Silk and Spurs by Cheyenne McCray Read Free Book Online

with a grin.
    A thrill went through her belly at the way he was flirting with her. “I’m about to head out to take more photos.”
    “I’ll take you to some of my favorite spots.” He gave a nod in the direction of the kitchen. “Why don’t we load up on some lunch and we’ll have ourselves a picnic.”
    “All right.” She gave him a smile, a sense of excitement stirring in her belly. “Sounds like fun.”
    They packed a wicker picnic basket with sandwiches they made as well as a thermos of lemonade and a bag of potato chips. There were still a few sugar cookies left and they put those in a baggie and dropped them in the basket, too, and he grabbed a light blanket for them to sit on.
    After everything was stowed in the back of the cab, and she and Zane were in the truck, he started the big vehicle and drove it through the gate. He didn’t go far before he turned onto a dirt road that wasn’t much more than a couple of ruts. The truck bounced and jostled as he drove along it.
    She had her camera out and rolled down her window, feeling the fresh air against her face and drinking in the sweet country scent. He brought the truck to a stop as they crested a rise and looked down. She caught her breath, taking in the beauty of the golden grasses flowing through the canyon bottom, with thick stands of oak bordering the canyon sides.
    “It’s wonderful. I absolutely love it here.” She started to get out of the truck but he touched her arm.
    “Look closer,” he said. “In that pocket of oaks you can see two mule deer—a couple of doe in the shade there.”
    She slowly raised the camera and zoomed in on the copse of trees. Standing absolutely still, with their gazes riveted on the truck, was the pair of deer. She took several shots with her camera right before the deer bolted up over another rise and vanished on the other side of the hill.
    “Thanks.” She smiled at Zane as she lowered the camera. “That was amazing.”
    After she photographed the canyon and the mountains in the distance, he took her further and he pointed out an Inca dove, and they even came up on several javelina.
    As he showed her the valley, she was always aware of him as a man. He made her heart beat a little faster every time he touched her or moved close so that he could point out various things whenever he pulled over for her to take a few shots.
    He drove until they were in a low area that reminded her of a small canyon. They parked and he carried the picnic basket and the blanket. She hitched her backpack with her equipment over her shoulder and continued to shoot photos until they reached a stream and he found a good place to spread out the blanket.
    She set the camera aside and helped him unpack the food and then they settled in to eat. He sat within inches of her and she enjoyed his closeness while at the same time felt as if she should move away. No matter what she’d seen, Phoebe with another man, she couldn’t do anything with Zane unless he broke off things with his fiancée. She was surprised he had kept so close to her. He had to feel the same sexual tension that she did every moment she was in his presence.
    They plowed their way through roast beef and ham sandwiches and potato chips, drank most of the lemonade, and then tucked away the cookies, somehow eating all seven of them. She had a great appetite and even though she did watch what she ate, she wasn’t embarrassed to eat in front of a man like some women were.
    While they ate, they talked about family and friends. She learned a few things about his brothers and sister and she shared with him some of the experiences she and her sister had when they were younger.
    They talked about things they loved and things they weren’t so crazy about.
    “It’s un-American to not like football,” he said in a teasing tone when she told him she preferred basketball.
    “I like football,” she said. “But the athleticism in basketball is just incredible.” She tilted her head