Free What a Texas Girl Dreams (Crimson Romance) by Kristina Knight Page B

her breath.
    “Then you know what happens next.”
    Monica swallowed and concentrated on breathing normally. Yeah, she knew what happened next. This was a gauntlet. If she enjoyed a real date with Trick, it meant their relationship was changing whether she wanted it to, whether she was ready for it or not. They watched one another for a long moment. She didn’t want things to change, not with Trick. Already, the rest of her life was changing: her sisters were having babies; her horse was in rehab, her chance at winning a rodeo title this year off the table. And none of those reasons touched the deeper scars on her soul. Could she survive an actual, long-term relationship with Trick? Who would she be then? And what if he got to know the real Monica and found her lacking?
    Trick’s hand tightened on hers. “So. A date?”
    Wanting to date Trick, for real, would put the last constant of her old life in jeopardy.
    “Okay.” The words whispered from her lips without her consent. Dating Trick Samuels. She might never be the same.
    They topped the hill, and Monica stopped short.
    The narrow trail opened to a quiet meadow with rich, green grass, dotted with wildflowers. Pink and yellow and blue blooms colored the ground before them, leading to the dark face of a cave opening. Candles flickered in the light breeze, beckoning them inside.
    “I think it’s about time for some shade. Don’t you?” He took a step forward, tugging gently on her hand. Monica held firm. Texas girl or not, she was not walking willingly into a cave filled with bats and other small, crawly animals. She shook her head.
    “Oh, no. I don’t do bats or spiders or scorpions, thankyouverymuch.”
    “No bats. No spider webs to clean off the walls. Trust me.” He squeezed her hand and Monica took a small step forward.
    Apparently her limits weren’t firm where Trickett Samuels was concerned.
    His hand was warm around hers. His palm calloused where hers was smooth. She’d never noticed the texture of his hands before, at least not outside of how they made her feel when they were making love.
    She liked them.
    He paused at the opening of the cave so their eyes could adjust. Candles and Chinese lanterns lined the damp walls, casting a warm glow on the ribbons of rock and stalactites in the cool, open space. Monica inspected every inch, but didn’t detect a single movement. Didn’t mean there weren’t bats farther inside, though. She took a cautious step forward.
    The interior was a milky white, but streaks of deep browns, reds, and golds created a rich canvas around them. The ground under their feet was level and smooth. Monica trailed her hand along the wall. Smooth, multicolored sections gave way to rougher, brown patches.
    The path wound gently downward, around the limestone icicles overhead and past ribbons of chalky, pink formations. The tunnel rose several meters above them, giving the area a spacious, other-worldly feel. Trick pointed, directing her attention to a tiny waterfall that began at the ceiling, trickled over rock, and then spiraled down a stalactite to fall into a pool. Along the edge were natural, rock sculptures, in every muted color Monica had ever seen.
    “It’s beautiful,” Monica breathed the words. Forget about the bugs and bats. This was the best hike she’d ever been on.
    They followed the trail of candles and lanterns for a few more minutes, and then the pathway wound back uphill before opening to a wide room filled with wave upon wave of rock. Monica had seen pictures of rimrock dams before, but never in person. Each “wave” was dark brown at ground level and lightened to a cream color at its lip.
    Monica took a step forward, reached out, and stopped. “Can I touch it?”
    Trick nodded. The surface was smooth and chilly. Except for the trickle in the outer cave, whatever underground river might have been here, cascading over the rock, had disappeared beneath the surface, leaving behind the texture of silk.
    “Why