Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(186)

norm.”


“It’s a vicious circle, angel.”


Then he’d just held her. Stroked her. Let her wrestle with her thoughts, until she’d

asked, “Does the level of kink increase the longer a Dom/sub are together?”


“I wouldn’t know.” He’d placed a soft kiss behind her ear. “You’re the first

woman who’s tempted me to find out.”


That’s when she’d squirmed away and reminded him she’d only signed on for a month.


That’s when he’d grabbed her, pinned her, tied her up and f*cked her twice, reminding

her that the month wasn’t up yet.


It hit her then. Ben had been telling her before the loan fiasco, before her disastrous

plan to force him into just accepting her friendship, before walking away from the club

…that he’d wanted more with her.


And she wanted more with him. She wanted it all.


After all he’d shown her, after all he’d been to her, and now proving—in his typical

Dom way—what he wanted to be to her, did she really think she could let him go?


No.


Hell no.


She gathered her things and left the bank early.


Ben’s truck wasn’t in his driveway.


And where were his pesky dogs?


Maybe his truck was in the shop and he’d let the dogs in his haven since it was so

cold outside. She shivered as snowflakes whirled around her head and she sought shelter

in his woodshop.


Although he’d gotten pissy the one time she’d violated his woodworking sanctuary, she

hoped he’d forgive her today.


But what if her making the first move wasn’t enough?


Shoving aside her doubts, Ainsley marched through the door. “Ben? Are you in here? We

need to talk.”


No answer.


She flipped on the lights. No sign of him. She knew he hadn’t been in recently because

the woodstove was cold. So Ainsley snooped. Animal skins of different colors and

textures hung on the wall. Three barrels filled with a smelly solution lined the back

wall and she vaguely remembered him talking about the process of tanning hides.


In the main room, various pieces of finished furniture were lined up, ready for

assembly. She ran her hands into the grooves his hands had created. The man was

amazingly talented. No wonder she’d believed his loan request; he could easily turn

his hobby into a fulltime business, despite his claims of just being a simple rancher.


Several hand-carved pieces were spread on the long workbench that looked like toppers

for bedposts and chairs. A few wooden sculptures were in different phases of

completion. She recognized a small bird, a thick stem of a flower. Another funky cat.

She let her fingers trace the jagged edges, not bothering to hold back her tears when

she saw three shelves full of finished pieces. All these beautiful works of art were

just lying around, gathering dust, not out in view where they could be admired.

Cherished. He’d hidden this part of himself from his family too. Was there anyone who

knew all sides of Bennett McKay?


You do.


That’s when every doubt vanished. When Ainsley understood she’d do whatever it took

to have Ben in her life. To make him understand that she appreciated and celebrated