, winding road. Mature oaks lined the driveway, the old two-story house just as she’d remembered it.

  Matthew cut the engine, silence settling in immediately. “Darlin’, my life has been chaos lately. Too much change, too fast. When I saw you, everything stopped racing.”

  “It’s nice to see you. Of all the people in town, you’re one of the few I remember fondly.”

  He smiled, a reflective quality to his tone when he spoke. “Every time I drive by your old place, I wonder what became of you. I always remembered your pretty blue eyes.” Matthew reached out and tilted her chin up.

  “I’m not the same girl I used to be.” She wasn’t. If he liked the old her, he probably wouldn’t tolerate the woman she’d become. Cindy didn’t take shit from men. She didn’t bow down in the face of adversity, but met it head on. The problem was her strength was only skin-deep. Under her tough outer shell was the weak girl she detested. The one who let her disability run her life and kept her from finding the happily ever after she deserved. It wasn’t so easy to develop enough confidence to compensate for her shortcoming. At her age, she doubted she ever would.

  “Of course you are, Cindy. People may grow, but you can’t change a person’s heart.”

  She shrugged, feeling her throat clog with emotion. When was the last time she was able to talk one-on-one with another human being like this? She savored every minute but also had difficulty dealing with the buried emotions.

  “Come on. I still haven’t shown you my surprise.” He left the truck, jogging around to the passenger’s side where she’d already opened the door. Without warning, he lifted her up from under her arms and placed her onto the gravel drive. He was so strong, his face not even showing a single line of stress as he lifted her entire weight.

  “Okay…”

  This was all so new to her. Her life mainly consisted of work, sleep, work. Socializing, enjoying free time, and dating were all foreign to her. She’d dedicated her life to Oakley Irrigation. Her parents were self-sufficient now, probably wondering when she’d finally leave the nest. But Cindy had nothing but her job to define her. She supposed it was better than being a victim. What would happen when Oakley retired? Who would she be without her position at the company? She hated the fact that a business defined her, rather than people who loved her.

  Matthew took her by the hand and led her along the tall grass by the side of his house. When they passed the building, she wondered where on earth he was taking her. He moved so quickly she could barely keep up with his pace.

  His hand was warm and firm. Every flinch of his fingers made her hyperaware of the skin-to-skin contact. Did it feel intimate to him, too?

  “Where are you taking me exactly?”

  “You’ll see. Just another minute.”

  Had he forgotten she had a prosthetic leg? Although she lived a relatively normal life, too much physical activity made her sore after a while. Before she could complain again, he pointed ahead.

  They neared the northern edge of the wheat field where a small stretch of forest cast long shadows across the golden crop. Then she saw the stream, the grass lush and green around the bank.

  “Is this the same stream that cuts across the Granger Ranch?”

  “Same one.”

  She looked around but didn’t see any obstacles, foreign or natural, creating a dam. When she stopped thinking about business for a minute, she was able to finally appreciate the landscape around her. A weeping willow grew at the edge of the water, its overgrown branches dancing gently in the wind. The smell of the water, the calming breeze, and the welcome shadows…they paled in comparison to Matthew’s surprise.

  It was a picnic lunch. He’d set out a red checkered table cloth in the midst of the wildflowers growing in the grasses. There was a stack of folded blankets, a large picnic basket, and a small cooler.

  “You did all this?” she asked as she circled the area.

  “I hope you like it. It’s better than the greasy spoon in town. I was going to cook us dinner in the house, but then I remembered this place, and I wanted to share it. With you.” He came up behind her and collected the length of her hair in his hand and placed it over one shoulder. She closed her eyes, her skin tingling from the slight brush of his fingers. “Besides, I wanted to be alone with you.”

  Just like her, Matthew still lived with his parents. It was the norm in their part of the country. Children didn’t leave home until they were married, and even then, sometimes the nuclear family just grew rather than branched off.

  “I can’t even remember the last time I had a picnic.” She couldn’t squat properly wit
h her prosthesis, so she started to lower herself into a sitting position with as much dignity as possible. “Actually, I do remember.”

  Once they were both sitting on the colorful table cloth, he reminded her to continue. “You said you remembered the last time…”

  She smiled, having had completely forgot about all the little moments from her childhood. “I was just a young girl. I set up a picnic with my teddy bears and Barbie dolls. I used some of my mother’s fresh biscuits, honey, and apples from the orchard.” It was a good memory, and she’d been certain she didn’t have even one.

  “And now?”

  Cindy bit her lower lip before answering. “I’m not a girl anymore,” she whispered.

  He leaned close, supporting his weight on a solid forearm. “No, you’re very much a woman. Even more beautiful than I remember.”

  Chapter Seven

  Matthew hadn’t seen Cindy Taylor in years. When his brothers were single, they’d often use the abandoned Taylor Ranch as a destination for their one-night stands. It was since forgotten, allowed to turn to ruin.

  Although there was some underlying pressure to find a woman of his own, he didn’t plan to rush into a relationship to appease others. He’d never found a girl who suited him in their hometown. Now that Cindy was back from the past, he recalled the shy, sweet girl she’d been. So much different from the loud, demanding farmer’s daughters he’d meet in town. Matthew was a laid-back man with simple needs. He didn’t want a high-maintenance woman and certainly not one of the loose ones his brothers used to fuck against the side of the barn.

  Cindy was a mixture of that sweet innocence he remembered with the strong career woman she’d become. She was beautiful. Her pixy-like nose had a slight spattering of freckles. And her eyes—they could steal a man’s heart after one glance.

  “You never seemed to notice me before. I was surprised you recognized me, never mind want to have dinner with me.”