Neither said anything, they sipped beer in the stuffy tent, lost in thought.
Finally Kade said, “Ain’t I just a barrel of fun? Maybe we could talk about something else? When’s Eliza’s next doctor’s appointment?”
“Much as I love our darlin’ baby girl,” she grinned when he looked up at her mimicking his vernacular, “I don’t wanna talk about her.”
“Then what?”
Sex. Tell me what’s in store for tonight. In detail. Maybe with a hands-on preview.
“We’re supposed to be getting to know each other, right? So, tell me about your day to day ranch duties.”
Kade lifted both brows. “Why? You lookin’ to take a nap?”
“No, I’m serious. I saw you on the horse today and I realized I don’t have any idea what it takes to raise cows.”
“Money. Stupidity. Stubbornness.” He sipped his beer. “Sorry. What we do depends on the season. Right now, we gotta make sure the cattle have water where they’re grazin’. The cows have been pregnancy tested. The calves have had their vaccinations and aren’t ready to wean quite yet. We start cuttin’ hay in another week, that’s long, hard work, pretty much sunup to sundown. Something’s always broken, equipment wise. Then there’s the fences. Lord. I could hire a crew of twenty and send them out seven days a week for the next year and never get all the damn fence mendin’ done.”
“Wow. You must have a lot of land.”
He gave her a sardonic look. “Or a lotta bad fences.”
“Funny. So do you ride horses every day?”
“No. Wish I could, but it’s faster to take the truck or the four-wheeler. I keep my horse at my folks’ place. He’s an old work horse, not a rodeo horse like Colby’s.” He took another sip. “What about you? Do you ride?”
“I can ride, not very well. And I do like it, but I don’t have a horse.”
“Seems a shame. You have a sweet setup with that big barn and the corrals.”
“Maybe someday, when life isn’t so chaotic, I’ll get a gentle horse. What do you do for fun when you’re not working on the ranch?”
“Been so long, I don’t remember. I used to like to do a little dancin’ at the Golden Boot. Do you two-step?”
“I’ve never been very good at dancing.”
He angled over the table, a mere kiss away. “You said the same thing about blowjobs and you proved yourself wrong there, so I’m thinkin’ I’d like to prove you wrong on the dance floor. There’s something mighty enticin’ about the thought of holdin’ you in my arms in public, Sky, holdin’ you without apology.”
The molten heat in Kade’s eyes made her knees quake.
The loudspeaker boomed with news of the presentations. He eased back, drained his remaining beer and stood. “Better get a move on.”
Kade kept his hand pressed in the small of her back as they crossed the grounds to the stands. Several young women studied him with blatant sexual interest, from the tips of his boots to the brim of his cowboy hat, lingering on the fit of his Wranglers and the size of his belt buckle. A couple of brave rhinestone cowgirls were so happy to see him back in action, they approached him to offer to make up for lost time, in whatever capacity he chose. Suggestions were tossed out, without shame.
Not one of the pouty-faced women called him Kade. Every single one called him Kane. And Kade didn’t correct their assumptions. He’d probably gotten so used to it, he either didn’t notice, or it didn’t bother him.
It bothered the crap out of Skylar. Kade wasn’t interchangeable. Kade was unique. And dammit, these buckle bunnies could kiss her butt. Kade McKay was hers.
When an older brunette, with over-teased hair and an overbite, slid her fingers up the buttons on Kade’s shirt, Sky wondered if she were somehow invisible. Would these same “ride-me-cowboy” buckle bunnies be so eager to throw themselves at him if he held Eliza?
Probably. Kade was damn fine-looking and one of the most eligible bachelors in three counties. His obvious physical attributes were a bonus, as far as Sky was concerned. What made him irresistible to her these days? He wasn’t afraid to show he loved his child to distraction. He rolled out of bed in the middle of the night so Sky could sleep. It was all the sweet, thoughtful, just plain nice things he did for her and Eliza, simply because he was that type of man and he enjoyed doing it, not because he had to or it was expected.
Throughout the conversations, Kade remained polite to his admirers. Skylar also noticed his warm hand remained firmly planted on her back. Even after they’d made their escape.