up her food and started eating. “I just had an idea. We could put them in my tent.”
“You’re staying here then, are you?” Ben finally looked up at her.
Her smile faltered. “No, of course not, if you need your space.” She chewed determinedly on her beef stew and took sips of her precious coffee. “I can move my stuff back right after lunch.”
“Silver... I’m not telling you to go,” Ben said quietly. “I just wanted to give you the option to leave.” He set down his meal. “I’m treading on dangerous ground here. I’m supposed to be your professional trail guide.”
“And you are very good at that,” Silver agreed cautiously.
“But touching you like this? Wanting to keep touching you? That’s hardly fair when you’re depending on me to get you safely out of here.”
“This is a fine time to get cold feet, Ben.” She met his gaze. “If I felt like you were taking advantage of me, I would tell you. I’m an expert in detecting all kinds of bullshit, flattery, and downright creepiness. In fact, I’ve spent my whole life dealing with it.” She took in a quick breath. “I like you touching me. I was the one who suggested it in the first place, remember? You made me feel ... special. But, if that’s all you want to give me, that’s also okay. I’m a big girl, and we’re both adults. You’ve already given me much more from a man than I’ve ever had before.”
She reached over to get his cup and he caught her hand and dragged her over to sit in his lap.
“What—” She stopped talking as his mouth crashed into hers and concentrated on kissing him back.
“This isn’t about not wanting you.” He looked right into her eyes. “I know it’s wrong, and I know you’re probably sick of me dicking you around, but I can’t deny how I feel.” He smoothed her hair out of her face. “But you should also know that I’m not behaving like myself, and that when I get wild, I usually crash and burn.”
“We’ve got four days before we have to return to the ranch,” Silver said. “How about we just forget about the real world and just make our own here? Then, when we get back, we’ll shake hands, say good-bye, and both have fond memories of each other, and our experience together.”
“That sounds great, but—” He hesitated. “Sex complicates things, you know?”
“I don’t know,” Silver replied evenly. “Do you think I expect you to marry me if you’re my first lover?”
He visibly recoiled. “Jeez, no.”
She stared at him, one eyebrow raised, and he groaned.
“That came out wrong.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for a long-term relationship with anyone at the moment,” Silver reassured him. “And I can’t imagine you thriving in the middle of L.A. anyway.”
“I hate big cities.” Ben shuddered. “Even Palo Alto was too busy for me.”
“Then as we know that neither of us wants more than this, can we just get on with it?” Silver asked.
“If you’re sure.” Ben still looked worried. “I’m older than you are; I shouldn’t be making stupid decisions.”
“Which proves that this decision isn’t stupid,” Silver repeated. “We’re both going in with our eyes open. Do you have protection?”
“Yeah.” He patted the side of the first-aid box. “We get a lot of couples on our trail rides, and occasionally they get caught short, so we always carry condoms.”
Silver climbed off his lap, lay back on her sleeping bag, and looked expectantly up at him. “Come on then, cowboy. You were going to teach me how to please a man, remember?”
* * *
Ben stared at her beautiful face. Every part of him wanted to follow her down and make love to her. She was right—if they were careful, no one would ever know except the two of them. The thought of her meeting someone who wouldn’t treat her right, and who would ruin sex for her, didn’t sit well with him. The responsible Ben, the guy he usually was, took a step back, hands held high, and disappeared behind the Ben who wanted to feel something intensely—to live a little—to show Silver that sex was the most amazing thing in the world with the right person.
And he was the right person, right now for her. He knew it in his soul.
Holding her gaze, he shrugged out of his T-shirt and crawled over to her.
“I’ll make it good for you, I promise.” He kissed her and she kissed him back. “I’ll make you