“But you still have your real estate career. In order to be with Alex, assuming he’d even want that, I—”
“He wants that,” Gabe said. “I recognize that goofy expression whenever he looks at you. I’m sure he has issues, what with Crystal cheating on him and everything, but I think that boy is working up to a second try at matrimony.”
Tyler groaned. “I don’t want him to work up to a second try if it involves me! I’d have to give up everything!”
Morgan gazed at her. “Then if that’s the way you feel, you should probably stay away from him.”
“You can sleep at our place,” Gabe said. “I’ll take the couch and you can share the bed with Morgan.”
“That’s really sweet, Gabe, but I’m not putting you out of your bed when there’s a perfectly good one at the ranch house. It’s my problem, and I’ll solve it. If you’re convinced Alex is headed toward a serious commitment, then I need to exercise some self-restraint.”
“It’s really no problem for me to take the couch,” Gabe said. “Morgan’s tossing and turning most of the night, so it’s not like I’m getting all that much sleep, anyway.”
Tyler laughed. “So you’re offering me the bouncy bed?”
“It’s not that bad,” Morgan said. “He exaggerates.”
“In any case, I’m not coming home with you. Alex and I are adults, and you shouldn’t have to separate us like a couple of teenagers. I’ll handle it.”
Morgan sighed. “I hope so. Because if you don’t, the next person you’ll have to deal with will be Josie. From what I hear, Alex was torn up after his divorce, and she doesn’t want a repeat of that.”
“I wouldn’t, either.” Tyler’s stomach began to hurt.
“Plus if Josie’s upset, then Jack will be, too, and before long you’re liable to have the whole fam-damnly involved in the drama.”
“Shit.” Tyler squeezed her eyes shut. Then she opened them again and looked over at Morgan. “I didn’t mean to come here and cause problems. Maybe it would be better if I left.”
“Please don’t.” Morgan hooked an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “I love having you here. Just stay out of Alex’s bed.”
“Yeah, you shouldn’t leave because of this,” Gabe said. “Besides, maybe I’m wrong about Alex and he’s not looking for anything permanent. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Tyler glanced over at him. “Yes, you should have. Besides, my main purpose in coming here had nothing to do with Alex. I came here to see my big sis — my very big sis.”
“Watch yourself, toots.” Morgan gave her a nudge. “One day this could be you.”
“But not anytime soon.” She saw the truck parked up ahead. “And we’ve arrived at our destination.”
“One last chance,” Morgan said. “You can still come home with us instead of going back to the ranch. We can pick up your things early in the morning.”
“Thanks, but no thanks.” Tyler took a deep breath. “I’m going to take care of this.”
Chapter Eleven
With the noise of the engine and the windows rolled up, Alex hadn’t been able to make out any of the conversation taking place in the truck’s cab. He heard some laughter, but also a fair amount of murmuring that sounded like a serious discussion. Although he might be getting paranoid, he suspected they’d been talking about him.
Once the truck stopped, he vaulted down and grabbed the gas can out of the truck bed. He wondered whether Tyler would elect to stay with him or ride back with her sister and Gabe. She’d said that spending time with Morgan was important to her, so he couldn’t get upset if she decided to ride with them. In fact, he would suggest it.
Gabe left the engine running and the headlights on so that Alex could see to put in the gas. Then he and Tyler both climbed out.
Alex unscrewed the truck’s gas cap. “Hey, Tyler, I was thinking you might want to ride back with your sister and Gabe. I’ll have this under control in a sec, and then you guys can take off.”
“That’s okay,” Tyler said. “I’ll ride back with you.”
The happiness spreading through him because of that remark wasn’t a good sign that he was keeping a handle on his emotions. He’d wanted her to ride back with him, and climb the stairs to the second floor with him, and maybe even take a long, hot shower with him before they tumbled into his bed.
From all appearances, she wanted those things, too. “If you’re sure.” He tipped the gas can and shoved the nozzle into the tank. There was something sexual about it, not that his mind was tending in that direction or anything.
“I’m sure.”
Once the gas can was empty, Alex handed it back to Gabe. “I appreciate you and Morgan coming out here.”
“No problem.”
“See you tomorrow.” Alex shook Gabe’s hand. He’d never had brothers, and suddenly he had three. He was enjoying the hell out of that.
“I’ll be there early,” Gabe said. “I want to run through a couple of the cutting horse demonstrations before the crowd arrives.”
“I trust there will be a crowd. The RSVPs show there will be, but—”
“They’ll show up.” Gabe smiled. “You advertised free wine and food. Folks will come just for that.”
“Yeah, but I don’t want them to eat us out of house and home without buying a bunch of horses.”
Gabe shrugged. “It’s worth a shot. We haven’t done something like this before. We always depended on Dad’s charisma to charm people into buying. It’s time to try a different approach. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me, too. Thanks again for coming all the way out here.”
Tyler stepped forward. “Yes, thanks, Gabe.” She gave him a hug. “Good luck with your sleeping arrangements.”
He grinned at her. “No worries. She’s uncomfortable and wants this to be over, and I sure can’t blame her for that. She’s been a trouper, considering that not so long ago she wasn’t even interested in having kids.”
“She sure is, now,” Tyler said. “You should have heard her talking about decorating the baby’s room, and hanging a tire swing in back of your house, and building a sandbox. That kid will have the childhood she didn’t, and she’s loving that idea.”
“That’s good to hear. I—”
“Hey, Gabe,” Morgan called from the truck. “Tell the lovely folks goodnight. The mother of your child needs to go home, now.”
“You got it!” Gabe winked at them. “I’ll give her a nice backrub and she’ll mellow out.” Touching two fingers to the brim of his hat, he walked back to his truck. As he climbed in, he called out to Alex. “I’ll wait until you start ‘er up before I leave.”
“Okay.” Alex quickly screwed on the gas cap. “I’ll do that now.” He hopped in the cab, inserted the key in the ignition, and the engine turned over immediately. That, too, seemed like a sexual thing. Apparently everything reminded him of sex.
He leaned out of the truck. “We’re good to go! Thanks!” Leaving the truck running, he climbed down and walked around to open the door for Tyler, but she was already in the process of stepping in. He thought that was a good sign, too, that she was eager to get back to the ranch house so they could be alone in a more comfortable setting.
“Thanks for keeping me company on the ride back,” he said, taking hold of the door handle.
“I wanted to.”
He smiled at her. “I’m glad, because—”
“We need to talk.”
His smile faded. In his experience, those were not the four words a guy wanted to hear when he was anticipating some hot sex. That kind of talk usually meant that the hot sex he’d been looking forward to was not going to be happening, after all.
“Okay.” He closed her door with a sense of foreboding. As he walked back around to the driver’s side, he speculated about the conversation she’d had with Morgan and Gabe.
Something they’d said had altered her viewpoint. He could feel it. She was more reserved, definitely not in the sa
me mood as when she’d suggested whipped cream and chocolate sauce. She wasn’t even in the same mood as when they’d hiked down the road and he’d coaxed her quietly past the bear sitting in the meadow. Damn.
Climbing into the cab, he closed his door and put the truck in reverse so he could back around and head down the road again. “What did Morgan and Gabe have to say?” He maneuvered the truck so that it was facing in the right direction and put it in first.
“Basically, they think we’re playing with fire.”
“How so?” He stepped on the gas and looked at the gauge as the truck moved forward. Too bad he hadn’t checked that gauge hours ago. Then Tyler wouldn’t have had that unfortunate powwow with her sister.
“Morgan doesn’t believe there’s any such thing as a purely physical relationship, and Gabe thinks you’re looking for Ms. Right.”
“No, I’m not.” Well, maybe he had a little bit in the past, but right now he was living for the moment. When Tyler left, he might start looking again.
“Well, they’re both convinced that you’re going to fall for me, at which point I’ll break your heart, and the entire Chance clan will be out for blood, especially your sister, Josie.”
Alex blew out a breath. “I’m not surprised by that evaluation, but it’s a load of bull.”
“I’m not so sure.”
He gave her a quick glance, but it had to be quick considering the condition of the road. “Look, I know the score. How can you break my heart when I’m completely aware that you’re leaving and you don’t want a permanent relationship with anyone?”
“You might think you could change my mind.”
“What kind of guy would try to change your mind? You’ve worked hard to get where you are and you’ve told me several times how much you love your job. A man would have to be pretty self-serving to try and keep you here under those circumstances. I hope you already know this about me, but I’ll say it anyway. I’m not that kind of man.”
“I know you’re not, but—”
“But what? Do they imagine that after you leave on your cruise I’ll go into a decline? That I won’t be able to function, do my job, be happy?”
“Maybe something along those lines.”
Alex swore softly under his breath.
“Look, I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be the cause of major friction in the family.”
“That would only happen if I reacted the way they’re predicting I will.” He tried to get a grip on his temper. “It’s not really their fault that they anticipate the worst. When I first came to Jackson Hole, I was pretty beat up. I spent a lot of time hiking and trying to figure out what went wrong between Crystal and me. I’m sure Josie hated that I was so unhappy.”
“I’m sure she did. I have brothers. A twin brother, in fact. If some woman worked him over, I’d want to take her apart. That’s why I understand where Josie’s coming from.”
“But this is totally different, Tyler. You’ve been straight with me from the beginning. You have your career, which you love. You’re not ready to give it up, not even for the kind of incredible sex that you and I have. You’ve never once suggested that you might stick around.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“My point, exactly!” He slapped a hand against the steering wheel. “Crystal promised to love me forever and then discovered that didn’t work for her, so she made other arrangements behind my back. I was blindsided. With you, I can see in all directions. If I get hurt, it’s because I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“Are you watching where you’re going?”
“You bet.” Unfortunately, he hit a rut he hadn’t noticed and they both bounced at least an inch off their seats. “Sorry.”
“I hope that wasn’t symbolic.”
“No, it was just a damned rut. And I hope that you haven’t let Morgan and Gabe’s dire predictions bother you, because I’m just not that fragile.”
She gazed out the window and didn’t respond.
“Looking for the bear?” He hoped she was, because maybe that would remind her of the good times they’d had and the good times they could continue to have. He was prepared to give her up on Wednesday morning. He wasn’t prepared to give her up tonight.
“Is this where we saw it?”
“The meadow is coming up on your right. Want me to slow down?”
“Yes, but if I yell, speed up.”
He downshifted and eased along the road next to the meadow. “See anything?”
“No.” She had her face plastered to the window like a little kid. “Oh, wait… I see it, Alex! Can you stop?”
“Sure.” He put the truck in neutral and put on the emergency brake.
“See it? Over to the left, close to the trees.”
She’d given him the perfect opportunity to lean over and rest his arm along the back of her seat. She smelled like heaven. “Yeah, I see it.” A dark shadow moved through the grass.
“It’s walking away from us.”
“You sound almost sad about that.” He resisted the urge to comb her hair aside and kiss her neck.
“I’m a lot braver in the truck than on foot. And it really is kind of thrilling, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Seeing the bear didn’t rank as high on his thrill-o-meter as some other experiences he’d had tonight, but he was glad to know that she was more enthusiastic than afraid. He wouldn’t build that into anything, though. He wouldn’t start thinking that she might someday make her home in Wyoming just because she was excited about seeing a bear in the wild.
“I almost can’t see it anymore. I’ll bet it’s a grizz.”
“It’s not, but you’re welcome to tell your grandchildren it was.”
She laughed. “Okay.”
Her affectionate laughter stirred him and he couldn’t help himself. Brushing her hair from her shoulder, he placed a gentle kiss on the side of her neck. With nothing more than the press of his lips against her silky skin, arousal began teasing him again. He’d already had more sex in a few short hours than in the past several months, and yet he still wanted her. Amazing.
She sighed. “Please don’t, Alex.”
“Don’t?” He nuzzled behind her ear. “Is there something you’d rather have me do?” He slid his other hand over her warm thigh. But when he started to reach between her legs, she squeezed her thighs together, closing him out.
“No,” she said. “Don’t do that, either. That’s what I’ve been trying to explain. We can’t have sex anymore.”
He drew back to stare at her. In the lights from the dash, he couldn’t see her expression very well. “Are you serious?”
“Like a heart attack.”
“So you believe what Morgan and Gabe said to you?”
“I believe that I’ve already caused problems between you and your sister. Trust me, I understand how protective a sister can be, and now that she knows about you and me, you won’t be able to so much as frown without her thinking it’s because of us.”
“So I’ll set her straight.”
Tyler shook her head. “She won’t buy it.”
“Damn it, this isn’t any of Josie’s—”
“Sure it is.” Tyler’s voice softened. “You’ve admitted she was the person you came to when you were hurting. That makes it her business if she thinks you’re about to put yourself in harm’s way.”
He hated to admit she had a point, so he said nothing.
“Morgan’s been there for me plenty of times, too.” She shifted on the seat to face him more squarely. “If she wants to give me advice, I can’t tell her to shove a sock in it. That’s not fair. Besides, it was good advice. We are playing with fire.”
“Speak for yourself.”
“Okay, I will. I could get burned, too, Alex.”
“I don’t see how that could happen. You’ll be the one leaving.”
“Do you think I’ll forget you the minute I step on that plane?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Isn’t that what you did last summ
er?”
She looked away and fiddled with the strings dangling from her sweatshirt hood. “Not exactly.”
That sucker-punched him. He’d suspected earlier tonight, when she’d had trouble tying her shoes, that their lovemaking had affected her more than she wanted to let on, and that had worried him. But he’d pushed that worry away by remembering how easily she’d left him last summer.
He took a deep breath. “But you didn’t contact me.”
“You didn’t contact me, either.” The shadowy light revealed that her mouth was set in a grim line. “I figured you forgot about me the minute I left.”
“I didn’t.”
“Well, I didn’t forget about you, either. So from the moment I saw you standing in the ranch house kitchen, I’ve had an internal debate with myself because I know having sex with you could lead to an emotional mess when I have to leave on Wednesday. But then you kiss me and the debate’s over.”
Alex squeezed his eyes shut. “God, I’m sorry, Tyler.”
“It’s not all your fault. I’ve been a willing participant.”
“Yeah, but—” He opened his eyes and faced her, knowing he had plenty of blame to shoulder. “I made the first move in the barn. And then on the rock, you were hoping for clarity and I gave you an orgasm.”
Finally, a smile. “Don’t apologize for that.”
“Just don’t ever do it again, right?” He ached all over, which made him realize that from the beginning, despite his claims to the contrary, he had hoped she’d change her mind about leaving. That made him a self-serving guy, after all.
“We need to demonstrate to your sister, and everybody else, for that matter, that we’ve dialed it back, that we’re just friends, now. I think if we can prove that to them in the next four days, they’ll all relax.”
“How about you?” He really wanted to hold her, but that wouldn’t help either of them and she probably wouldn’t let him, anyway. “Will you relax?”
“I don’t know, but it’s a better plan than carrying on an intense affair right up to the minute I leave the ranch. Until Morgan started questioning me, I was thinking we’d try to squeeze every drop of pleasure out of our stolen moments together.”
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