Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
I paused to draw in a breath because Andrew’s touch was causing sparks of energy to dance along my skin and I knew if I didn’t move his hand soon, I’d be begging him to use it or preferably his mouth to end the torment.
“I knew from that moment on that I couldn’t be around you and hide my secret. And I just couldn’t risk the truth about me getting out. This place isn’t exactly open-minded when it comes to guys like us, is it?”
I eased my fingers over his so I could pull his hand from my body. When his brows furrowed, I said, “Sweetheart, I’m going to lose the power of speech in a second if you keep touching me there.”
Andrew looked down at my exposed dick and then blushed prettily. “Sorry,” he said softly.
I couldn’t stop looking at him. He was just so damn beautiful. His eyes were alight with emotion. No wonder he always wore that damn hat of his so low. Not to escape the sun’s powerful rays but to keep the other ranch hands and his ignorant employer from finally getting some insight into the mysterious young man.
“You weren’t wearing the flower,” Andrew said, his voice heavy with disappointment.
“When I saw you, I did what I’ve always done when it comes to my sexuality. I hid. I had no idea you were there to meet me until I saw that flower in your pocket.”
“But you still didn’t say anything… you didn’t let me know it was you.”
I dropped my eyes. “I got to that restaurant early on purpose. I knew there was a slight chance that my date would be someone I knew, so I had to make sure I could get out of there without exposing myself if I needed to. There’s a lot of guys who would love to take everything I’ve worked for and send it crashing into the dirt.”
I could see the wheels turning in Andrew’s head and I knew the moment he reached the one conclusion I’d been hoping he wouldn’t. He pulled his hand free of mine and moved away enough that we were no longer touching in any kind of way.
“You thought I would do that to you,” he whispered. “Expose your secret.” He shook his head. “Why? Why would you think that? After everything we told each other?”
Fuck, I was losing him. I could just feel it. But I also knew if I wanted to figure this thing out between us, I couldn’t lie to him.
“Because it’s happened before. I’ve… I’ve hooked up with guys who’ve recognized me… guys I usually paid for their services. When they figured out who I was and how much I was worth, they always insisted on a big ‘tip.’ A really big one. And they almost always came back for more.”
Andrew’s eyes held mine. “You thought I’d blackmail you?” he asked. Again, he sounded disappointed rather than angry and that made me feel like even more of a dick. He shook his head and then slid over to his side of the seat. He put his seat belt on and closed the passenger door completely so that we were once again pitched into blackness.
“Will you please take me home now, Mr. Warner?”
“Andrew—”
“Don’t call me that!” Andrew snapped. “Please, just take me home.”
We were once again separated in all ways. I was his boss, he was my employee. This night had never happened. I’d hurt him with my lies. Fuck, why hadn’t I just told him the truth the second I’d gotten to him in that parking lot?
I forced myself to slide back over to the driver’s seat, tucking my dick into my pants in the process.
The rain had subsided considerably, so it only took about forty-five minutes to get home.
Back to the ranch, anyway. But I knew Andrew didn’t live on the main property. Problem was, I didn’t exactly know where he did live.
“Where’s your place?” I asked as we neared the ranch’s driveway.
“If you drop me off at the barn, I can walk from there.”
“Andrew—”
“I told you not to call me that!” Andrew snapped.
I ignored his irritation and did exactly what he asked and drove him to the barn where more than thirty horses were stabled. I threw the truck into park and practically leaped out of the thing. I reached Andrew’s side of the vehicle just as he was stepping down from the running board.
I wrapped my fingers around his, pulled him out of the line of the door and slammed it shut. I shoved him back against the door and before he could even open his mouth I said, “You want to do this right here, that’s fine with me, Andrew, but we are going to have this conversation. But I can’t guarantee that we won’t wake every hand between here and Texas in the process.”