Showdown

by Amy Elizabeth

  Tonight, though, the last thing Alec wanted to do was take his time.

  Rebecca gave a little gasp when he touched her, and it was all he could do not to groan himself. She did want him; she was primed for him. Alec backed her against the armoire and lowered his head to kiss her neck, and her legs started to quiver as he stroked her with a slow, deliberate fingertip.

  “Alec,” she breathed, tangling her fingers in his hair. “Don’t stop.”

  Her request surged through him like an electrical current. He pushed her robe from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor; then he grasped the nape of her neck and pressed his mouth to hers. He kissed her hard and fast and she kissed him back, running her hands down his stomach until she reached his zipper.

  Alec paused only long enough to step out of his jeans and lean back onto their bed, pulling Rebecca down with him. She was all too eager to oblige as he pushed her onto her back and stretched out above her. She slid her arms around his neck and lifted her hips to meet him, and he moaned against her lips when her body enveloped his. Rebecca deepened their kiss and wrapped her legs around his waist, moving against him with a need and a longing that resonated in the innermost part of him.

  Alec couldn’t remember the last time they’d made love like this. He didn’t know if they’d ever made love like this. They were surrounded by a sea of her clothes–the clothes she was going to stuff into her suitcase only minutes earlier. Now they formed a soft cushion for them as they clung to one another, their mouths still deliciously intertwined.

  Their exchange was as raw as their emotions; a heady blend of passion and frustration. Rebecca dug her fingernails into his back and nipped his neck with her teeth, blurring the line between pleasure and pain. She was still angry with him–and she was making sure that he knew it–but that was fine.

  She could be angry all she wanted, because she wouldn’t be once he was through with her.

  Sure enough, it wasn’t long before she tilted her head back and let out an exquisite, ear-splitting cry. Only then did Alec realize how long it had been since he’d heard that sound…and how desperately he wanted to hear it again.

  He moved with increased urgency, making her tremble and writhe beneath him, until her eyes fluttered shut and she cried out a second time. The sight of her coming undone was more than enough to trigger his own release–a sensation so overpowering that it temporarily paralyzed him.

  Then, for a long moment, there was nothing except her ragged breaths in his ear and the pounding of her heart against his. When at last he’d summoned enough strength, he pushed himself to his elbows to look at her. A fresh round of tears was cascading down her cheeks, but her smile was genuine as she reached for his face.

  Alec closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, dangerously close to losing his composure himself. “I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.

  Rebecca nodded. “I thought I’d lost you.”

  “I think you did, for a while,” he confessed, resting his forehead against hers. “I’m so sorry, Bec. If there’s anything I could do to–”

  She pressed her finger to his lips. “You just did.”

  With those familiar words, Alec knew that he was forgiven. Rebecca traced her fingertip along his lower lip before she tilted her chin up to kiss him again. She arched her back and shifted against his hips, reminding him that he was still inside of her.

  They made love again, unhurriedly this time, trading resentment and anger for warmth and tenderness. Afterward he stretched out on his back and she curled up in his arms, snuggling contentedly against his chest.

  He’d nearly dozed when Rebecca whispered his name. “Alec?”

  “Yeah?”

  She propped herself up to look at him. “What made you think I was with Tommy?”

  Realization struck him as he studied the confusion in her eyes. As skilled as Rebecca was at reading people, Alec assumed that she knew how Tommy felt about her.

  But she didn’t. One look at her expression told him that she didn’t have the slightest clue.

  He gave a little shrug. “Paranoia, I guess. I know that I’ve been distant and the two of you are close.”

  “Yeah, we are. But not like that.” It was her turn to shrug. “Besides, he’s with Liz. I mean…he wouldn’t do that to her any more than I would do that to you.”

  Alec wasn’t so sure about that, but he wasn’t going to argue the point. “You’re right. I don’t know why I doubted that.”

  Rebecca settled against him again and released a quiet sigh. “I’m sorry for what I said about you and Shania. I should have given you the chance to explain.”

  “It’s okay,” he assured her, gently kissing the top of her head. “I would’ve thought the same thing.”

  “So what you’re saying is that you went there for moral support and she ripped you a new one instead?”

  Alec chuckled. “Something like that.”

  He could feel her smile against his skin. “Remind me to thank her someday.”

  Eventually they drifted off to sleep, their limbs entwined beneath the sheets. Alec awoke at daybreak and couldn’t help but smile when he realized that neither of them had moved during the night. He traced his fingers down the length of her spine, tempted to wake her up and pick up where they’d left off. But she was sound asleep and he figured she needed it, so he kissed her cheek before he untangled himself and rose to his feet.

  Alec dressed silently and made his way downstairs, feeling more clearheaded than he had in months. He knew, of course, that one night wasn’t magically going to fix everything. He knew that he still had a lot of changes to make, in thought and in action.

  But he also knew that he and Rebecca were going to be okay now, because he finally had his priorities straight.

  He switched on the coffeepot and let his eyes drift through the window, watching the dawn break over the mountaintops. Then his gaze landed on the cabin at the base of the hill, and his stomach started to churn.

  Now that he’d made things right with his wife, there was only one thing left to do.

  Chapter 31

  Tommy emptied a fresh bag of sweet feed into the wheelbarrow and paused to wipe his brow, forcing himself not to glance at the farmhouse. Instead he checked his watch and sighed when he saw that only two minutes had passed since the last time he’d looked at it.

  The seven hours since Alec’s return were unquestionably the longest hours of Tommy’s life. He’d awoken just before midnight to the glow of headlights rolling up the driveway. For the rest of the night, Tommy stared at the farmhouse, wondering what was going on inside.

  Were Alec and Rebecca fighting…or making up? He couldn’t decide which thought troubled him more.

  The past four days had taken their toll on him. He’d managed to avoid Rebecca easily enough; she hadn’t left the farmhouse in three days. Acting normally around Liz, though, was a different matter. When he met her in town on Saturday night, he had to invent some ridiculous story to explain the cut on his lip.

  Fortunately, she seemed to believe him, but he then had to spend the rest of the weekend pretending like nothing was bothering him. He had to pretend like he wasn’t terrified of what would happen when Alec returned.

  Alec was going to fire him; he had no doubts of that. The questions were when and how.

  Tommy was getting married a week from Saturday–on the Flying W–so if Alec let him go now, the chances of him still hosting their wedding were slim. And if Alec refused to host the wedding, Tommy had no idea what he would do. For four long days, he’d been wracking his brain for how to explain all of this to Liz in the first place, and he was no closer to an answer now than when he started.

  What he hoped was that Alec would agree to let him stay until the wedding, which would give Tommy almost two weeks to formulate a plan. By then he could figure out what to tell Liz and he could secure another job and a new place for them to live. It wasn’t ideal, but if he played his cards just right, there was a chance that ev
erything could still work out in the end.

  The wild card was Alec.

  Considering what happened the last time they’d seen each other, Tommy was willing to wager that Alec wouldn’t be in the most agreeable mood. He’d envisioned a hundred different ways this morning was going to play out–everything from a fistfight to a loaded Winchester pointed at his chest–but they all ended the same, with Tommy packing his truck and leaving the ranch.

  There was no other way it could end. His job and his home were already gone; he could feel it in the pit of his stomach.

  What he didn’t know was if Alec would be vindictive enough to take Liz from him, too. After all, he had the ability to do it.

  You threatened to ruin my life? he’d tell Tommy. Watch me ruin yours.

  All he had to do was call Liz and tell her what had really happened four mornings ago, and she would be gone, too.

  With a shake of his head, Tommy balled up the empty feed bag and stuffed it into the trash can. What was taking so long? He’d already been in the barn for two hours. He’d fed the horses and mucked the stalls and swept the aisle at least three times, waiting for the inevitable. He’d even sifted through the contents of his closet and the attic, trying to determine how long it would take to load his truck if he needed to make a quick escape.

  He was so lost in thought that at first he didn’t notice the lone figure at the end of the aisle. Only when he closed the door to the feed room and turned his head did he see Alec standing there.

  Tommy froze in his tracks, trying and failing to get a read on his expression. Alec didn’t look angry, but he didn’t exactly look happy to see him, either. He regarded Tommy for a long moment before he uncrossed his arms and started down the aisle. He made it as far as Joaquin’s stall and paused, and Tommy’s stomach sank when Alec reached for the halter.

  Get out, he’d say. Take your horse and your things and get the hell off my property.

  Sure enough, Alec slid Joaquin’s halter from the hook. “You get those fences done this week?”

  Tommy gave a cautious nod.

  Alec placed the halter in Tommy’s hand. “I figure we should check the front paddock fences today and get working on those. Then we can focus on getting the barns repainted before the wedding.”

  The words didn’t register right away. His eyes widened in disbelief as Alec continued toward Onyx’s stall, leaving Tommy in his wake.

  “I don’t understand,” Tommy said.

  Alec turned back to him. “You’ve had five years to take what you wanted,” he replied evenly. “But you haven’t. So until you give me a reason not to, I’m going to continue to trust you.”

  Tommy was too stunned to move. “You’re letting me stay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re my friend. And we both know I can’t run this ranch without you.” He paused. “There’s just one thing I need to know.”

  “What’s that?”

  “What happened in the lounge?”

  “Nothing,” Tommy assured him. “She was upset and she needed someone to listen, so I did. And then I left.”

  Alec studied him for a long moment, as if weighing his response. When he gave a slow nod and reached for Onyx’s halter, Tommy knew that he believed him.

  “She doesn’t remember any of it,” Alec added as he unlatched the stall door. “She also has no idea how you feel about her.”

  Tommy blinked in surprise; he’d assumed that Alec would have told her everything. “She doesn’t?”

  “No.” Alec shot him a pointed look. “Can I expect it to stay that way?”

  He swallowed hard. “Of course.”

  “Good. Then let’s get to work.”

  *

  Rebecca smiled before she even opened her eyes.

  Sunlight poured in through the window, warming her skin as she rolled onto her back and enjoyed a long, luxurious stretch. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear that last night was just a dream, but there was no mistaking the reason her body felt so deliciously spent.

  Her hand brushed against a sheet of paper, bringing her back to the present. Groggily she reached for Alec’s pillow and read his note:

  Didn’t want to leave you this morning, but Tommy and I have a lot of work to do. Dinner tonight at home or in town? Your pick. XO, Alec.

  She couldn’t remember the last time he’d left a note–or initiated a date, for that matter. He really is back, she thought, smiling again as she placed the note on her nightstand.

  Rebecca reached for her phone next. “Think you can sneak out of the office for an hour?”

  “That depends,” Allison replied. “Do you have some good gossip for me?”

  “Better than good.”

  “Hot?”

  “Five-alarm hot.”

  “I’ll see you at noon.”

  Rebecca laughed when her sister-in-law ended the call without saying goodbye. Overnight, it seemed, everything that was wrong in her life had suddenly been made right.

  *

  Despite what Alec had said, Tommy couldn’t help but wonder if his little speech about trust and friendship was merely a ploy to get him to lower his guard.

  As the two of them rode out to inspect fences, Tommy imagined turning around to see Alec pointing his gun at him. “Did you really think I was going to forgive you?” he’d say.

  But it didn’t happen. Alec didn’t say much; then again, he never did. They worked in silence for most of the day, dismounting their horses to make small repairs where necessary. Gentle snowflakes began falling in the afternoon, coating the ground in white for probably the final time before summer.

  Tommy swung onto Joaquin’s back and was about to nudge him forward when he noticed that Alec was staring at him. “What?” he asked.

  Alec let out a quiet sigh. “I’m sorry I hit you.”

  He had no idea how to respond to that. He supposed he owed Alec an apology, too, for all the things he’d said.

  But even though he knew he’d crossed the line, he meant every word of it.

  “I deserved it,” he admitted.

  A grin tugged at Alec’s lips. “Yeah. You did.”

  Tommy chuckled before he could stop himself, but to his relief, Alec did too. In that moment, Tommy knew for a certainty that he was forgiven and that Alec would never mention it again.

  The sound of an approaching vehicle diverted Tommy’s attention. He turned his head to see Rebecca’s truck coming up the driveway, splashing through the mud and the slush. She slowed her truck and rolled down the window, and when she smiled Tommy’s entire chest constricted.

  In the past four days, he’d nearly forgotten how beautiful her smile was.

  “Hi,” she called. “What time do you think you’ll finish?”

  Alec glanced at his watch. “We should be in by five or five-thirty.”

  “Perfect. I invited Liz and Jeff and Alli over for dinner at six.”

  She waved goodbye and blew Alec a kiss before she continued up the driveway. Tommy forced himself not to watch her drive away as he wheeled Joaquin around and started for the next fencepost.

  Everyone was happy, it seemed, and everything was finally back to normal. Every time Tommy envisioned that night in the lounge, though, he knew that nothing could ever be normal again.

  At least not for him.

  His sentiment was confirmed later that evening when he and Liz joined Rebecca and her family for dinner in the farmhouse. As always when the six of them were together, spirits were high and laughter was infectious before they even opened their first bottle of wine. Tommy felt strangely detached from their conversation; he tried to share their enthusiasm, but his smile was forced at best.

  “So when does everyone start flying in for the wedding?” Rebecca asked.

  “Katie will be here Tuesday,” Liz replied as she passed the salad bowl to Jeff. “She wants to do a girls’ night out on Wednesday.”

  “Fine by me,” Allison said.
r />   Rebecca nodded in agreement. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “My parents get here Thursday night,” Liz continued, turning to Tommy. “And your sister’s flying in Friday morning?”

  He nodded. “She’s going to hang out at the airport ‘til our mom and stepdad get in. They should all be here before the rehearsal dinner starts.”

  He fell silent after that, nursing his wine while everyone chatted around him. After they’d finished eating, Rebecca started to gather the empty plates when Alec stood and touched her elbow.

  “I’ve got it,” he told her.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  Tommy had to pretend that it didn’t pierce him to the core when Rebecca beamed up at Alec and gave him a soft kiss. Was it only a week ago that she’d been crying about how he made her feel invisible? If Tommy didn’t know any better, he’d swear that he imagined the entire scene.

  He wasn’t one to be cynical, but Alec must have come up with one hell of a grand gesture to magically undo all of the loneliness and heartache he’d put Rebecca through. Looking at her now, it was almost as if the past six months had never happened.

  While Alec cleared the table, the girls claimed Stacey from her stroller and moved into the living room. Tommy’s eyes followed them, and even though he could hear their animated conversation, none of their words registered. All evening he’d waited for Rebecca to pull him aside and ask him how he was doing. He expected her to ask him about his busted lip or his fight with Alec and if everything was okay between them.

  But she hadn’t. She’d seemed so concerned about him that morning in the barn, but now that she and Alec were reconciled, Tommy found himself right back where he’d always been…

  In second place.

  “It’s your wedding, not your funeral.”

  In spite of himself, Tommy chuckled. Sometime in the past five minutes, he’d all but forgotten that Jeff was still at the table with him.

  “Didn’t realize I looked so glum,” he replied.