Free Texas Rose Forever (Texas Rose Ranch #1) by Katie Graykowski Page B

family secrets?” She wanted to know his, but it was too soon. She wanted him to tell her everything about Naomi, but if Lucy was any indication, CanDee was lucky that he’d even mentioned his marriage.
    “There are many mysterious family secrets surrounding the Texas Rose Ranch. Maybe you’d like to go through the boxes in my attic after we have dinner.” He took another bite of his sandwich.
    “Are you asking me out on a date?” She put her hand over her heart. “It’s so sudden. I didn’t see it coming.”
    His gaze wandered over to hers. “Is that a yes?”
    “Are you making dinner?” Two nights in a row where she didn’t have to eat yogurt for dinner was cause for a celebration.
    “Yes.”
    “Will there be any fooling around?” She nudged his boot with the toe of her running shoe.
    “One-track mind.” The blush started at his collar and moved up to his face. “I’m beginning to think that all you want from me is sex.”
    “That’s not true. Now that I know you can cook, I want food and sex.” She took another swig of root beer.
    “I’m starting to feel a little like your cabana boy.” His face was still a glowing red.
    “Is that a bad thing?” She’d never thought to have her own cabana boy, but if he was offering, she wasn’t going to say no.
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “Good. Would you be available to serve me drinks bathtub side later this evening? I plan on using Prudence’s tub for a long, hot bath.” If she played her cards right, she just might be able to get him to build the fire too.
    He stared at her, blinked once, and continued to stare.
    “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he whispered.
    She looked around in case he was whispering because someone else had wandered into the backyard. She didn’t see anyone. “Why are you whispering again?”
    “I don’t know.” His gaze moved to the grass on either side of his boots. “You shouldn’t take a bath out here. Anyone could walk by.” He pointed to the fence.
    “You really think that someone walking by would take the time to peek through the vine-covered fence in the hopes of catching me naked? Wow, are there really that many Peeping Toms on the ranch?” Was he planning on being one?
    “Well, when you put it like that . . . no, but who knows if the tub even works?”
    “Your mom told me that she and your dad used it last week after they went skinny-dipping.” She took another bite of sandwich.
    His face went from red to a sickly shade of oatmeal. “I didn’t need to know that.”
    “Why? I think it’s cute that your parents skinny-dip.” She’d only ever had her grandmother, so family dynamics including brothers and sisters were intriguing. Come to think of it, none of the men she’d ever dated had been from a big family or had much of a family at all. It must be nice to have all of these people around to support Cinco.
    He put his hands over his ears. “Stop talking. I wish I could get the mental image out of my head. How would you like it if your parents went skinny-dipping?”
    “That would be awkward since they died when I was a child.” She didn’t say it because she wanted sympathy, she was just stating the facts. She could barely remember her parents, but she was pretty sure that she would have loved to know that they still wanted each other after decades of marriage.
    His mouth fell open and then he closed it. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Thank you.” When she was little and people found out about her parents and told her that they were sorry, she’d always wanted to ask why. They hadn’t killed her parents, so why were they sorry? She hated the pity in their eyes. She loved being the center of attention except when someone felt sorry for her. That kind of attention she couldn’t handle.
    “So we’re on for dinner?” He sounded a little unsure of himself.
    “Sounds good to me.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
    “We can talk about the bath then.” He took another sip of