Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(106)

missionaries. They’re out of the country for a couple years at a time so I don’t see

them much. Everything changed between us after I escaped to college.”


“Whoa. Escaped?”


“I spent my childhood in third world countries. All I ever wanted was a normal life.

Living in the suburbs, going to school with kids my age, hanging out at the mall with

friends, having sleepovers talking about boys, clothes and other girls. Even when we

were in the States I didn’t have that.”


“Why not?”


“My dad requested assignments in rural areas, so we lived on various Indian

reservations. I was the outsider white girl everywhere, even in my own country.”


“That must’ve been rough.”


“I’d had visions of reinventing myself when I started college, but I played it safe.

I didn’t want to become a clichéd wild child, rebelling against my father being a

minister.”


Ben’s thumb traced circles on her palm. “Is that why you’re goin’ wild now?”


“I’m not wild. I’m exploring whether I have a wild side, remember? I’m not sure

this Dom/sub thing is more than an experiment. I think I’m too old to be learning new

tricks.”


Had she brought up her doubts because of last night? Or was it a warning that no matter

how much he opened up to her, there wasn’t a chance this could last longer than the

thirty days? Ben asked, “How old are you?”


“Teetering on the edge of thirty-eight. Why?”


“This ain’t me sucking up, but I thought you were younger than me.”


“How old are you?”


“Thirty-two.”


Ainsley groaned. “Great. Now I am a cliché. Not a wild child daughter of a preacher

man, but a cougar.”


“Age don’t matter. I’d still be the boss of you even if we were the same age.”


“I remember saying that to my older brother. You’re not the boss of me.” She shot

him a sideways glance. “That totally takes on a different meaning now.”


He laughed. He seemed to laugh a lot with her.


The first edge of the moon peeped up over the top of Devil’s Tower. “Look.”


“It’s breathtaking. Now I understand the phrase moon glow.”


“Just wait. In another hour you’ll barely see the stars because the sky will be lit

up.”


Once again silence fell between them, allowing Ben to study her covertly. He was

captivated by the play of moonbeams highlighting her face. “God, you’re beautiful.”


Ainsley looked at him and then away.


“Did I say something wrong?”


“Not at all. It’s just…disconcerting. You’ve given me more compliments in a week

than…I deserve.”


“That wasn’t what you were gonna say.” He tugged her closer by the collar on her

coat and got right in her face. “Tell me.”


“There’s Bennett. I wondered if he’d make an appearance.”


“He gets pissy when you rip on yourself. So tell me.”


Her exhalations puffed against his lips. “You see me in a different way than I see