Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
He snorted. “Nice try, but no. I just wanted to spend some time with you.”
“I don’t get the point of keeping us from having sex. I really don’t.” She shook her head, huffing. “Fucking is a great way to bond.”
“Don’t you?” Carter shot her a look, tilting his head. “What have you wanted to do since the moment they said you couldn’t?”
“Um, drag you to bed.”
“Mhm. Have you noticed how handsy every other couple has gotten? How they keep disappearing and coming back disheveled? I swear you can’t go into a room without catching two people groping each other.”
Her forehead creased and her mouth tightened. “So, you’re saying they …”
“Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder … or something like that.” He laughed. “Besides, sometimes people try to solve their problems with sex instead of talking. Pretty sure we’re guilty of that,” he pointed out, eyebrows going up.
She sighed. “Okay, you have a point.”
“It sounded like you’ve been having fun with the other ladies at least?” He held out his hand to her, and she took it.
“Actually, yes. We did a movie night with popcorn tonight. It’s been surprisingly fun sharing the house with a bunch of other girls.” She turned her face up, a wide smile curving her lips. “How are things in the boy’s house?”
“Not … that much fun.” He grinned and brushed a light kiss across her lips. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too. This week feels so long, but I have to say, I’m having a pretty good time. I’m glad you brought me here.” She tugged his hand, starting to move away from the bunkhouses.
They wandered hand-in-hand with no particular destination in mind, but when they reached the edge of the outdoor lights, Allegra stopped short, looking up. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars,” she commented. “You can barely see any in the city.”
He looked around, spotted a bench by the path, and pulled her over to sit. “Do you know where the Big Dipper is?” When she shook her head, he pointed. “There. And if you go straight down from here”—he moved his finger down an invisible line—“you get to the north star. So, if you’re ever lost you can walk toward that star and know you’re going north.”
She laughed. “Bold of you to assume that knowing where north was would help. You’ll just have to come find me if I ever get lost.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “That was a given, sweetheart.”
They sat there for a while, and he pointed out other constellations and stars. All of it he’d learned on the ranch years ago. After a while the bugs seemed to realize there was a free dinner, and after slapping too many off his arms, he finally pulled her to her feet. “We’re getting eaten alive out here. I guess we should probably head—”
She cut him off, jumping to her feet. “Wait, let’s go visit the barn first.”
“The barn? Why?” Carter squinted at her, wondering what she was up to, but she was already grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet.
The big double doors were closed up for the night, but they let themselves in through the side door. The horses had all been bedded down, though most still dozed on their feet. They were used to people going in and out and none of them paid much attention to the couple.
“So, why did you drag me down here?” he asked.
“Um, no reason.” Her eyes shifted away.
“You just felt like hanging out in the barn?” One eyebrow went up as he examined her expression. She was definitely hiding something.
“Can’t a girl like barns?”
The other eyebrow went up to join the first. “I think it’s unlikely that you brought me to a barn without ulterior motives.”
As if to prove him right, Ally moved over and pressed against him. “Welllllll, we are alone. Except for the horses, and there’s not a ratfink among them, I’m sure. So, if we were to break one tiny rule in here, no one would know.”
Ah, so that’s her plan. “You know, they said if we behaved it would only be a week. Have you thought about what might happen if we got caught breaking the rule? Or hell, if they just asked us, because I’m not going to lie about it.”
“Uh, not really. I figured that was just something they said to scare us.” Her fingers began to walk up the front of his plaid shirt. When they got to the top, she played with the button before pushing it through the hole and moving down to the next.
“Don’t bet on it. When Ma says something, she means it. Do you really want to risk being in separate cabins for the entire trip?” He pushed her hands away before she could go any further with unbuttoning his shirt. “Allegra…” There was a warning in his tone, but she ignored it.