Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(58)

“That makes it even more impressive.”


“Aw, angel, you’re gonna make me blush.”


Ainsley was pleased that he’d reworked her fake club name into a term of endearment.

She watched as he poured himself a Coke. “Just because I’m not drinking doesn’t mean

you can’t.” Way to tell him what to do. “Not that you can’t decide yourself whether

or not you want an alcoholic drink.” Stop babbling. “I don’t know what’s wrong with

me.”


He squeezed her forearm. “You’re probably starved. How about if we eat?”


She looked up right into those stunning blue eyes. She swallowed a girlie sigh. He

really was delightful to look at. “Sounds great.”


He instructed her to sit at the counter as he set everything up. “It’s nothin’

fancy. Just chicken and potato casserole. A side salad if you want it.”


After they’d taken a couple of bites, Ben spoke. “Given the way we met, seems strange

to swap life stories, but I reckon we oughta get the basics out of the way. So go

ahead. Ask me anything.”


That was a loaded question. “You’re part of the McKay family ranching dynasty.”


“Dynasty.” Ben snorted. “I’m just a simple rancher.”


“So your main job is…”


“Cattle. Feeding them, breeding them, moving them, selling them. I work with my older

brother Quinn on our section of the ranch. But we all help each other out if need be.

Certain times of the year are busier than others. It ain’t a nine to five job, like

bankers’ hours.”


She bristled until she realized he was teasing. “Funny, cattleman. Have you ever been

married?”


“Nope.” He shot her a sideways glance. “You?”


“I was married for almost five years. Been divorced almost two years.”


“Kids?”


“None.”


“So what happened to bust up your marriage?”


Ben’s forthright manner was refreshing. “The things that made us compatible in the

beginning of our relationship started to wear on me. My ex was set in his ways and didn

’t understand why I wanted things between us to change. Luckily, I got out of the

marriage before I became bitter, but I didn’t get out unscathed.”


His gaze hooked hers. “To be blunt, you wanted to experiment, sexually, and he wasn’t

on board?”


“He was appalled. At one point he told me I needed counseling to deal with my

unhealthy attitude about sex and my desire for deviant behavior.”


“What a f*ckin’ idiot. I don’t need to tell you that you’re better off without him.

”


“I get that he wasn’t a sexual man. For a few years I thought I was asexual, just

like him, but I realized I wasn’t. The fear that I’d find myself sixty years old and

regret choosing a man with a pension plan instead of finding real passion gave me the

courage to end the marriage.” She pushed her food around on her plate. “His last shot

at me? I was a sex addict, control freak, ball-buster. Which led me to believe I was a

Domme. So now I don’t know what the hell I am.”