by Harley Wylde
“You can put my bags in your room, but, Ranger, I don’t want you to think it means I’m staying. Or that we’ll do anything more than sleep in the same bed.”
He folded his arms and stared at me so long I started to worry he’d ask me to leave. Had I pissed him off? There were times I couldn’t read his expression. Like now. His face was a blank slate.
“I’ve already said I wouldn’t touch you if you didn’t want me to, Dani. Since you obviously trust me so little, maybe you should stay in the guest room.”
A pang hit me right in the heart. I hadn’t meant to make him feel untrustworthy. I didn’t think he realized how scary this was for me. I’d traveled here, not knowing if he’d even let me into his house, and now he was asking me to share a room with him. It felt like I was walking through a funhouse tunnel and any moment I would fall on my ass.
“Ranger…”
He turned and walked off, leaving both me and my bags by the front door. I swallowed hard and picked them up before following him. I stopped in the hall, noting the guest room to my right. He’d pushed open a door farther down before disappearing into what I assumed was his bedroom. I looked inside the guest room and saw a queen-size bed, a nightstand with a lamp and remote, and a four-drawer chest. A TV had been mounted on the wall. I assumed the remote went to the TV.
I placed my bags on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. Had I made a mistake coming here? I had zero experience with relationships, or men. Being with Ranger definitely put me outside my comfort zone. He’d been with women before. Hell, he could probably walk over to the clubhouse right now and have any club whore he wanted. I didn’t understand why he’d want me. I generally preferred horses over people. Well, any animal really, except bugs and snakes. Animals weren’t complicated. If you hurt their feelings, it was easy to make up with them. People? Not so much.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and shot off a text to Viking, knowing he’d tell me what I should do.
I screwed up.
It took him a few minutes to answer. That’s vague as fuck.
I rolled my eyes and started typing, knowing it would be a somewhat lengthy text.
I’m at Ranger’s. I just showed up without calling, but my dad let him know I was on my way. He put up fencing and shelter for my horses. He said he wanted me to stay here. As in forever. Then I screwed it all up. I told him I’m a virgin. He’d already said he wouldn’t touch me until I wanted him to, but I guess I made him feel like I didn’t trust him when I said I’d share a room with him but only to sleep. Now I’m in the guest room, he disappeared into his room, and I don’t know what to do.
I saw the little dots pop up, then stop, then start again. After a few minutes, the dots vanished and my phone rang. I answered, seeing it was Viking.
“What the fuck, Danica?” he asked the second the call connected. He didn’t even give me a chance to say hi.
“I’m scared, okay? You know I’ve never had a boyfriend. I haven’t even been on very many dates. He’s so much more experienced than me, Viking. What if he wakes up tomorrow, or three days from now, and decides he’s made a mistake? He can have anyone he wants.”
“And you want to know why he’d want you?” Viking asked. “First off, take a good, long look in the mirror, Danica. You’re beautiful. Add in how sweet you are, unless catty bitches are involved, and why the fuck wouldn’t someone want you?”
I shrugged, even though he couldn’t see me. “I’m going to mess it all up.”
“Honey, if he doesn’t want you because you’re scared shitless and out of your depth right now, then he’s a damn idiot and you need to run away.”
“I just… I really like him, Viking,” I said softly. “More than I should. We haven’t spent much time together, and now he’s talking about forever. Moving here would mean I wouldn’t get to see my family all that much. And what if I want to keep riding in the rodeos? He said something that makes me think maybe he wouldn’t want me to do that. It’s part of who I am.”
Viking sighed. “Only you can decide what you’re willing to sacrifice to possibly find happiness with a guy who wants you for more than a quick fuck. But, Danica, ask yourself this. If you were to leave tomorrow, put Ranger in your rearview, how are you going to feel when he finally finds someone else? What if he comes with Beast, but he has an old lady with him? Will you regret walking away? Because if you will, then you need to cowgirl up.”
I snickered. “That’s not how that song goes.”
“What-fucking-ever. You know what I mean. You’ve let the club and your family take care of you ever since you came here with Cowboy all those years ago. I may not have been around back then, but I listen when people talk. You’ve been coddled. Never had to make a big decision without some help. It’s time to put on your big girl panties and figure out what you want in life.”
A throat cleared and I looked up, seeing Ranger in the bedroom doorway. He’d shoved his hands into his pockets. The look on his face made me pause. He jerked his chin toward the phone in my hand. “Hang up. We need to talk.”
My stomach knotted at his words, and I fought back the stinging in my eyes and burning in my throat. Was this where he asked me to leave? I had to swallow a few times before I could speak without breaking.
“Viking, I’ll talk to you later. I need to go.”
I didn’t give him a chance to respond before I hung up. I set the phone on the bed beside me and watched Ranger as he moved farther into the room, not stopping until he stood in front of me. He hunkered down and reached for my hands, taking both of mine in one of his. I stared at our joined hands, marveling at how small mine looked in comparison.
“Why didn’t you just say you were scared?” he asked, his voice low and husky.
“You’re used to women with experience. I didn’t want to come across as a stupid kid. I’m a grown woman, but I’ve never had a boyfriend. The thought of staying here terrifies me. Not because I don’t want to. I do. So much. I just…”
“You’re worried I’ll decide I don’t want you.”
I nodded. “Everything is so new to me, Ranger. I’m sorry I made you feel like I didn’t trust you. I’m going to say and do stupid things. I can talk to Owen, Foster, or Viking without any trouble because I think of them like brothers. A guy I like? That’s different.”
“We talked just fine while I was visiting,” he pointed out.
“Right. We did. But you were leaving, and I wasn’t sure when I’d see you again. Dropping in like this had me anxious the entire way here. I show up and see you made a spot for my horses, and then you ask me to think about staying permanently. You’re moving at warp speed.”
He squeezed my hands. “Baby, I didn’t mean to push too hard, too fast. I’m used to going after what I want. I heard your conversation with Viking. Moving here would mean leaving your family behind. It doesn’t mean you can’t visit, or that they can’t come here. As for the rodeo… I have no problem with you still competing. I’d prefer you not chase every rodeo and be gone for weeks at a time, or longer. And if you get pregnant, I don’t want you on a horse. The thought of you or our kid getting hurt -- that’s what scares the shit out of me.”
My lips curved into a smile. “Our kid? We haven’t shared more than two kisses and already you have me pregnant?”
“One day at a time. I want you to stay, Dani. At least long enough to see if this can work. If you want to stay in here, I’m all right with that. If you decide you want to share my bed, I’m more than okay with that.” He smiled. “You set the pace, beautiful. I’ll follow your lead.”
He seemed too good to be true. Before I could change my mind, I leaned forward and placed my lips against his. Ranger froze for a split second before kissing me back. My toes curled in my boots, and I knew I wanted to stay. He was right. I needed to see if things could work between us. If I walked away, I’d regret it later.
Chapter Four
Ranger
It had felt like my heart had been ripped
out when I overheard Danica’s conversation. Scaring her had been the last thing I’d intended. When she’d said she was a virgin, I’d been ready to throw her over my shoulder, carry her to the bedroom, and chain her to the bed. Instead, I should have taken a step back. She’d been right about one thing. The women I’d been with had been experienced. Didn’t make them better than her. Just different. I hadn’t ever dated a virgin, not even in high school. She thought she was out of her depth? I was completely lost with how to handle her.
Having her in the room next to mine would be good enough for now. She was here. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. I’d need to convince her to stay. Having learned she’d never had a boyfriend, I knew I needed to step up my game. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken a woman on a date. Even then, it had been dinner or a movie, and a way to ease me into her bed for the night. With Danica, I wanted more -- wanted everything.
“I’m not much of a cook, otherwise I’d offer to make you something for dinner. You feel up to going out? If not, I can order and have a Prospect pick it up.”
She ran her hands down her thighs and back up. The way she shifted foot to foot also belied her nerves. Since her dad was a Dixie Reaper, I knew she wasn’t worried about going into town with a biker. So what bothered her?
“Am I dressed okay?” she asked. “For wherever we’d go? I mostly packed jeans and tees, but I have a few nicer shirts and two dresses.”
I tugged her closer and wrapped my arm around her. “Honey, you’re beautiful no matter what you wear. If you’re worried about your clothes, we can go somewhere casual like the diner. There’s even one that sells breakfast twenty-four hours. They have great burgers too. Or you can get the steak and eggs to have the best of both worlds.”
She gave me a slight smile. “That sounds really good. I think anywhere nicer, I’d prefer to have enough notice to do something with my hair and wear something better than what I have on now.”
I eyed the cowboy boots on her feet. “You okay riding on a bike in those?”
“I’ve worn them on the back of a bike before.”
I tried to contain my growl, not liking the thought of her riding with anyone else. It had likely been her dad, but the possessive side of me didn’t care. I already thought of Danica as mine. She might need time and a little space, but she was it for me. I’d wait however long I had to.
“Need anything before we go?” I asked.
She shook her head. I took her hand and led her out to my bike. I got on and started the engine, then held out my hand to help her on. She swung her leg over and settled on the seat behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Having her snug against my back soothed the savage beast inside me. I liked having her thighs pressing against my hips. Feeling the heat of her body as she leaned into me.
I revved the engine and walked the bike backward down the driveway. Once I had it on the street, I pulled away from the house and toward the front gates. The Prospect on duty opened them before I had to come to a stop, and we rode straight through them. I enjoyed having Danica on my bike. So much I almost delayed our trip to the diner. I could have ridden with her for hours.
Instead, I went straight to the diner, knowing she had to be hungry. I parked as close to the door as I could, but the place looked packed. I only saw three open tables through the large windows. Danica got off the bike and I swung my leg over the seat. I took her hand and led her into the diner. Mina, one of the regular waitresses, waved a hand for us to take a seat wherever. I grabbed two menus off the rack near the door before leading Danica over to the booth near the window. It would let me keep an eye on my bike, and I thought she might like a view other than the people around us.
Danica sat across from me, and I handed her one of the menus. I didn’t need to look at mine since I came here rather frequently, and instead decided to watch her. She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear as she looked over the options. I couldn’t help but smile. She was too fucking cute. The moment I’d spotted her at the Dixie Reapers, she’d held my attention. Hell, I’d been spellbound when I saw her at the rodeo, even before I’d known who she was. Just like now, she hadn’t been all made up like most of the women I knew. I liked that she felt confident enough to go out while not wearing makeup. Or maybe it was the fact I’d already seen her without it, so she didn’t feel the need to put any on. Regardless, Danica had me wrapped around her finger, and she didn’t seem to realize it.
“Everything sounds good,” she said. “Then again, all I’ve had is what I could get from the gas station or fast-food places. Hot food I can eat while sitting down will be amazing, no matter what it is.”
“Can’t go wrong with the burgers. Unless you want breakfast food. In which case, their omelets are great.”
Mina stopped by the table. “Hey, Ranger. You want the usual?”
“That would be great, Mina. Thanks.”
“And for you?” Mina asked, turning to Danica.
I leaned over toward her. “Get the burger. We can come back for breakfast if you want to try the omelets.”
She smiled and nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll take the bacon cheeseburger, no mayo, with onion rings. Oh, and a Dr. Pepper.”
“You got it,” Mina said. “Before I forget, we have apple and cherry pie tonight. The pecan is already gone and so is the chocolate cake.”
“Damn,” I muttered. I loved their cake. The pies were good, but nothing beats a slice of chocolate cake with thick icing.
“Can I go ahead and order a slice of cherry, but for after dinner?” Danica asked.
“Absolutely.” Mina smiled. “And you, Ranger? Want to deviate from the cake?”
“The cake you’re out of?” I sighed. “Fine. Give me a slice of apple.”
Mina hurried off to put in our order with the kitchen. She came back a minute later with our drinks before scurrying away to check her other customers. It looked like Dana was the only other waitress on duty for the night, and I knew from experience, she was more about flirting than customer service. I couldn’t have been more grateful that Mina was our waitress tonight. If Dana had flirted with me in front Danica, I wasn’t sure what sort of reaction I’d have gotten.
“So you prefer the cake,” she said. “Is it really that good?”
“It’s amazing. You’ll like the pie, though.”
“You seem to come here often. Do you ever eat at home? The waitress even knows your order.”
I leaned back in the booth. “Yes, I eat here a lot. And yes, I do eat at home. Sometimes. Like I said, I’m not a good cook. I can only eat so many hot dogs.”
She put her fingers over her lips, but I could tell she was laughing. I enjoyed seeing her happy, even if it was due to my lack of culinary skills. “You can laugh. I know it’s pathetic. I’m thirty-six and don’t have the cooking skills of a teenage girl. But I haven’t starved yet.”
“Only because you’re living off diner food,” she pointed out.
“Not always.” I smiled. “There are other places I eat, including the clubhouse. But if you ever feel the urge to make a home-cooked meal, I’ll gladly eat whatever you make.”
“Even liver and onions?” she asked.
I made a gagging sound. “Okay, anything but that.”
“Noted. No liver and onions. Guess it’s a good thing I don’t like that either.”
Mina delivered our food and the look on Danica’s face had me laughing. I wiped at her chin. “Think you have a little drool right here.”
She swatted me away. “Ass. I do not!”
I dug into my meatloaf while she bit into her burger. The way her eyes closed and her low hum of approval made my dick hard. Christ but she was killing me! I had to wonder if she’d make that sound in the bedroom too, while I was deep inside her. Hopefully, one day I’d get a chance to find out.
“Told you the food was good,” I said.
She nodded. “Very good. We can definitely come back in the morning. Although, if we eat here all the time, I�
��m going to get fat. I hope you like extra padding on your women.”
I liked how she said that. All the time. It made me hope she was seriously thinking of sticking around. I’d give her whatever she wanted or needed, as long as she stayed by my side.
“Dani girl, you’re beautiful. Doesn’t matter what size you are.”
Her cheeks flushed, but I could tell my words pleased her.
We finished our food, but I wasn’t quite ready to head home. I didn’t want her thinking about the sleeping arrangements, or worrying how I’d feel if she didn’t sleep in my bed. Instead, I took her to a quiet spot that overlooked a small lake. The stars were bright, and I knew the area would be tranquil. No one ever came here except me. I held her hand as we walked to the overlook. The lake lay beneath us, the moonlight refracting off the water.
“It’s beautiful here,” she murmured.
“I sometimes come here when I need peace and quiet. I always feel a bit more centered when I head back home.”
“Thank you for sharing it with me,” she said.
I watched the water ripple in the slight breeze. There was so much I wanted to say to her. Something held me back. I worried she’d bolt. After hearing her conversation with Viking, I didn’t want to give her any cause to run from me. I couldn’t convince her to give us a chance if she wasn’t here.
At the same time, I needed to open up with her. Maybe if she knew she wasn’t just another woman, some random hookup, she’d understand I was serious about wanting her forever. I’d had my share of women over the years. I’d hardly been a saint. But Danica was different.
“When your dad called Beast to say you were heading here, and my Pres gave me the heads-up, I couldn’t believe I’d get a chance to spend more time with you. Your dad said you had your horses with you. I knew if there wasn’t a spot for them, you’d likely be gone before morning. So I built a shelter for them, put up some fencing, and hoped it would be enough to show you how serious I am about you. About us.”
I tightened my hold on her hand before lifting it to my mouth and kissing her fingers. She leaned against my side, and it felt like some of the tension melted away.