Love Me Again, Cowboy (Second Chance Romance): Wyle Away Ranch Book 2

by Torsha Baker

  I turn back around, face poised, pulse normal. “Okay, Mr. Wyle. As long as we’re strictly profession, you may begin your lesson.”

  He looks even more surprised than he did when I first arrived. He didn’t think I would agree to follow through with the lesson, I realize. Well, that makes two of us. I’m sure this is a very bad idea.

  “Yes, darli—I mean.” He drops his head for a moment and then looks up at me again with an easy smile. “Yes. While I’m getting the ropes organized, why don’t you come over here and start getting suited up.”

  I close the distance, noting all the gear in the Jeep. “I didn’t know what to wear exactly. I hope this will work.”

  His eyes roam over my athletic leggings and tank, and he lets out a breath. “I’m tryin’ to be professional here, Lia. You can’t ask a guy how you look in skintight clothing and expect anything other than unprofessional thoughts to pass through his mind.”

  “I was just asking if it’ll work for outdoor rock climbing or not.”

  “Rock climbing, Victoria Secret’s catalogue . . . you’re covered either way. But tie your hair back.”

  I roll my eyes and loosely braid my hair back. I don’t have a hair tie, but it should stay for the most part. I’m not going to be jumping around or anything.

  “Come over here and pick out some climbing shoes.”

  I stare at multiple pairs of dirty, old-looking shoes that have extra rubber on the toe part. “And get someone else’s athlete’s foot? I don’t think so.”

  “I disinfect them after each use. Your feet are safe. I promise.”

  “What’s wrong with my shoes?”

  “While they’re definitely better suited than the heels you wore the other day, they’re not as likely to grip the rock wall. If I remember right, you have a little fear of heights.”

  He remembers right. It’s something that I was worried might keep me from getting the role when JulieAnn told me it was a requirement.

  “I’ve been working on that,” I say. “I’ve taken several classes at my local gym.”

  “Local gyms have great hand and foot holds, but nature isn’t always so accommodating. You’ll want the extra grip, or you’ll risk slipping over a pair of shoes.”

  Well, crap. “Okay, give me a size seven. And wipe that smile from your face, cowboy.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I glare at him, and he tries hard to keep from smiling.

  After I change my shoes and don a helmet, Jax motions me over. He’s holding out the harness. “Put your legs in the holes, and I’ll help you secure the harness around your waist.”

  That means I’ll have to get close to him. He’ll have to touch me. This definitely wasn’t a good idea. Slip into the role, Malia. Remember, you’re acting. I steel my nerves and close the distance. I put one leg in and have to hold onto his arms. Holy crap, his muscles are hard, strong, capable. Memories flood me–memories of sliding my hands up and down those arms, of him picking me up with ease. My cheeks burn, and I hope he can’t tell how unnerved I am at the moment. I quickly put my other leg in and let go of his arms. The harness wraps around each thigh and then around my waist, but it’s far too loose.

  “Is this supposed to keep me from falling to my death?” I try to tighten the harness, to no avail.

  “Not like that, it won’t. May I?” He gestures to the harness.

  I shrug, wishing I knew how to fix it on my own. His help is not helpful at all.

  He closes the distance and crouches down in front of me to tighten the buckle on my left leg. His fingers brush my thigh, and my heart speeds up. This was such a bad idea. I’m about to tell him I’ll figure it out and just risk death when he pulls on the strap until the left leg hole is snug. He moves onto my right leg and does the same. He straightens and gazes down at me while his hands move to tighten the buckles at my waist. Hay, leather, and that spicy male scent that’s all Jax surrounds me. It’s intoxicating and ignites memories and emotions that have been locked away for years, memories of his breath on my neck followed by tender kisses. A pang of longing tugs at my insides. My eyes meet his, and I hold my breath.

  “How’s that?” Jax asks, his tone airy. His expression seems to scream so much more at me. Is he remembering the same things? Do his insides pull at him the same way?

  “It’s fine,” I manage.

  He nods and moves to gather his other tools. I let out my breath and turn away from him, wondering why I ever agreed to this. I hate Jaxon, and yet every time he is close to me—his hands touching me—all I can think about is his mouth on mine. I’m a hot mess. Jaxon works to get the ropes set up and tells me everything I need to know to get started. Most of it’s the same speech I’ve heard many times at the rock-climbing gym, but I listen and nod.

  “I set up the automatic belaying devices before you got here. Once I’ve evaluated your climbing skills, we’ll graduate to belaying each other.”

  “Doesn’t that come with a fair amount of trust?” Can I trust Jax to belay me when he’s already shattered me once before. Can he trust me?

  He answers hesitantly. “Yes, that it does.”

  “Then we should defiantly hold off on that one for a while.”

  His gaze shifts away from mine. “You can trust me, Malia. I would never let anything happen to you.”

  “I feel like I’ve heard that one before.” I didn’t mean to say it, but I seem to be having trouble reining in my mouth.

  Jax just nods contemplatively. “How many times have you scaled the indoor rock wall?” He asks, changing the subject.

  “Enough that I’ve mastered all the routes on it, even the hardest ones. But I’ve been told outdoor feels very different, and the role I’m trying to get requires outdoor climbing.”

  “This is for an acting gig then?”

  “Yup.” I sigh. “Nothing like conquering your fears for work.” Both with heights and with facing Jaxon.

  He fastens a small first aid kit to his belt. “Well, I remember that when you set your mind to something, you commit to it fully.”

  “You should take some lessons on that,” I mumble under my breath.

  “What was that?” he asks.

  “Nothing,” I say, reminding myself to keep it professional.

  Jaxon gestures to the outcropping, which now that I’m standing in front of looks much taller. A ball of unease sits heavy in my stomach as I imagine falling to my death from the top. I push the morbid thought from my mind.

  Jax moves to the side of the wall. “This is one of our easier spots. It shouldn’t be too difficult, but I don’t want to move on to the harder ones until I know you can handle this one. I’ll start. Just follow the path I climb.”

  I nod. He reaches for the first handhold and pulls himself up the rock wall. I watch him go higher, memorizing the spots he uses for handholds.

  “You comin’?” he asks.

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m comin’.”

  “Don't rush it,” he says over his shoulder. “Make sure you have your next handhold before releasing your foot.”

  I find the first handhold and hoist myself up, reminding myself that this is no different from rock climbing at the gym. I reach for the next spot and follow Jaxon.

  “By the way,” he calls down. “I’m sorry to hear about what happened with Trey.”

  I cringe. Why is he bringing that up? My first impulse is to tell him the truth about Trey. But I don’t owe Jaxon anything. Besides, if I follow JulieAnn’s plan, my relationship with Trey is going to make a comeback. “It’s fine,” I say.

  “No, it’s not.” Jax adjusts his rope. “You deserve so much better than that creep. But I’m sure you told him as much, didn’t you?” He huffs a laugh. “I would have loved to see that play out.”

  If it were a real relationship, then yeah, of course I wouldn’t put up with a cheater. But it’s a career move, not my heart. I can’t exactly tell Jax that though. “We had words,” I say, avoiding a direct answer.

  He pauses
his climb and looks down at me. “But you're not staying with him, are you?”

  I quickly avert my gaze to the next handhold. “Whether or not I’m still Trey’s girlfriend is none of your business.”

  He turns away and continues climbing up. “You’re joking, right? Malia, he’s not worth your time. If he can’t see that you’re the best he’ll ever get, then he’s a fool.”

  “He wouldn’t be the first fool I’ve come across. And you’re right about one thing, I’m definitely the best he’ll ever get.”

  Jax is silent for a moment, and I wonder if I’ve crossed a line. He knows perfectly well that I was talking about him, but he’s the one who decided to bring up the subject of my love life. I just happened to finish it. The wind whips at my hair, pulling it from my makeshift braid. I shake the strands from my face. That’s when I realize we’ve climbed most of the rock wall. The conversation had distracted me from the fact that we were getting higher and higher, which brings on the realization that that’s exactly why Jax brought it up. And now I feel like a jerk for my verbal jab. “I’m sorry,” I say. “I don’t really want to talk about Trey right now. Even if it is giving me plenty of anger to fuel my climb.”

  “Oh, I think you have plenty of anger without throwing Trey into the mix.”

  Okay, I probably deserve that. But I do have plenty of reason to be angry with him, even if it stems from something that happened years ago. My muscles are starting to burn, and I’m breathing heavily now. “We both know that, while it might take a lot to get me angry, once I am, it takes hold. And believe me, Trey is on that list at the moment. Especially because his indiscretions could affect my career.”

  “Having moments like that on display for all to see is pretty messed up.”

  “Yeah, it pretty much is.”

  “Almost as messed up as making plans for coffee and then not showing up.”

  I stop and gaze up at him. He gazes down at me with raised eyebrows.

  I tilt my head to the side. “What happened to this climb being strictly professional?”

  He continues climbing. “I was just conversatin’ is all. Talkin’ purely hypothetical.”

  Hypothetical my rear. I huff out a breath and reach for my next handhold. “Well, hypothetically, if someone were to stand up someone else, maybe they did it because they were given information about that person that they didn’t like. Something that was hurtful and downright messed up—a lot more messed up than not showing up for coffee.”

  He’s silent. Yeah buddy, chew on that one for a while. I peer up and watch him climb for a moment, completely entranced by his movements. He certainly is a stunning male specimen Even if I hate him for what he did, I can appreciate the beauty and strength that is Jaxon Wyle. His large muscles flex and stretch, showcasing strength and agility in each movement. And somehow, he makes it look effortless.

  He glances down and catches me staring at him.

  “Everything okay down there?” he asks. “I can come back down if you need me to.”

  I start moving again. “No, I’m fine. I’m just, um, watching where you’re finding handholds,” I lie.

  As if in response to my dishonesty, a karma-induced gust of wind whips through the air and tugs at me. My hair whips around me angrily. I curse and hold onto the rock wall for dear life, my heart hammering in my chest. Great, I’m going to die for lying about checking out Jax. I never thought this was how I’d meet my end.

  Chapter Twelve

  After one more strong gust, the wind finally dies down to a breeze, and I sigh in relief.

  “Malia! Are you okay?” Jaxon calls to me. “Hang on, I’m climbing down.”

  “I’m all right,” I manage. “I just—” Sharp pain explodes in my skull when I move my head. My hair is caught on something. I slowly tilt my head to try to see where it’s stuck, but it only causes more pain to erupt. “Ouch, ouch, ouch.” This is not good. I’m stuck.

  “I’m almost there,” Jax says.

  And I’m not going to argue. I can’t move at all without risking ripping my hair out from the root. “Hurry,” I urge.

  I hear him scramble down the rock until he’s right next to me. “Hang on a minute. I just need to anchor us so I can use my hands, and you can rest yours.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” I say dryly.

  A moment later he’s leaning over me and examining the back of my head. “I told you to tie your hair back.”

  “I did.”

  He raises his brows at me as if to say, Really?

  “Sort of,” I admit. “It came loose, okay. How bad is it?”

  He continues examining the situation, tugging here and there. I suck in a sharp breath when he pulls too hard.

  “Sorry,” he says. “I don’t know how you managed to get it so tangled with the line.”

  “Well, when I commit to something and all that…”

  He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a folded knife.

  “Oh no.” I try to back away, which just sends another sharp pain shooting through my head.

  He gives me an exasperated look. “Malia, I have to get you unstuck.”

  “Then take your time and untangle my hair. Don’t you dare cut it.”

  Jax hesitates, the knife gripped in his hand. “This will take forever to get out.”

  I do my best to shield the knot with my hand. “Time well spent. My hair is very important to me. I have it insured.”

  “Then you’ll be compensated,” he says, trying but failing to hide his smile.

  “This is not funny,” I say.

  He chuckles. “It kind of is.”

  “I hate you so much right now.” I give him another glare that I know is particularly menacing. It’s the one that helped win me an Emmy.

  “I’ll only cut what I absolutely have to.”

  “You cut my hair, Jax, and I cut you,” I say with deathly calm, smiling a little. “The choice is yours.”

  He sighs but re-pockets the knife. “Fine. This may take a while.”

  He sets to the painstaking task of untangling my hair from the rope. Every time I wince, he apologizes.

  After thirty minutes, Jax looks up and says, “It’s going to rain.”

  “What?” I move my head too far, and I groan as my hair pulls painful at my scalp. “No, I checked the weather report. It said partially cloudy but no indication of rain.”

  “It was wrong.” He gives me a pointed look. “A storm is rolling in.”

  By the tone in his voice, I can tell he’s not joking. Without moving my head, I look up and spot the dark clouds steadily creeping toward us. The air feels heavy with the promise of rain. Great.

  “How long?” I ask.

  “Soon.” He pulls the pocketknife back out. “You know, short hair is pretty too. I mean, not everyone can pull it off, but I bet you could.”

  “Jax,” I say pleading.

  “I got most of it out, but there’s one section that won’t come loose no matter what I do. And we have to get to the top before the rain hits. The rocks will get slippery when wet. I have to cut it.”

  I moan in frustration.

  “Stop bein’ a baby about it. It’s just a little hair. You have plenty more.”

  “Okay,” I say mournfully. “Just do it.”

  “And you won’t cut me afterward?” he asks.

  “I guess not. Hurry before I change my mind.”

  I hear and feel the blade cutting through my beautiful locks of hair. I whimper, but then I’m released and can stretch my cramped neck. It was aching from being stuck in one position for so long. I rub my head where it pulled the most.

  Jax is watching me and trying not to laugh. I punch him.

  “Hey.” He rubs his arm. “That’s the thanks I get for setting you free?”

  I shrug. “I didn’t cut you, did I?”

  He shrugs, accepting my non-cutting-him apology. “We better get moving before the storm hits. Come on, we’re close to the top.” He un-anchors us and starts to c
limb ahead of me.

  I tuck all my hair into my top as best I can and climb after him, letting my frustration propel me.

  A few minutes later, Jax has made it to the top. He stands and gazes out over the landscape.

  When I’m almost to the edge, Jaxon uses those big muscles of his to reach down and pull me up the rest of the way as if I weigh nothing.

  I stand up and take in the landscape like Jax had. Bad idea. I may have found a way to conquer my fear of heights when rock climbing at the gym, but the trick is to never break my number one rule: no looking down. We’re so high up. Dizzyingly high. I imagine myself falling to my death. The world seems to disappear under me, and I suck in a sharp breath. A wave of vertigo washes over me, making me nauseous and unsure of my footing. My heart races and my breaths are uneven. Jaxon grabs me and pulls me away from the edge.

  “Whoa,” he says. “You were teetering there.” He examines me.

  “I can’t breathe.” I work on the buckle of my helmet under my chin, my hands fumbling uselessly at it. “Get it off,” I say in between gasps.

  “Okay, I’ve got it.” His voice is calm as he quickly releases the buckle and takes off the helmet. He smooths my hair from my face. “Just breathe. Come on, take deep breaths, in and out,” he says, gradually pulling me farther away from the cliff’s edge.

  His blue eyes are focused on me. I stare into their depths, listening to his voice, calm and sure. Steady, like his arms holding me. I follow his instructions, breathing in and out, more slowly and deeply, over and over, until I feel in control again.

  “Are you okay?” Concern is etched into Jaxon’s features.

  I nod, then realize I’m holding on to Jax for dear life, and he’s holding me. I feel secure, safe. His body close to mine feels so right. I hate myself for the traitorous thoughts.

  He cheated on me.

  He dumped me.

  He broke me.

  And I remember Jax’s embrace is the least safe place for me. I push him back. “I’m fine,” I say, creating distance.

  The wind kicks up again around us.

  He lifts his hands in surrender. “Sorry. You weren’t a moment ago. I was only trying to help.”