Page 58 of Wild and Wanted

Another chuckle. ‘Okay… let me see. What’s your favourite song?’

‘Of mine, or…’ Stevie’s brows drew together. ‘In the whole world?’

‘The whole world.’

Sheesh. He might as well have gone ahead and asked her which of her parents were her favourite. It was impossible to choose. ‘That’s a ridiculous ask. I don’t have one single favourite. I have many depending on my mood or the occasion or if I suddenly happen to hear one again after a while.’

Clay made no comment, he just sat and waited for his answer, looking at her from under the brim of his hat like he just enjoyed listening to her, a patch of whiskery neck visible through his open collar.

‘“The Climb” by Miley Cyrus is the song that made me want to be a songwriter.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Yep.’

‘Okay.’ He nodded. ‘Your turn.’

Sighing, Stevie asked the question she already knew the answer to. ‘Truth or dare.’ And what the hell could she dare him to do out here?

‘Truth,’ he murmured, then grinned as she blinked in surprise.

Well, damn. That was a much more tantalising prospect. What did she want to know about this man? Hell, what didn’t she want to know. ‘How many women have you been with?’

That startled a laugh out of him and just plain startled her. It had slipped out before Stevie could really analyse its suitability so it must have come from deep inside her psyche. Something she probably would have never asked him but for this stupid game so in reality, it was his fault she’d asked him such a personal question.

‘Well,’ he said, regarding her steadily. ‘A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.’

If that was his polite way of telling her it was off limits then too bad. It was out there now. ‘I’m not asking you for their names and social media handles. But—’ She shrugged. ‘You know how many people I’ve been with.’

Nodding slowly, he blew out a long breath. ‘Honestly, I don’t keep count because that’s juvenile. But I can say that while I was on the circuit there would have been very few places we visited that I didn’t end up in the company of a woman. There’s been nobody since the accident, though.’

Okay. Wow. She didn’t know much about the circuit other than what she’d gleaned online, but ten years of regular competing added up to… well, a lot of company. The thought didn’t make her jealous but it did cause her stomach to sink a little. God… what was she doing with this super experienced guy?

What was he doing with her?

‘And I always used protection,’ he added. ‘Always.’

Stevie’s gaze drifted to a point over his shoulder as she tried to compute the information she’d just gleaned. It was good, of course that he used protection but… they clearly had very different attitudes towards sex. If she went ahead and Clay became her lover, she’d be one on a long list. Whereas he would be the only one on hers.

And she had to be okay with that.

‘Stevie?’

His low voice broke into her thoughts and she realised she must have gone blank or be looking askance as she returned her attention to him.

‘I’ve never pretended to be a saint and I’m not going to apologise for my past either.’

‘Of course not.’ She didn’t expect that. ‘I’m not asking for…’ She expelled a slow breath, trying to distil the jumble of words in her head into some kind of coherency. ‘Do you… remember any of them?’

‘Sure. I mean not all obviously, I was on the pro circuit for ten years. But their faces and some names.’

Stevie nodded slowly. ‘So… they didn’t mean anything to you?’

‘What?’ He shook his head. ‘No. Of course they did. Every woman who ever spent time with me has meant something. A woman, sharing her most intimate self? That meant everything and I never took it for granted. And I can say every one of them had my undivided focus and attention during our time together. Just as every single one of them understood, as soon as the rodeo moved on, I would too.’

The fact he seemed mortified that she would think any different was mollifying.

‘But,’ he continued, ‘if this is your roundabout way of asking me will I remember you? Stevie girl…’ He shook his head, his gaze sincere as it roved over her face. ‘You could leave this ranch today taking your virginity with you and I can say, hand on heart, you’re one of a kind and I will never ever forget you or this day or any of the times we’ve spent together.’