Bag unpacked and showered, I walked into my room. I had been so close. So close to getting her. That night underneath the stars had been everything that I had hoped. She had been so hot and passionate in my arms. She had felt so goddamn good, just like I had pictured for so long.

I took out the list that I had made, picking up my pen and crossing out that first number. We had camped out underneath the stars, big time.

Yet, she had retreated, back into her shell and her goddamn memories like a snail.

Hell, yeah, I was disappointed. It had been so good. I still ached to take her; it was like an itch that I just had to scratch. I looked at the next item on the list, thinking.

Could I do it? Bring her out of her shell again?

I had to try. I knew that. I felt like I didn’t have a choice, any more. This thing between us had the trajectory of an express train that wasn’t stopping for anyone.

Number Two: Dinner at a fancy restaurant in a city

This one would be more difficult. We were as far away from a city as it was possible to be.

How could I do it?

I closed my eyes, hatching a plan.

* * *

She was already serving dinner by the time I left my room.

Tonight, it was ribeye steaks, grilled outside. She was preparing a potato salad and corn on the cob to go with it. I could smell the steaks sizzling, making my stomach flip over. She sure was a goddamn great cook.

I walked past her, trying to gauge her mood. Would she look up at me, or would she pretend that she hadn’t seen me, like it had been for the past few days since our night together.

She looked up. So far, so good.

I smiled. She smiled back, blushing slightly. Even better.

“Steaks sure smell good.” I indicated the grill with a flick of my head.

Her smile widened. “The best there is,” she said. “Hank and the boys sure know how to get a good cut.”

“That they do,” I agreed. “Our Wyoming cattle are the best there is. You can keep your fancy wagyu and angus. These steaks are out of this world.”

“I have to agree with you there,” she said, pouring mayonnaise over potatoes in a bowl.

“Although.” I stopped, clearing my throat. How was I going to bring this up?

“Some of those fancy restaurants in New York sure know a thing or two about cooking.” I continued. She glanced up, questioning.

“I have to go there for a few days. Some business I gotta take care of, that I had forgotten about. “

She nodded, still looking at me with a question in her eyes.

“I was thinking. As a cook, it would be good for you to experience different styles of cooking. Would you like to come with me, and we could go to a fancy restaurant? You could choose. I don’t know much about them, myself.” I let out my breath.

She looked amazed. “You want me to come to New York with you? To eat at a fancy restaurant?”

“Sure,” I said, trying not to seem over keen. “Why not? Like I said, I have to go there anyway, and I have to eat. We could do it together.”

She continued mixing the bowl, but slower. I could see her mind churning it over.

“If you want to come, I’m leaving next week,” I said. “Jessie can take over the cooking again here. Looks like she did a fine old job while we were away camping.”

At the mention of camping, she blushed again. Our eyes locked.

We were both remembering the same thing, I’d wager. And the memory was getting me hotter than a goddamn chilli pepper left to dry in the sun. She broke the gaze, staring back down at the bowl. Then she looked up at me, with what looked like a challenge in her eyes.

“Okay,” she said. “I will. How long will we be gone for?”

“Just two nights,” I answered, in a neutral voice. Inside, I felt like jumping and fist pumping the air.

“I’ve never been to New York before,” she said.

“It’s great,” I said. I turned and started walking outside to the tables. Then I stopped and looked back, as if I had forgotten something.

“Just bring some comfortable clothes. We can go shopping for something fancy to wear out when we’re there.”

Her mouth dropped open, her arm suspended with the wooden spoon above the bowl.

I grinned.

This was going better than I ever thought possible. Tick, tick, tick. That list was growing smaller by the minute.

New York, look out.

* * *

On the day of our flight, she came out of her quarters with her suitcase packed and looking a million dollars. I had told her to just bring comfortable clothes, but she had obviously decided that wouldn’t cut the mustard in old New York town.

She was wearing a black halter neck dress, which emphasised her large bosom and clung to her hour glass frame like a piece of cling wrap. She was taller, too, in a pair of strappy heels. She had put her golden curls up, in a bun on the top of her head. She looked stunning. I could feel excitement start to churn in my stomach, and lower.

We had been friendly to each other in the week since my offer to take her away, but I hadn’t tried to push anything further. Slowly, slowly, was my mantra. It seemed to be working. She had relaxed further, and we had some great conversations. The sexual connection between us was still sparking, though. Sometimes, I had to forcibly restrain myself from just picking her up and carrying her to my bedroom. I could tell she was antsy, too. She would stare at my hands as if she was willing me to lay them on her.

“Ready?” I picked up her case, carrying it to the trunk of the car.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said, walking behind me and climbing into the passenger side.

I had decided we would drive to the airport and leave the car in long term parking. Easier all round.

She put her seat belt on, glancing at me as I climbed into the driver’s side.

“Where are we staying in New York?” She asked as I started the car.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” I replied.

I put the car in gear and we drove off down the track, the ranch getting smaller in the rear-view mirror by the minute. Good bye to Wyoming, again. Just for a little while, this time.

I glanced at Gemma, who was looking straight ahead, a small smile playing around the corners of her mouth. She was looking forward to this trip.

She sure was in for the surprise of her life.