Cowgirl Education: a Camden Ranch Novel

by Jillian Neal

  “You think my speaking’s bad, you should hear my brothers or my daddy. You’d get a kick out of them.”

  “Well, maybe I’ll eventually survive long enough to meet your family, sweetheart.”

  “I certainly hope so. Now, what did you want to know about the Trevor dickhead-triad?”

  “Triad? Please tell me there’s not three of them?”

  “Yup. Grandpa’s still a major donor. Used to be on the board. Technically, he’s not a Trevor. I think his name is Bankston or something, but trust me, the Singleton blood runs thick with shit.”

  “I figured that. What I need to know is if you were aware that Singleton Sr. asks Jr.’s professors to give him good grades and threatens them if they don’t.”

  “Oh, yeah, everyone knows. It’s standard behavior from that family. What I don’t know is why Dr. Newsome continues to allow it.”

  “And what do you know of Newsome?”

  “He’s always been very nice, outstanding professor, genuinely interested in the students, available to help. Why?”

  “Singleton dropped by my office right about the time you texted me.”

  “Oh geez, Dec, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Probably be best if we had no communication until I leave campus.”

  “Yeah, I know. This entire thing is just so stupid. I’d drop your class but they aren’t offering it again until next year and I can’t take any other research classes until I’ve completed yours.”

  “It’s fine, love. Listen, Singleton alluded to the fact that Newsome is interested in naming you his protégé for your dissertation research.”

  “Really?” The lilt of excitement in her tone had Dec regretting even asking about this.

  “Yes. But. . .uh. . .Singleton is trying to secure the spot for Trevor.”

  “Wait, does that mean Dr. Newsome isn’t planning on choosing two students this year? Because he’s never done that before, but Trevor kept telling me he was.”

  “I have no idea, honey.”

  “You know, that’s who I was at Duffy’s to meet the night we met. He told me his father had overheard that Newsome was choosing two students this year for his dissertation program and that if I’d meet him there he’d tell me how we could both be chosen. It was a trick. He stood me up. That’s why I was so pissed that night. . .well, until you sat down at my table.”

  “I don’t like to owe men like the Singletons anything, but in this case it seems I’m indebted to Trevor Jr. with my very life.”

  “What aren’t you saying?” The woman was far too good. Dec couldn’t help but grin.

  “Dr. Singleton wanted me to believe that Newsome would like to work with you for less than ethical reasons.”

  “Of course he does. I mean obviously, that’s the only possible reason he would choose me over Trevor. Asswipe. Dr. Newsome isn’t like that. If I get that spot, I’ll have earned it without what’s in my pants.”

  “I have no doubt. I just don’t know how to proceed. How much should I know about you when I’m talking to them? I’m trying to prepare myself so I’m not caught off guard again.”

  “Well, you’re a new professor so nothing more than you would have been able to discern either from my work in your class or our interactions in your class.”

  “And you’re okay with that?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be okay with that?”

  “I want to help you in any way I can. It’s just a very fine line between helping you and outing us.”

  “Dec, I don’t need you to help me like that. Same way I wouldn’t have wanted you to help me get the internship at Lifespan. I want to do this on my own. Well, everything except the sexual exploration part. That I want to do with you, but I’m pretty sure it won’t come up in my dissertation or on a test of some kind.”

  “You mean I don’t get to test you on our exploration of your fantasies?”

  “You know it’s not only my fantasies I want to explore, right, Dr. St. James? I’m currently online searching for a pair of glasses and a conservative skirt befitting a librarian who needs someone to loose her bounds.”

  Dec’s breath seized in his lungs. The fantasy began without his permission. He could see her dressed the part all for him. A low, hungry groan wrenched loose from his lungs. “You’re killing me, love.”

  “I wish I could be there with you.”

  “Me too. More than you’ll ever know, and I have more dreadful news to tell you.”

  “Oh, no. What now?”

  God, he hated disappointing her. It stung his already battered soul. “Dr. Newsome would like to take me out to discuss some things involving the department. . .on Saturday night.”

  “But. . . .”

  “I know. I swear I’ll figure out some way to make this up to you.”

  “We were going to have naked weekend.”

  Dec sat the soda on his coffee table lest he drop it the entire can in his lap. “What happens on naked weekend?”

  “We stay naked all weekend. That’s as far as my planning had gotten.”

  “Oh, I could definitely help you flesh out that plan, my little minx. I tell you what, I have no choice but to assign a paper Friday in class. What I assign tomorrow will dictate what I assign Friday. If it didn’t, I’d go ahead and give you the topic. Anyway, come over Friday night after the sun goes down. We’ll spend every moment together until I have to go to this ridiculous dinner Saturday evening. You stay here and work on the paper while I’m gone. It surely won’t take you long. When I get back, we’ll get naked and return to our naked weekend festivities.”

  “That sounds almost perfect, but Dec you can’t give me assignments early. That isn’t fair to everyone else.”

  “Sorry, love. I guess I felt like we were both being screwed so royally in all of this we should take any advantage we can manage.”

  “Let’s not. Let’s just pretend you’re not my professor as much as we can.”

  “Whatever you want.”

  Dec’s phone beeped in his ear. He quickly checked the screen. “That’s Kade, sweetheart. He hasn’t heard from me all day. If I don’t answer he’ll be on his way over here, worried I’ve done something stupid.”

  “Go talk to Kade. Cheyenne’s been calling me all day, too. I need to make sure she’s okay.”

  “What the fuck, man?” Kade bellowed as soon as Dec answered.

  “I’m fine. Well. . .I’m handling life.”

  “And how are you handling it?”

  “Without the use of any illegal substances.”

  “Good.” An audible breath escaped Kade’s lungs. Another round of guilt levied in Dec’s gut. “You don’t sound suicidal. I’m guessing you two figured out a way to keep dating despite the professor thing.”

  “Let’s not announce that to anyone else.”

  “Good. I’m really happy for you. She’s good for you. I can feel it.”

  “I would never argue with that, but listen, I can only see her on the weekends. I need to move practice to some other day besides Sundays.”

  “Good luck with that. Andy’ll shit four bricks and a backhoe.”

  “That is quite an image.”

  “It’s the truth, is what it is.”

  “Speaking of Andy, it is imperative that he think Holly and I are over. We both know how much he would love for me to be deported and him to get his place in the band back.”

  “Even if that did happen, which it won’t, he wouldn’t get to be lead again. He fucked everything up too badly, but yeah, I get it. We’ll keep you and your cowgirl on the DL.”

  “Do people still say that?”

  “No idea. Don’t really care. Listen, you better figure out when we’re supposed to practice. Everyone’s gonna show up at your place on Sunday afternoon. We’re supposed to play that hole-in-the-wall out past Haymarket that night. We need to practice a little before we go.”

  “Fucksake, I need to see Holly. I get precious little time with her the way this colossal shitfe
st is going already. I’ve never even taken her on a proper date and now we’re stuck inside my house like prisoners.”

  “I’m sorry, Dec, but you two just decided all of this last night. I’m just hearing about it. Give a guy time to figure out how to help you get with your luvvah.”

  “That may be the queerest thing you have ever said to me.”

  Kade laughed hysterically. “Fuck off, man. You know you want a piece of this.”

  “We would make a brilliant couple, there’s no doubt.”

  “Naturally.”

  Dec appreciated the laughter more than anything else. Trying to envision telling Holly that their naked weekend was going to be relegated to a few measly naked hours was highly unappealing. “I’ve never thought about running away as often as I have today.”

  “Don’t run away. No one else can play Hot for Teacher, which, now that I think about it, is hysterical given your current situation.”

  “I’m hanging up now.”

  “Eeeek, guess what!?” Cheyenne squealed when she finally answered her phone.

  “What?” Holly grinned at her friend’s enthusiasm.

  “Grant volunteered to help out with this year’s Cattle Baron Festival.”

  “Yeah, I know. One of the Camdens has to pony up every year since we’re the biggest ranch in town. It’s really Luke’s turn, but Indie’s due date is before Christmas and since it’s twins they don’t think she’ll carry to term. He didn’t want to be tied up with anything around Thanksgiving.”

  “Holl, I don’t care why Grant is in charge this year, only that he is. This is supremely exciting as I have decided that I will co-chair the event with him.”

  Holly cringed. Grant would probably donate his profits on every head he’d just sold to get out of working with Cheyenne on the festival. “It’s just a livestock show and a fancy dinner, Chey. Trust me, Grant is not the kind of guy that relishes getting dressed up and showing off our heifers for what he calls, and I quote, ‘useless cityslickers with balls slung so low they couldn’t climb up in one of his trucks if they wanted to.’”

  Truthfully, Holly loved every single thing about the festival. It was her favorite time of year. She always showed for Camden Ranch and then spent the evening relishing every moment of the ball. To her, the entire day was better than Christmas. She could be a cowgirl and a princess at the same time.

  “It’s a livestock show and a fancy dinner where he’ll need to bring a date and then a dance where he will also need someone to dance with.”

  “Chey, just please don’t get your feelings hurt if he. . .isn’t as excited about the festival as you are.” Holly hoped against hope that Cheyenne would eventually get one of the million clues she readily offered that said for some reason Grant was not interested in her.

  “I won’t. I’m just excited to get to be around him more since you’re never here, so I don’t have a good excuse to go hang out at the ranch more. Are you coming home next weekend?”

  Holly had been stuck inside the situation with Dec all day. It hadn’t occurred to her until that moment that in years past she’d gone home almost every weekend to help out on the ranch, to see her friends, and ride her horses. Now, the weekends were the only time she could see Dec.

  “Uh, no. I can’t. I have several big projects coming up.” She crossed her fingers, hoping that she lied better over the phone than she did in person.

  “The next weekend?” Cheyenne sounded desperate.

  “Maybe. I’ll have to see.”

  “You know what we need to really make the party awesome this year?”

  “People other than cowboys and ranchers to attend?”

  “No. We need good music. Didn’t you tell me Harry Potter is in a band?”

  “Could we not call Dec Harry Potter, please?”

  “You basically said he has a magic wand.”

  “Cheyenne.”

  “Fine, I won’t call him that. Do you think you could get him to come out here and play? Offer him a blow job or something.”

  “I can’t. I mean, I can give him a blow job but I can’t ask him to play. It’s complicated.” Technically, Cattle Baron’s would be after final exams so hopefully he wouldn’t still be her professor, but they couldn’t announce they were dating until well into next semester at the earliest.

  “You could. For me. Please.”

  “Really, Cheyenne I can’t. A bunch of stuff you don’t know happened.”

  “Did you break up?”

  “No, not exactly.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Blissful abandon whispered in the breeze coming through Holly’s open bedroom windows. The hazy pockets of sunshine warmed the earth providing the perfect mix of lazy summer and cozy fall spiked with just the right amount of mischief. Potential pulsed through her veins.

  It was going to be a good day. The kind of day where absolutely nothing could go wrong, because the universe itself was happy. She could feel it. Shimmying into the short sundress she’d chosen for the unseasonably warm day, she turned to study her backside in the dresser mirror. Convinced that no one could really tell she’d decided to go commando, she ran her brush through her hair once more before throwing it in her duffle bag.

  Their weekend had been cut short. She couldn’t really complain since she was going all the way back to the ranch early Sunday morning to help with the fall-calving. Turning down her daddy’s request for a little help wasn’t an option in her book, but she intended to make the most of the nights she and Dec did have together.

  Trying to hone her play-acting skills, she slung an empty saddle and tack bag in her truck along with her duffle bag, the only one that was actually packed. She had plenty of saddles and tack back on the ranch, but this way it looked like she planned to head home that night instead of Sunday morning. No one was watching, of course, but no chances had become her mantra.

  On her return trip to the truck carrying her makeup kit, she spied a bright yellow Scion leaving the parking lot. Remnants of the mud she’d sprayed it down with still resided in his ridiculous custom wheels. What the fuck was Trevor doing there? He still lived in his parents’ mansion across town.

  A woman was standing outside her door at the building across the parking lot from Holly’s. She was dressed in skimpy flannel shorts and a NU t-shirt, smoking a cigarette. Great. Trevor must’ve been leaving her apartment. She did not need Singleton that nearby ever. Reminding herself that Singleton had slept with the majority of the female student population at least once made her feel better. Poor girl probably fell for his idiotic pick-up lines and his money. As long as this chick never heard from Single-ass again, they would both be better off.

  Dec arrived in the lecture hall several minutes before any of his students. He told himself it was to prepare his lecture. He knew it was solely to watch Holly walk to her desk. Longest fucking week of his life. His tongue thirsted for the confection of her lips, both sets. His hands ached to touch her soft skin. His fingers were stiff with need to race through her hair. They weren’t the only parts of his body stiff with need, either.

  After this class was over, the countdown until he had her in his house, and more importantly, in his arms, would only be a few hours. Watching the rhythmic sway of her hips while she passed his desk would have to tide him over until then.

  He scanned the papers in his hands, feigning interest in them all. There was only one he cared about. He’d read over his other students, of course, but the lovemap Holly had created he studied until he’d memorized every curve of every handwritten letter. She’d called him on using the assignment to suss out the rest of her fantasies. He’d readily admitted to abuse of power. She was more than welcome to punish him however she saw fit. He hadn’t asked to be her professor, but he intended to take every advantage it offered.

  When she entered the room, his eyes tracked from the tips of her scuffed boots, up her long legs, and zeroed in on the swish of the dress she was wearing. A floral number that showed off more of her thig
hs than it covered. His mouth went drier than the Sahara while his palms began to sweat enough to fill the lake behind his home. The dress was the perfect representation of her, deliciously sweet and seductively sinful.

  She dutifully ignored him while he couldn’t order his traitorous eyes to look anywhere but at the very slight bounce of her breasts as she climbed the stairs up to her seat. His cock throbbed anxiously against his boxers, raw with hunger. Naughty, naughty girl was clearly not wearing a bra.

  If she had any idea how hard up he was, she wouldn’t play so unfairly. It wasn’t until she spun to take the seat beside Beth, four rows up and in his direct line of sight, that he discerned she’d also forgotten her panties.

  For one quick moment, their eyes locked on one another. A jolt of heat shot through Dec. He was a bloody inferno. He licked his lips and gave her a slight headshake. Her mischievous grin said she knew precisely what she was doing to him.

  Forcing his gaze back to her handwritten map of her own desires, he was fairly certain he understood her signals. He was going to have to bloody teach sitting at his desk lest the entire class know precisely what was on his mind.

  Closing his eyes for just a minute, he ran the lyrics to Wonderwall through his head. God he hated that song. Every idiot who’d ever rubbed up against a guitar at a party could play Wonderwall but would rather Dec play it for them. In short order, his cock eased its chokehold. His little guitarist hated the song, too.

  When every seat save Trevor Jr’s. was occupied, he went on with class. If the kid wasn’t even going to show up, there wasn’t much he could do, and the sooner he got this over with the sooner he could show his little minx what would happen if she kept playing with fire.

  “Wednesday in class we discussed sex researcher John Money’s concept of the love map and then John Gottman’s slight adaptation on the concept of creating a sex map. Each of our love maps began developing from birth and takes shape throughout early life. Expectations of relationships are often influenced by the examples around us in childhood. As you age, your love maps evolve based on your sense of self within the relationships you seek or you’re involved in.”