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care of themselves was an understatement. Clearly, they’d been taught from an early age how to take care of things. It was refreshing, considering the men who’d been in my life couldn’t even manage to get their own clothing out of the closet on their own. Their clothing had to be laid out for them, lined up for their convenience in the order that they dressed, pressed to perfection, and presented like some kind of twisted fashion show. Much like the women in their lives.
    One would think a week wasn’t long to reflect on your life situations, but I’d come to realize very quickly that the life I had been living wasn’t for me. It was a series of acts and curtain calls, ones that were destroying who I really was, who I wanted to be. I was done with it; I was ready to live my own life, for nobody other than myself. I’d already started. Instead of acting the way I had been taught a lady should behave, I’d been myself—my real self—the entire time I’d been here. It was liberating, not having to worry about makeup and pearls, sitting with my ankles crossed and not speaking unless spoken to. I’d rather spend every day of my life working in the beauty of a ranch than stuffed into the most expensive dresses with huge diamonds on my hand.
    “Hot damn!” Austin’s low gravelly voice filtered through my thoughts as I stepped out the back door onto the veranda. I turned and found him looking at me with a sexy smirk.
    “Hey, look at you all scrubbed up. Hot date?” I asked, taking in his twinkling green eyes; the boy was a looker that was for sure. I was sure he could have his pick of girls; he had that self-assured, cocky vibe about him and he played on it. Always dropping a suggestive comment, and beyond all that, was his naturally tanned and well-cared for body.
    “I dunno. You ready?” He smirked his signature look down at me from where he leaned against the railing, his dark gray cotton shirt stretching over his muscled frame.
    “Cute, real cute.” I laughed at him, bending slightly to slip my pumps on my feet. I still hadn’t had time to go shopping, so I had the few pairs of shorts and tanks I’d picked up in town; the rest of it was borrowed from Ellie-May. Luckily, we were close to the same size. However, her tendency toward short denim skirts and flannel shirts wasn’t quite what I was used to, but I made them work to my advantage.
    “Y’all ready?” Ellie-May stepped out onto the veranda wearing the cutest pink cowboy boots I’d ever seen.
    “You think you’re going out the house looking like that, you’re kidding yourself.” Destry’s voice sent a shiver though my body and goose bumps broke out across my skin. No matter how much I tried to be oblivious to him, he continued to have this effect on me. For the most part, we tried to ignore each other. Occasionally, I’d get caught staring or vice versa, so I knew he was looking; however, most times I caught him, he’d have a scowl on his face. Turning my head, I saw him standing behind us in the doorway, one hand stretched up above his head holding onto the doorframe. From the corner of my eye, I did a slow sweep of him, taking in his boots and well-fitted worn jeans. His shirt was riding up, giving a peek of his gloriously ripped stomach. A happy trail of hair demanded my eyes follow it until it disappeared into the low-riding edge of his jeans, framed by hips anyone would have trouble not wanting to reach out and bite. Hell, I almost lunged at him from across the porch.
    “I’m more than capable of choosing my own clothes, D. Cut it with the big brother bullshit and let’s go.” Ellie-May’s sass never ceased to amuse me. Destry simply scowled and tapped on the doorframe before walking up dangerously close behind me.
    “Look good, darlin’.” His hot breath blew on the back of my neck where he spoke in a low growl. Just his voice that close and the heat from his hard body behind me had my knees dangerously close to buckling.