How was this going to end? Should he just go ahead and end it now before he got in too deep or before she had a chance to end it? He’d been through enough heartache, he wasn’t looking forward to more, and the way he was starting to feel about Olivia, he knew he was heading for it. It would be best just to break it off now and get it over with before he got in too deep. Sighing, he stood and walked out of the office to see Collins still standing where he’d been earlier. Wyatt clenched his jaw as he strode toward him.
“Why aren’t you working?”
“I’m heading back now,” Collins told him.
“You’ve been standing here for almost thirty minutes. At least, since I went into my office.”
Collins narrowed his eyes. “I thought you said you weren’t my boss.”
Wyatt stepped closer toward him. “I’m your boss when I think you’re fucking around,” he growled.
“I’m not fucking around. I didn’t get a lunch break today…”
“Not my problem. If you have a problem with the way things are around here, then maybe you should look for another job.” Wyatt glared at him.
“I’m fine with it. I’ll get back to work,” he muttered as he stepped around Wyatt and walked down the center of the barn.
Wyatt took a deep breath and left the barn. He didn’t know what to do about the man. He was belligerent and did what he wanted. It didn’t work that way on this ranch. The other ranch hands had no problem following orders. They liked their jobs. Wyatt was about at his rope’s end with Collins but until he had a real reason to fire him, he’d have to let him stay on. He couldn’t fire him just because he didn’t care for him and being Kirk’s brother, he’d let him stay. Kirk practically begged Wyatt to hire Ben, and now he wished he hadn’t.
He entered the house with Bear on his heels. The dog ran the ranch freely every day but always seemed to show up when it was time to quit work for the day. Wyatt fed him, and then headed to the bathroom for a shower. Leaving the door open, he undressed and stepped inside the shower. The hot water felt so good on his tired body. The only thing missing was Olivia. His cock started to harden just thinking of her.
Fuck! You just decided to quit seeing her but your damn dick has other ideas.
Turning on the cold water full blast, he jumped back when it hit his skin but it did the trick. He shut it off and stepped out. After drying off, he pulled on a T-shirt and sweatpants. He’d see her tomorrow and end it. That was going to be the real problem. Seeing her and breaking it off because he knew once he saw her, he’d want her again.
* * * *
The next day, Olivia sat at the counter watching people come and go. She hadn’t heard from Wyatt and she was afraid when she did, he was going to end it between them. After the way he had acted when she left, she was sure of it and her heart was breaking. Why had she ever thought this could work? She just had to have him, and now she was going to lose him. She snorted.
Idiot, he was never yours to lose. Olivia put her hands over her face and fought back tears while wondering why she had allowed herself to get in this deep. She was surprised when someone touched her arm. She glanced over to see Stacy sitting beside her.
“Are you all right?” Stacy asked.
“Yes,” Olivia said, and then shook her head. “Not really, but I will be.”
“I’m here if you need to talk, Liv,” Stacy told her.
Olivia nodded. “I appreciate that but I’ll be fine.” She stood. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
She didn’t wait to see if Stacy responded. She practically ran from the foyer and headed toward the kitchen. Without giving Evelyn a chance to ask her anything, she passed through straight to her apartment, where she flopped down onto her couch, and sobbed.
What was she going to do? How could she stay here once this ended? How could she see him and know she’d never have him again?
She pulled a pillow over her face and cried into it, only crying just pissed her off. She wasn’t a crier, and never over a man. She wouldn’t break down when he broke it off but she would leave Clifton. It was the only smart thing to do. Get far away from him so eventually she’d forget him. Maybe. She was startled when someone knocked on her door. Sitting up, she wiped the tears from her face and opened the door to see Evelyn standing there, smiling at her.
“Wyatt’s here to see you,” she told her.
And so it begins. Olivia stepped through the doorway and headed toward the foyer.
Chapter Nine
Wyatt stood leaning against the counter waiting for Olivia and watched people coming and going. Most of the women smiled at him and he’d touch the brim of his hat in a proper greeting. He straightened up when Olivia entered the foyer. She stopped and stared at him. He could tell she’d been crying and he frowned.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing. What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you. Do you have a few minutes?”
Olivia nodded and jerked her chin for him to follow her. They walked back the way she’d just come to her apartment where, once inside, she took a seat on the sofa and he sat in the chair opposite her. He couldn’t sit close to her. If he did, he’d never be able to do this. He noticed she wouldn’t look at him.
“Olivia…” he began.
“Just spit it out, cowboy, I have things to do.” She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at him.
Wyatt blew out a breath. “I don’t think this is going to work…” He stopped when she abruptly stood.
“Fine. I have to get back to work.” She walked toward the door. Wyatt leaped up, grasped her arm in his hand, and spun her around.
“That’s it?” he growled.
She jerked away from him. “What do you want me to say? We agreed we could walk away whenever we wanted. Apparently, you want to.”
“Jesus, Olivia. I don’t know what the fuck I want. I did come here with the intention of ending this but all I have to do is see you, and I want you again.” He ran his hand down his face and sighed.
“Make up your mind,” she practically shouted at him. Well, at least she was reacting.
He moved away from her and sat back down in the chair. “I…damn it! I don’t know.”
“Was it so bad? Us going out together? I enjoyed it.”
“I don’t date.”
She snorted. “What is it we’ve been doing?”
“You know damn well what I mean.”
“And you know what I mean. We date or we don’t have sex. Simple as that. I won’t be a slut for you or any man. A woman likes a little romance before hopping into bed.”
“Not all.”
“Well, I do!” Olivia took a seat on the couch again. “We’re both getting what we want if we go out.”
Wyatt raised his eyebrow. “Really? It seems to me you’re getting more.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You’re getting your date of dinner, a movie, and sex.”
“You get those things too, cowboy.”
“I don’t need the fucking dinner or movie, for Christ’s sake.”
“Not too long ago, you told me you didn’t want me because you thought I was a slut, but yet you want to treat me like one. Well, I won’t be one for you. I won’t be someone you can just jump into bed with when your dick gets hard.”
“I don’t date,” Wyatt repeated.
“Then I guess we’re at an impasse.”
Wyatt stood and moved to the door where he paused. “I guess we are.”
Without looking at her again, he opened the door and walked out. He saw Evelyn watching him as he stormed through the kitchen, but he didn’t care. He walked out of the B and B, heading to his truck. It was what he wanted. Wasn’t it?
* * * *
Olivia stared at the door as if what had just happened wasn’t real, but then she felt a tear roll down her face. It was real…he’d done it. He’d ended it and her heart was literally breaking. She could feel it crumbling as she collapsed onto t
he couch and stared at the door. Picking up a pillow, she threw it at the door. Damn him!
That had to be the fastest relationship on record. That’s where you’re wrong, Olivia. There was no relationship. It was only sex—amazing, hot sex. She curled her legs up under her and continued to stare at the door. Now what? What should she do now? Not much she could do. It looked like the time to leave Clifton had arrived sooner than she’d hoped. She sighed when someone knocked at her door. She really wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone right now. She stood, crossing the room to open the door and silently cursing whoever was on the other side for bothering her. Opening it, she was shocked to see Wyatt standing there.
Back to rub salt in my wounds?
“Forget something, cowboy?” She raised an impatient eyebrow at him.
He moved into the room past her and stopped in the middle of the room before he spun around to stare at her. “God damn it, Olivia. I don’t like this.”
Olivia closed the door, returned to the couch and flopped down, arms folded across her chest. “What is it you don’t like?”
“You having me by the damn balls,” he growled.
She sputtered. “What?”
“I was only halfway to my truck and I came back because I don’t want this to end. If you didn’t have me by the balls, I could’ve gone on home,” he said with an angry scowl.
“I’m not holding you here, Wyatt, and you know it. If you want to continue this, we do it as before.” She lifted her chin defying him to object and glared at him.
He moved to stand over her and stared down at her. “The hell you’re not holding me here. Get up.”
Surprising herself, Olivia did as he commanded. She stood in front of him and raised her eyes to meet his. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. When her arms went around his neck, he jerked her hard against him.
“I have to have you. Now,” he said against her lips. He picked her up and carried her to her bedroom where he laid her on the bed before stretching out beside her. “You’re in my head and I can’t get you out of it. I know no other woman is going to set me on fire like you do and that scares the hell out of me.”
“You think I’m not scared too? I’m terrified, Wyatt. For so many reasons and I don’t know what to do about it, other than be with you as much as I can. As much as you want me to be.”
* * * *
Wyatt pressed his lips to hers and forced her lips apart to let him inside. He couldn’t get enough of her. His heart wouldn’t be able to take it if she broke it. It would hurt so much more than when Stephanie had broken it. Looking back now, he knew he’d only been hurt she’d broken the engagement, not his heart. No one ever held his heart, not like Olivia and if he were being honest with himself, he knew he’d never love another woman. But he couldn’t let her know because she didn’t love him, she only wanted him and for now, it would have to be enough. He lifted her T-shirt over her head and unclasped her bra. Groaning, he moved his lips down over her chin, her chest, and to the nearest nipple. He sucked it deeply into his mouth while Olivia’s hands fisted in his hair as she pulled him closer. Wyatt moved his hand down her stomach to the snap of her jeans, unsnapped them, and then slowly lowered the zipper. His hand snaked inside of her panties to her core. Moving his finger up and down her cleft, he smiled when she moaned and arched her hips against his hand.
“You’re getting so wet, darlin’. I love how wet you get for me,” he whispered.
“Wyatt…” she whispered as she tugged on his T-shirt. He sat up, pulled it over his head, and then lay back down. “Get those jeans off, cowboy,” she growled.
He chuckled as he toed off his boots. Olivia sat up, unbuckled his belt, and lowered the zipper. His cock was so hard it made it difficult to lower the zipper. He raised his hips and shoved his jeans down then he removed hers and tossed them across the room. He groaned when he saw her black lace, boy-cut panties.
“You’re fucking killing me. You’re so damn beautiful,” he murmured against her lips before taking them in a deep kiss. He hissed in a breath when she wrapped her hand around his hard shaft. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “It’ll be over before it begins if you keep that up.”
She lightly laughed. “Oh, I plan on keeping it up, cowboy.”
“I never knew you were so evil, Olivia.” He stared into her eyes, and then grinned. “I like it.” He rolled to his back, pulling her on top of him. “Ride me, darlin’.”
Olivia leaned down and ran her tongue along his lips. He growled and cupped her face in his palms, kissing her until she moaned. He felt her hand move down over his chest to his stomach and her fingers wrapped around him again. Her hips lifted and she inched down over him. Wyatt clenched his teeth, and then groaned when she settled on him, pulling him deep inside. When she sat up, he stared up at her. She smiled down at him as she began rocking her hips and lifting herself up. Each time she inched back down, he groaned. Her nails scraped his chest. He put his hands on her hips and tried to make her move faster. She laughed deep in her throat.
“My ride…my way, cowboy.” She leaned down, capturing his bottom lip between her teeth before sucking it into her mouth. When she sat back up, he put his hands over her breasts and rubbed her nipples with his thumbs, making them stiffen. Olivia moaned and tilted her head back. Wyatt felt her long hair touching his thighs and it made him even hotter. Her hips moved harder and faster against him, and he could feel her inner muscles start clenching around him as her orgasm hit her hard. Her breasts rose and fell as her breathing quickened. Wyatt sat up, wrapped his arms around her, and flipped her to her back, making her gasp as he started pummeling into her. A guttural growl tore from deep in his chest when he felt his orgasm sweeping over him. He hooked his arms under her knees and opened her more to his thrusts. He watched the flush move across her cheeks as she took her lower lip between her teeth, and then tilted her head back on the pillow and cried out as another orgasm had her gasping and shaking.
Wyatt collapsed on top of her, breathing hard. “You’re going to kill me.”
Olivia laughed. “It was supposed to be my way, not yours. I would still be riding you, as you asked, if you hadn’t had to take over.”
He glanced over toward her. “Are you complaining?”
“Pffft.” She waved her hand. “You’ll never hear me complain about sex that good.”
Wyatt laughed. “Me neither. How about a shower?”
“I’d rather soak in the tub. You shower. I’ll soak.”
Wyatt stood and put his hand out toward her. “All right. Then we can go get some dinner.”
“I’m working, cowboy, in case you forgot. In fact, I’m sure Stacy’s wondering where I am.”
Wyatt grinned. “I have a feeling she knows exactly where you are and what you’ve been doing.”
Olivia put her hands over her face. “You’re probably right.” She sighed. “I really have to get back to the front counter.”
Wyatt pulled his jeans and shirt on then sat down and pulled his boots on. “All right. So I’ll pick you up Saturday at six.” It wasn’t a question.
He leaned down, kissed her quickly, and then left her to clean up and get dressed. As he headed toward the foyer, he passed Stacy heading into the kitchen. She smiled at him. He smiled back at her. “She’ll be out in a few minutes.” He chuckled when he heard Stacy snicker as he headed out the door to go home.
* * * *
Olivia took a quick shower. Her long soak would have to wait, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. What a fantastic lover he was. She shivered just thinking of him. When she stepped into the kitchen, Evelyn and Stacy both turned toward her. Both of them were wearing silly grins on their faces.
“What?” she asked with as much innocence as she could muster.
They started laughing. Olivia couldn’t help but laugh with them. “You sure look happier now than you were earlier,” Evelyn told her.
“Maybe.” Olivia smiled.
“Wyatt seemed to
look happy too. Don’t you think, Stacy?” Evelyn glanced at Stacy.
“For sure. I wonder why? Did you have a nice…conversation, Olivia?”
Olivia stuck her tongue out at them. “I hate you both.”
She headed toward the foyer with their laughter trailing behind her. She was still smiling as she took a seat behind the counter and talked with guests. The B and B would close in two weeks and although she would continue to work on the books and reservations, she couldn’t help but wonder how much more often she would get together with Wyatt. She could easily do all of her work on her laptop from his place, but only if he wanted her there. She knew she’d be bored to tears if she had to sit around here with no one else was around. Shaking her head, she knew there was no sense in worrying about it yet. She’d cross that bridge when she came to it. Maybe she could try to bring it up casually when they saw each other again.
* * * *
Two days had passed since he saw Olivia. Wyatt was in the arena working Cochise when the door opened. He glanced over, groaning when he saw who it was, and then dismounted. Cochise’s ears went back making Wyatt rub them in understanding.
“I know how you feel buddy,” he whispered to the horse while glancing over at Stephanie and wondering what she was doing here. Cochise whinnied and shifted around. Wyatt calmed him down and wrapped the reins on the saddle. Taking a deep breath, he walked toward Stephanie. She smiled at him then climbed up on the fence rail and perched there. He glared at her and stopped in front of her.
“What are you doing here?” Wyatt asked.
“I came to see you.” She grinned at him.
“Well, now you’ve seen me, you can go.”
“Wyatt…” She reached out, grabbed the front of his T-shirt, and tugged him toward her. It caught him off guard causing him to stumble and fall against her. She pressed her lips to his. He jerked back in response.
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