A small town of a few thousand, Peace Springs barely supported the need for a doctor. Which meant, there wasn’t much in town to do on a Monday night, but Drake promised her a good time.

“What do you have in mind for dinner?” Abby was interested to find out what constituted a good time in such a small town.

Her visits growing up had been the adventures of a child. A night on the town included a burger and shake at Eddie’s Soda Shoppe and being allowed to stay out past nine. In June, during the Summer festival, nights out included exploring the fairgrounds, taking a spin on the rides, and watching the competitions at the rodeo. If she were really lucky, her parents would let her stay for the evening concerts.

But what did adults do in the quiet town of Peace Springs?

He held her hand, supporting her as she took the steps leading off the porch. Sitting beside her Jeep, a black F250 heavy duty King Ranch chirped and flashed its lights.

“It’s a surprise,” he answered with a wink. “I’m thinking something special for a city girl.”

“I wish you’d stop calling me that.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, maybe because it sounds a bit derogatory?”

Except she loved the way the words rolled off his tongue, and how his eyes simmered when he spoke those words.

“I could call you pumpkin?”

“Pumpkin!” She turned to face him. “You’re not serious?”

“Well, if I have to pick something else, that’s what I’m going with.”

“How about Abby? It is my name.”

His head tilted to the side, and he pulled at his chin. “Everyone else will be calling you that. I want something that’s all mine.” He shrugged. “Your pick, pumpkin or city girl?”

“I’m not a damn pumpkin.”

“I know. You taste sweeter than a pumpkin…city girl.”

It looked like the name was going to stick.

“You haven’t answered my question,” she said.

“About where we’re going?”

“Yes.”

“Because I’m planning to surprise you.”

Well, it wasn’t going to be much of a surprise. There were really only two places to eat, and a handful of bars. He wouldn’t take her to Bar 21, it catered to a seedier crowd, which left Sammy’s and Top Bar. The only one she knew which had music and anything resembling a dance floor was Top Bar. Her father had taken her there a few times when he’d had a late afternoon beer. First, he grabbed her a shake at Eddie’s. Then she spent the afternoon reading or coloring, sipping her milkshake, while he talked with the men.

“How’s that going to happen?” She arched a brow. “I’ve been to Peace Springs. Spent my summers here. There aren’t that many choices.”

“How much do you trust me?”

That answer was way more complicated than it should be.

They reached his truck and when he opened the passenger door, a length of black silk was laying on the seat.

“What’s that for?” She claimed to be open minded, but when it came to kinky sex games, she couldn’t be more—what did they call it?—oh, vanilla. She was as vanilla as they came. “You’re not tying—”

He laughed as she backed away and was stopped by the brace of his arm.

Reaching over her shoulder, he grabbed the silky fabric. “It’s a blindfold, silly.” He gave another of his knee-knocking winks. “Let’s get beyond the first kiss or two before we spice things up with knots.”

Her mouth gaped. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Wait! You want to be tied up?” His smile curved into a wide grin. “Kinky city girl, I’m intrigued.”

“I didn’t say that.” She stamped her foot.

“But you’re not against it?”

Her cheeks heated. “I didn’t say that either.”

He laughed so hard, he bent over and slapped his thigh. “Oh, if you could see the color of your cheeks. Hell, instead of pumpkin, I should’ve gone with sugar beet. Now those are sweet and beet red.”

She punched him in the arm and shook out her fist. “Ow!”

“Hey, don’t be hollering. You punched me.” Drake grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. “Calm down, I’m not planning on tying you up. It’s a blindfold. I have something special planned, and I don’t want to spoil it.”

She slowed her breathing and blushed again. This time for letting his teasing get under her skin.

“Promise you’ll stop making fun of me.”

“Sorry, but I can’t make a promise I know I can’t keep.” He lifted the fabric. “Now, do you trust me enough to play along?”

Trust shouldn’t be such a complicated thing, but she hesitated. The look on his face was what finally had her saying yes. There was no malice in his expression. Instead, a desperate hope hungered in his gaze.

He’d saved her from wolves. Force marched her through the cold. She’d gone over and over those few hours, how he’d refused to slow the pace, and barely helped her through the worst spots. He’d done it on purpose to ensure she kept her body temperature up by keeping her moving. The moment she’d been out of danger, he’d been nothing but gentle. Teasing her more often than not, but he’d never been gruff, and certainly not disinterested.

Jacob and his physical abuse had scared her, but she refused to let him influence how she responded to every other man in her life.

“I trust you.”

“Good.” He twirled his finger in the air.

She dutifully spun around and faced away from him.

His strong fingers placed the fabric over her eyes. The touch ignited a banked heat slumbering in her core, making her gasp.

“Here, hold that while I tie you up.”

She held the silk in place and laughed. “You said no tying up.”

“Well, not yet, but I have to warn you, I’m a rancher. I’m good with rope.”

“A llama rancher. I know.”

“Oh, no. Burt raises llamas. I run cattle, which means I’m really good with rope.”

“Oh!” Her insides squirmed with the promise laced in his words. Vanilla was good, but maybe a few chocolate sprinkles might be nice from time to time. While she focused on soothing her racing heart, his deft fingers tied the blindfold in place. He gripped her shoulders and spun her around.

“Can you see anything?”

“Nope.”

“You peeking?”

“No,” she said with a laugh. “I’m not peeking. I can’t see anything.”

“Good.” The moment the word was out of his mouth, the searing heat of his kiss was back.

All the hotter for how unexpected it had been, she gasped. Then he was lifting her up and settling her on the seat of the truck.

“Can you buckle in on your own, or do you need help?” He handed her the shoulder strap, and she felt at her left hip for the seatbelt latch.

“I’ve got it.”

“Good, buckle up city girl. I’ve got a treat for you.”

The door shut with a solid sound, and she heard nothing but the step of his boots as he rounded the truck. The driver’s door opened, and the truck shifted under his weight.

“You a country, pop, or hard rock kind of gal?”

She took in a deep breath. “Your choice. I like them all.”

The engine cranked over and classical music spilled from the radio.

“Is that what you like?” she asked.

“Depends on my mood. I’m kind of in a disturbed state of mind. Do you mind?”

She paused and then smiled when she realized he meant the rock group. “I love Disturbed.”

“Well, settle in and get comfortable. Tell me if the music gets too loud.”

He cranked the sound as the first notes of a new song raced out of the speakers. Conversation came to an end with the full-bodied sound, leaving her to wonder if Drake was head banging, or banging his hand on the steering wheel. Either way, the music allowed her to sink into her thoughts. And while his woodsy scent permeated the cab of the truck, at least she wasn’t subjected to his primal beauty during the drive.

She needed time alone with her thoughts and wanted to prepare for what might come next. She was as equally terrified of moving too slow as she was of moving too fast. So far, she hadn’t done very well when it came to picking men.

Keeping track of where he was driving proved impossible, although she did try. Her memory of Peace Springs was that of a ten-year-old girl riding a bicycle. She followed the drive down the lane from her uncle’s house, the turn left which brought them past the elementary school. The rough road smoothed out, telling her they’d reached the center of town, but that’s as far as her misguided directional sense got.

“Where are you taking me?”

“What part of surprise do you not understand?”

“Just wondering how long we’re going to be driving around. Surely we’re on Main Street by now.”

He huffed a laugh. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride. We’ll get there when we get there.”

Was he deliberately trying to get her lost?

She tapped the armrest, her fingers drumming out her frustration. When she lifted her hand to yank the blindfold off, his fingers curled around her wrist, tugging it down.

“Uh-uh, city girl. Just a bit longer and we’ll be there.”

“Where?”

“Dinner and dancing of course.”

Ugh. Maybe they’d built someplace new in town. It would make sense. A lot of small towns expanded their borders by incorporating surrounding lands. Old farms were taken over and barns turned into dance halls. Maybe that’s what he had in mind. Sure felt that way. The truck had moved from the easy ride of asphalt to a bumpier ride. Rock and gravel ground beneath the tires indicated they’d moved onto one of the many unimproved roads surrounding the center of town, except a few minutes turned to ten, and then a few more.

“Almost there,” he said. “Promise you’ll sit tight for a second. I need to open the gate.”

Open the gate? Must be a renovated farm. This town had more head of cattle than it did people. Cattle gates were as ubiquitous as blades of grass in the fields.

“I promise,” she said. And while the temptation to peek was overpowering, she didn’t want to ruin his surprise. Not after he seemed to have gone to so much trouble.

The driver’s door opened and the truck rocked as he exited. When he returned, he settled into his seat and gripped her hand.

“Tell me,” he said, “favorite movie genre.”

“Um, I don’t know.”

The one thing about medical school and the even more rigorous residency training had been a distinct lack of free time. Working eighty hours a week, and studying on top of that, left her with precious little free time. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d watched a movie, let alone seen one in a movie theater.

“I guess action movies. I like a good science fiction piece, but they don’t really make those anymore.”

“Star Wars geek or Trekkie?”

“Both I guess.” Both franchises had released movies recently. She wasn’t a complete mushroom, and had managed to watch the movies when they came out online. “I like the one with the mutants, too.”

“Ah, great. Perfect even.” His long fingers stroked the back of her hand. “Do you have to be anywhere tomorrow? Need to check in with work?”

“Not yet. I’m still settling in.” Not a complete lie, but the practice could wait another day.

“Good,” he whispered. “I plan to have you out all night.”

All night? Her stomach fluttered with what that might entail.