Chapter Eight

The ache in Sara's body didn't go away. It lessened a bit, but not enough to feel comfortable. She couldn't believe things had gotten out of hand so quickly. Fortunately, Grant was able to put a stop to it in time. That night, she lay in bed, unable to sleep. She'd tried masturbating to make herself come to relieve the pressure, but it wouldn't happen, making her more frustrated.

She didn't want to do that again unless he would make her come. She couldn't ever remember having this depth of desire-filled excitement with her husband, and she didn't know if that was a good thing or not. Maybe if she had enough experience, she would have been able to handle it better.

The next morning, she worked on her bookkeeping for a few hours and then cleaned her house. She did her best to keep her mind on her work, but Grant kept creeping into her head and distracting her.

Her phone rang around noon.

"Hello."

"Hi, Sweetheart."

"Hi, Grant."

"I wondered if you'd go on a picnic with me."

She couldn't remember the last time she had a picnic. "That would be wonderful. What can I do?"

"Nothing. It's all taken care of. I'll be there to pick you up in thirty minutes. Will that give you enough time?"

"Yes. Where are we going?

"One of my favorite places on the ranch. I'll drive us there in the truck this time. Maybe next time, we can ride there."

"I would love that."

"Good. I'll see you soon, Sweetheart."

"Bye."

Sara scrambled to the shower and washed herself quickly. She slathered on her favorite lotion and then put on shorts, a nice button-down shirt, and sandals. She was brushing out her hair when she heard his truck in the driveway.

"You be good," she told the dogs as she petted them before grabbing her purse and walking out the door. She almost ran into him because she hadn't realized he was that close.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He took her key from her and locked the door. He handed it back to her and then maneuvered her into his truck.

The smells filled the cabin and made her stomach growl.

He frowned at her. "Did you eat today?"

She thought about it for a second. "I had part of a piece of toast with my coffee this morning."

"I don't like you skipping meals," he told her as he drove out of her driveway. He reached for her hand.

"I'm usually better."

He glanced at her and then back on the road.

"Where is this place?" she asked.

"You'll see. It's not far. I know some back roads that will take us there."

She nodded and looked out her window. The countryside was really beautiful. The rolling hills were spotted with cattle and horses and a wild array of flowers. The day was hot and sunny, but the wind was cool, making it enjoyable to be outside.

She sat up when he parked near a large tree. Behind the tree was a pond that looked very inviting. Her door opened, and Grant unsnapped her buckle and lifted her out. He kept her there for a moment.

He sighed and released her before taking her hand and leading her to the back. He lifted a thick blanket and a picnic basket and then led her to a flat spot under the tree, a few feet from the water.

He lay the blanket down, knelt, and set the basket on one corner before lifting his hand to her. "Come here, Sweetheart."

Sara took his hand and sat with her legs tucked under her and to the side. "It smells delicious," she said.

"The cook at the main house made it up for us."

"That was nice of her."

He pulled out a bottle of wine, small ham sandwiches, fruit, cheese, and crackers. Her mouth started to water when he pulled out a plate covered in plastic wrap and set it on the blanket. She could see the yummy-looking brownies and couldn't wait to bite into one.

He caught her look and chuckled. "I want you to eat something before dessert."

She wrinkled her nose. "You're no fun."

His eyebrows lifted. "Oh, I'll show you how much fun I am, but later."

Sara couldn't prevent the shiver that raced down her spine. She knew he had caught it, but thankfully didn't say anything.

He set a sandwich and fruit on her plate and handed it to her before pouring the wine.

She sipped it and hummed. "This is very good."

"I'm glad you like it."

They ate in silence for a few minutes. When she was about full, she set her plate aside.

"That was very good. Thank you," she said.

He finished his own and stuck the plates back in the basket except for the crackers, cheese, and brownies. He lay down on his side facing her, with his head in his hand and his elbow braced against the ground.

Her eyes traveled over him, and she could feel herself blush when she caught the bulge in his jeans. It looked large to her, and she didn't think he was hard, so it worried her.

"Tell me about yourself," he asked.

She pulled her eyes away from his pants and looked at him, ignoring the smirk on his face.

"Oh, um, I was born in Dallas. My husband and I met in college, and we moved here after we got married because of a job opportunity he had. My parents are gone, and I have a brother and sister with families still living in Texas."

"Do you miss the State or them?"

"I miss them, but we see each other a few times a year and FaceTime, so that helps. As far as the State of Texas, I don't miss it. The hustle and bustle and the heat in the summers about wiped me out. I'd much rather have cold weather than hot."

"You have two sons?" he asked.

"Yes, Dillion and Corey. They both graduated from college and are working in Jackson. They're only a few hours away, and they come and visit often. What about you?" she asked.

"I grew up here. My parents are also gone, but I still have two brothers that live around here. They both have busy families, but we make sure we see each other for the holidays," he said.

"You never married or had children?"

"I was married."

That shocked her, but then she reminded herself they hadn't known each other for a long time. "Are you sad she's gone, and you didn't have children?"

"No, I'm not sad she's gone, and I was glad I didn't have kids with her. It would have complicated our divorce. She still comes around to bug me, but I've learned to ignore her."

"That's tough, though. You shouldn't have to deal with being harassed," she said.

Grant shrugged.

She wanted to ask why they divorced, but she could see the residual anger in his eyes when he mentioned his ex-wife.

"You know it's not too late for you to have children. You could find a younger woman." She hated the thought but wanted to put it out there for his consideration.

His eyes narrowed. "I don't want another woman, and I'm fine without kids of my own."

She swallowed, nodded, and looked off toward the pond. The day had been wonderful, but she was afraid she had messed it up.