Innocence Lost (Lone Mountain Ranch Book 1)

Chapter 21

They were lying naked on the blanket together, staring out into the valley, watching the wildflowers blow in the wind. The silence was comfortable between them, even if Kylie's head was full of thoughts about what just happened. She did not know how to act after such an intimate moment with a relative stranger. Jax seemed more comfortable with it. Kylie was worried about what this meant for her. I guess I am a cheater now, Kylie told herself internally.

No matter what happened afterwards, neither of them could deny what transpired between them was special. It was as if there was a shift in both of their lives, and they knew they would never be the same. Kylie tried to think of a way to start a conversation, so she could get her mind off of the all-encompassing thoughts floating around in her head.

"Why is it called Gonzo's Point?" She asked.

"Gonzo was an old Indian chief who lived in the area. It was his nickname because he was gonzo, which means crazy. His tribe owns all of the land surrounding the ranch's property. One day, when Gonzo was well into old age, he saddled his horse and rode off alone. He never came back. Members of the tribe went out to search for him and found him sitting here slumped over. His horse was tied to the tree Rusty and Andorra are at now. They knew he was dead the moment they saw him. They all knew this was his favorite spot to visit, so it became known as Gonzo's Point. They buried him right over there." Jax said as he pointed to a spot with a small tombstone on it.

"It is really beautiful. I would come here every day if I could."

"I am as crazy about this spot as Gonzo was. I come here every chance I get."

Jax and Kylie took in the view for a few more minutes, until Jax moved to get up. He did not say anything, but she knew it was time to leave. With their afternoon interlude, they were going to be short on time to get back. They would have to really work the horses on the return, which was hard to do when going downhill. They quickly dressed, and Jax collected the picnic items.

"I saved the apple slices for Rusty and Andorra again," Jax said. "Do you want to give them their treats?"

"Yes, I'd like to," Kylie replied, taking the apples from his hand.

Kylie felt the electricity spark inside of her as soon as his skin touched hers. She looked at her boots and let the current flow through her body. Jax folded up the blanket and put the wrappers and empty water bottles back in the sack. He walked over to the horses and secured the items to the saddle. He put on his chaps before moving to stand in front of Rusty. He petted him on the neck and ran his hand down his face. Rusty sneezed in response. Kylie and Jax both laughed out loud. It felt good to relieve some of the tension between them with laughter.

"He got you good," Kylie said, giggling.

"Yes, he did!" Jax replied. He was used to it, so he just wiped it off on his jeans.

"At least it didn't get on my chaps. This is my favorite pair," he said as he put them back on.

"They are nice. They look well-loved," Kylie said, checking out his cute butt framed by the leather straps holding them on.

"They are. These chaps have been with me through a lot of adventures."

Kylie added, "They look great on you! I should get a pair for the next time I go riding."

"Chaps are earned not bought. You have to be a true cowboy, earn your place and the respect of your fellow wranglers before you can really wear chaps. Otherwise, they won't mean anything," Jax said sternly.

"I guess I was so young that I never thought about chaps like that before. Growing up all of the adults wore them, but everyone lived on a ranch or worked on one, so I never thought twice about what they meant. A few of the kids wore them but only when they were performing in the Junior Rodeo," Kylie responded.