#
Jake slowly turned his head, a quick smile lifting his mouth when he saw Tye watching him. She had a serious expression on her face, but Jake recognized the hint of sensuality curving her lips. His body reacted instantly to her interest. Tye was dynamite in his arms, displaying the same gusto she brought to every aspect of her life. He'd never met anyone with such a passion for living.
"Thirsty?" Tye asked him now, holding up a glass of iced tea. Jake saw the slight flush of color in her cheeks and lifted a brow, certain where her thoughts lay. Tye was a sensual woman, although she surprised him by her reticence during the times they weren't making love. Memories of the week they had spent together rumbled through Jake. He didn't want it to end. He wanted to ride this out until it died. Right now it was a glorious ride for both of them.
"Sure, what have you got?" he asked lightly.
"I’ve got a variety of selections," she came back with a saucy, daredevil grin, running a fingertip down the droplets coating the glass. "You get to pick your favorite."
"I don’t play favorites," he told her, deliberately dropping his voice.
This last week in each other's company had amazed Jake. There had been no disagreements, no discord, things had flowed smoothly. Wicked thoughts intruded. Everything had flowed smoothly, especially their physical relationship.
Jake dropped a kiss on her shoulder. Tye’s lightly tanned skin felt warm under his lips, and he breathed in deeply. Jake didn't recall ever noticing a woman's particular scent before, but Tye's wound around him, pulling him in closer. A hint of lemon, a tantalizing suggestion of spices, the scent he associated with Tye alone. Jake reached for the glass Tye held out to him, deliberately putting his fingers over hers on the glass. Dropping beside her on the deck, still holding her fingers captive, Jake tilted his head back. The tea felt icy cold going down his parched throat.
Slowly, Jake rotated the glass toward himself, pressing it and Tye’s captured fingers against his chest. He watched her lazily, fascinated by the way her blue eyes appeared to deepen. He heard the small sound she made in her throat and he lifted a brow.
"Want me to put some lotion on you, Tye? It looks like you're getting burned."
"Burned?" she murmured, her voice a caress, as was her gaze that ran over him like quickfire. "If you like." Tye lifted her hair off her shoulders and tilted her head. "I don't usually burn."
"We're not taking any chances."
Jake unscrewed the cap and poured the cool lotion on the light gold of her skin, watching her shiver and hunch her shoulders. Slowly, he rubbed a dab of the liquid into her skin, then lower over her back. Looking at the soft vulnerability of her exposed neck, he placed a chaste kiss there. Her soft sigh came to him as he gathered the warm weight of her hair into his hands and moved his lips along the cord of her neck and up her jaw. Jake wondered again how long this could last. This accord he felt with Tye; this close harmony.
"Tye?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever thought about what you'd do if you didn't return to the rodeo?"
Jake felt an immediate tensing in the muscles beneath his lips, but Tye did not answer.
"Have you, Tye?" he insisted. It was something they hadn't talked about. Jake knew he might be starting a fire here, but it couldn't be ignored. He had to know if she had considered the possibility she might never return to her former life.
Tye twisted in the chair, her eyes dark and unhappy. The sultry look had vanished from her face. Drawing a deep breath, Jake acknowledged what he had started he had to finish. He pulled back and stared at her until she moved uncomfortably in her seat.
"Let's not fight," she entreated, running a hand up his arm, lightly brushing the hair until Jake put out his hand and grabbed her fingers.
"We're not fighting," he told her firmly. "I asked you a simple question. It can be answered with a yes or no."
"We’ll fight if we talk about this," Tye said, suddenly impatient. She slipped her fingers from his. "There is no simple answer. You know rodeo is my life, Jake. Nothing has changed. I never tried to make you think other than that. It will never go away."
Jake bit back a mutter of disgust. He ignored the niggling sense of disappointment. What had he expected, a declaration of love from her? "I don't expect you to change, Tye. All I'm saying is you should consider the possibility that rodeo might, at some point, not be an option."
"Rodeo will always be there, so get used to it. I'm not giving it up just because ― just because we're having sex."
Put like that, in such bald terms, their relationship sounded much less than Jake wanted to admit. He felt something bleak and cold curl around him. Was she using him, filling in the time until she left? Was this a replay of ten years ago? Jake hardened his heart. It didn’t matter. They had both entered this relationship knowing it had to end.
"Good sex," he said bluntly, his tone sarcastic.
Tye touched his hand immediately, apology in her face. "Jake, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I say stupid things when I get scared. You know how it is with me, it's not just sex."
Jake stood up. "I think you meant it, Tye. It's been fun and convenient for us, but when you're ready to move on, you'll go without a glance backwards. This brief interlude is just another rodeo stop. Hell, it’s what we agreed on going in, more or less." Jake didn’t know why he felt so mad, then. He shook his head. "God! This sounds like some badly written soap opera. You’re not saying anything we didn’t agree to."
"That’s right, Jake. We’ve always known how it would end. We always said my stay here was temporary." Tye looked away from him, her shoulders hunched.
Jake felt like he was losing her again.
"At least we know where we stand." Jake knew with certainty where he stood. He wanted Tye longer than she was planning on staying, but it wouldn’t matter. He knew that.
Tye suddenly leaned close and encircled his neck with her arms, leaning against him. Jake stared into her eyes so close to his.
"Let's not talk about it, Jake. It's not important now," she whispered entreatingly. "Let's be grateful for any time we do have. This last week has been fabulous. I've never felt like this about anyone. It’s almost like I’m seventeen again."
"God forbid," Jake said, uttering a small laugh. He felt his body's immediate response to Tye. It was always like that. He wanted to forget about the words they had exchanged, but knew they would remain there between them. "We’ll take what we have for now." Stiffly, his hand opened on the warm flesh of her waist, moved down the rounded contours of her bottom. The warmth of her skin beneath the pads of his fingers made him want to devour her. Desire rode him hard. Jake didn’t stop what was happening. He would lose himself in Tye, but only temporarily. He would deal with the hurt later. It was easier to do when Tye wasn't near him. They would use each other until they were all used up.
Tye slid into his arms fully as he bent his knees to keep his balance. Jake's breath whooshed from his body as the sun-heated skin of their bellies touched and burned.
Jake heard the lotion bottle drop to the ground, but by then his arms were fully around her and he was lifting her back onto the lounge cushions.
Jake slid the thin straps of Tye's top down, deliberately trapping her arms in the material, dropping his mouth to her breasts as she arched upwards with a soft sound. Jake moved to capture Tye’s lips, breathing in the soft, breathy sounds she made. Undoing the tie at her back, he tossed the bathing suit top aside.
He knew her body by heart, yet he still wanted more. He hadn’t tired of her, even though they’d been together every day for a week. He peeled the skimpy bottom of her swimsuit down her hips and felt her trembling hands doing the same for his cut-off shorts. Her hands on his body started him shaking, skittering close to the edge. She had learned how and where to touch him to make him lose total control. He had no defenses against Tye when they made love. She was as uncontrolled as the rodeo horses she vowed to ride once more.
The air around
the pool remained hot, almost airless. Jake welcomed the slide of Tye's skin across his. He wanted to give in to his own urgency, but he took his time, as if they had nothing but time. Behind Tye Jake saw the sun reflecting off the water, blinding him.
#
Tye squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Making love with Jake was always different, exciting. Sometimes a whirlwind, other moments agonizingly slow. Tye felt as if she couldn't get enough of him, which in saner moments, scared her. She held a secret fear that this man would change her life forever, whether she wanted it or not. She couldn’t think about the future, when they would once again be strangers. She knew if they talked about it, their last week of joy and discovery would come to an abrupt end. She wanted it to go on, to be with Jake, be loved by him, enjoy the physical aspects of their relationship. She couldn't think past that right now. If she did, the old fears would rise to the surface. Mama had loved Daddy so much, and he’d left. Tye knew what the loss of love felt like, she had seen it her entire life and lived it. She couldn’t bear to leave Jake again; but she knew she would. Jake would tire of her, put the past behind them once and for all. She couldn’t stay when that happened.
Tye stifled the sob that rose to her throat. She kissed Jake desperately instead, emotion a raw ache in her chest.
Their lovemaking felt different yet again, their coming together urgent and necessary. A strange intensity clutched at Tye as Jake filled her, and strangely, tears clung to her lashes. She dashed them away, gripping Jake around the waist and letting him take her up and up, and then slowly down, leaving them both breathless, satiated for the moment.
When their heartbeats slowed, and the sounds around them once more intruded, Jake shifted to give her more room on the lounge chair. Cupping her face with his big palms, he gently pushed damp tendrils from her face. Now Jake was tender with her, and it was what Tye wanted. Despite her independence, and her determination to keep her heart locked away from him, she craved these moments of tenderness. She needed to store them up.
Watching his face, sensing the seriousness of Jake's mind set regarding their relationship, Tye experienced a fleeting moment of anxiety. How long could this last? These wonderful, idyllic moments where they filled each other and the world seemed to revolve around them? Jake's earlier question about the rodeo showed that reality was already intruding. Tye knew she couldn’t hide her head any longer.
"Jake, we have to think about what's going on here." The words spilled from Tye, despite her intention to keep quiet. "I mean ― really going on?"
"We ignite," he murmured, his gaze deep and probing. "We knew it would be like this."
"Yes, I guess we did," she admitted. "We’ll ignite until we burn ourselves out." And then she would leave because she wouldn’t be able to bear the indifference on Jake’s face. The way she felt right now, she couldn't bear for their feelings to burn out.
Jake's eyes were more gray than blue right now. "I know we’ve avoided serious conversation all week, but I never stopped caring."
She looked away, licking her lips, frowning down at her hands. "I care about you, too, Jake. But sometimes ―" he put a finger to her lips, not letting her finish.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
Tye bit the inside of her cheek, then nodded. "Maybe you're right. There's no sense worrying things to death."
"If things are moving too fast for you, Tye, say the word and we'll slow the pace."
"Is that what you want, Jake, to slow this down?" Tye paused uncertainly, then blurted, "Or are you like me? I want to ride as fast and crazy as we can and see where it takes us."
Jake stood up, and Tye immediately missed the contact of his body. She watched him reach for his shorts and pull them on. As her body responded again to the sight of him naked, she hurriedly picked up her bathing suit pieces and donned them.
Jake’s gaze was steady. "It's not my usual style, rushing along at breakneck speed. But with you, Tye, that's exactly what I want to do, ride fast, hang on and damn the consequences."
Tye slung her towel over her shoulder. Despite her earlier misgivings, she said, "Then we have nothing to argue about. Our relationship is perfect." Standing, she reached for her crutches. Jake handed them to her and gripped one of her hands.
"How about we ride into Oklahoma City? The gallery is seriously considering my exhibit under the umbrella of their grant. We could go there and I’ll show you the place. The architecture is great."
Tye threw her arms around his neck. "Jake, I knew they would love your carvings. I am so happy for you."
Jake’s arm came around her and held her close to his side.
"I owe this to you, Tye."
"You would have found out about it. I just got you there quicker."
"There's also a carnival going on all weekend. Maybe you’d like to stop there, too?"
"That sounds like fun," Tye said quickly, glad to drop the serious side of the conversation. She watched a dark wing of hair slide down over his brow. Balancing her crutches in one hand, she carefully wound her fingers through the silky strands. "I've always felt comfortable in a carnival atmosphere."
"I remember how you liked to go on all the crazy rides," he said with feigned resignation.
She lifted a brow, knowing they were on safer ground. "I still love those rides, Jake. I never miss the scrambler or the roller coaster. You’ve got a date."
#
Tye drove into town the next day, arriving early only to discover the doctor was out on an emergency. Jake had offered to drive her to the appointment but she knew she needed time to think about this past week with him.
She felt as if she was walking a couple inches off the ground. It was a new feeling for her, one she was careful about exploring, having a man look out for her. It made her feel special... cherished. She felt kind of strange associating such a word with herself. Surprisingly, the old fears about relationships were calm today. She and Jake could take all the time they needed to find out about each other. Despite her usual style of jumping in feet first, she was treading carefully.
Tye shifted in her seat in the waiting room, staring at the kaleidoscope of colors reflected on the pale walls. Crystals hung in every window in the office, throwing light in all directions.
"When it's late in the afternoon, I sit over here and the rainbow colors are all over my arms," a child's voice said.
Tye turned her gaze toward a young girl, the only other occupant of the waiting room. The child sat in a wheelchair.
"Do you come here often?" Tye asked, trying not to stare at the child's thin arms and tiny, misshapen legs.
The little girl, about ten, nodded her head, causing her two red plaits to bob on her shoulders. "Just about every week."
"I love the bright colors," Tye said with a smile.
"My mom's going to put some in my hospital room."
"It'll be nice to see that color on the walls." Tye wondered why this child would be talking about a hospital room. She had a mischievous light in her green eyes, but looked very frail.
"I'm Emily. I know who you are. You're Tye Jenkins."
"You know me?" Tye asked in surprise.
"I love rodeos. My mom takes me when there's one close by. I think you're the best I've ever seen."
Tye felt touched. "Thank you. That's nice of you to say so."
"I wasn't there the day you got hurt, Tye, but it was on the news. I'm glad you're okay."
Tye expelled a slow breath. "I'm kind of taking a vacation right now."
Emily nodded, her eyes direct. "You're rehabilitating," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm going to have two new legs, you know. Then I'll be able to walk. Maybe even horseback ride," she added wistfully. "I hope I can walk as good as you after my operation."
Emily's words went right to her heart.
Leaning closer, Emily lowered her voice. "Mommy's real worried, but it's kind of exciting, you know, thinking I'll be able to walk. I'm always in this dumb wheelchair on account of my legs are all twisted. T
he blood supply is bad, so they have to operate."
Gently, Tye lifted Emily's thin fingers. "You tell your mom to let me know when you have your operation, Emily. I'll come see you."
"Would you really?" A grin split Emily's face and her freckles stood out on her small nose. "My friends will never believe it."
Tye walked over to the reception area and wrote down her name and phone number on a piece of paper.
"Ms. Jenkins," the nurse behind the counter said, "the doctor will see you now."
"Okay." Tye gave Emily the paper. "I want you to give this to your mom."
"Thank you, Tye."
"Good luck, Emily. I'll be seeing you."
As Tye followed the nurse down the hallway, she thought about how brave Emily was, and recalled her own anger and subsequent depression over losing a leg. Emily had never known anything but a wheelchair. She hadn't been able to ride every day as Tye had done, and taken for granted, at that same age. Faced with an amputation of both legs, Emily was looking forward to getting her prosthesis' and learning to walk on new legs. Talking to Emily made Tye feel as if she had wallowed in self-pity. She had never been as strong as Emily. It gave her an entirely different perspective on her own situation. Tye began to realize how selfish she had been, how centered her life was on herself and her wants. Tye wondered if she were capable of making a difference in someone’s life. Maybe some changes were in order.
"I'm riding again," Tye told Dr. Winans after he’d examined her leg and watched her walk through her strengthening exercises.
"You're making good progress, Tye, but I still want you to be careful not to overdo it," the doctor cautioned. He looked up from her file, his deep brown eyes studying her. Tye liked him, she had liked him from the moment she had met him in the hospital. He was young, and seemed very interested in her progress.
Tye lifted a paperweight of heavy crystal and turned it this way and that. "What's to be careful? I'm doing what I set out to do. I've opened the door to living."
Wishing on a Rodeo Moon (Women of Character) Page 16