That was what it had to be .
Pip Tyler was going to enchant every male viewer his film had. Rowland was counting on that .
29
P ip forced herself not to panic. It was just dancing. And the guy holding her wasn’t some scary drunk .
It wasn't like dancing with Matt. The men were close to the same size; Matt was a little bigger, a little tougher. A little stronger .
This man's hands didn't burn her through her clothes, like Matt’s had. She wasn't intensely aware of how he was breathing against her .
No, all she could think about was ending the dance, and putting space between them. He hadn't done anything to threaten her. His hands weren’t too tight, he wasn't brushing too close against her, and there was plenty of room between them .
But he wasn't Matt .
Dancing with Matt had been entirely different. She'd actually enjoyed that. Had wanted to cuddle up against that broad chest and just let the music float around them .
She knew that was ridiculous. She and Matt were just friends, and even if she was willing to get involved with someone, it was highly unlikely that he would be involved with her .
But then again, he had held her hand. Ask her specifically to ride with him. Sat next to her at Jasper's. It had been her that he had danced with, no one else. He'd ask for the first dance, and she'd given it to him. But at least three other dances had played since then. And until five minutes ago, Matt hadn't left her side once. What did that mean? Or did it mean anything at all ?
She was so consumed with thoughts of Matt that she missed what the man holding her had asked. " Excuse me ?"
"I said, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow evening ?"
Pip almost stumbled in the dance. She looked into the man's brown eyes .
He meant it .
Why? Did he think by going through her he could convince Perci to do whatever it was he wanted? He wouldn't be the first man to try. Or even the second. Or third .
No, the third man to try that had been Jay Gunderson, hadn't it? That had a chill running down her back. Pip forced herself to remain calm .
"Why?" Honesty and directness was the Tyler way. Better than wasting someone's time. "What do you want from me ?"
"Besides an evening with a beautiful woman ?"
Now she knew he wanted something from her. There was a woman who looked just like her walking around not that far away. One who had had his attention first .
This man wanted something. From her .
Did he think she was the easiest mark, or something? She was tired of people thinking that. "I don't like to be charmed, or manipulated, Mr. Bowles. None of us Tylers do. You'll find there's a lot of Tylers in this county. And we talk ."
"I'm not lying. You have to know that you're beautiful. And there's something about your eyes that are very intriguing." He smiled, an expression that had no doubt won him tons of feminine attention in Hollywood, or wherever else it was he came from. “Have you ever considered being an actress ?"
"No. I haven't. I'm a rancher, Mr. Bowles, that's the only thing I've ever considered. Why do you ask ?"
"What if I told you I have a character in my upcoming film that you would be perfect for ."
"I’d tell you I thought you were crazy." She didn't know where the confidence was coming from, but she wasn't going to take any of this man's lines. She knew that was exactly what he was doing—feeding her lines. "I've been in one play my entire life. I'm not interested in repeating that experience for millions of people to watch ."
The dance started to end and she pulled away. Pip immediately looked for Matt, and found him clear across the room. How had they ended up there ?
Rowland Bowles was good, very good. But there was a tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed man watching her. Waiting for her .
It was Matt Pip wanted to be with .
And not just because of safety .
But because of him. He drew her, didn’t he? It was why she always looked for him when with the Mastersons. Why hadn’t she realized that before ?
As she stepped away from Bowles, Matt stepped toward her. And kept coming .
Was he rescuing her? Protecting her for some reason? Had his brother asked him to? She had no doubt that Phoebe had told Joel what had happened to her years ago. They had certainly discussed the former sheriff, Clive Gunderson. Maybe that was it; maybe Joel had asked Matt to keep an eye on her tonight ?
Like a babysitter .
Pip was tired of being the vulnerable one. Wasn't it time that she learned to take care of herself, even in a crowd? Normal women, twenty-three-year-old women, did not cower because of one bad experience .
She was a Tyler, and Tylers just dealt. It was time she learned to deal .
Pip stepped away from Bowles, and turned from the man intent on rescuing her. It was time she made a decision for herself, wasn’t it? To do that, she needed time to think .
30
J ay's daddy hadn't wanted him to come to the dance tonight. Jay knew the truth; the old man was ashamed of him. Blamed him for the loss of his position as county sheriff .
Hell, it probably had been Jay's fault. Time he owned his actions, wasn’t it? Jay had learned a lot in prison about what he wanted out of life .
What sheriff needed his own son arrested for running drugs through the county? His father, and his older brother Clint—who was with the Wyoming Highway Patrol—had made that clear to him. He was the family screw up, and always had been .
Jay had done his time. And gotten himself clean—mostly—in prison .
Pip had helped with that. Whenever he'd been aching for something more in prison, he’d curled up in his bunk and imagined her. What he would do to her once he had her in his arms. What she would do to him .
Sweet little Pip Tyler had gotten him through some seriously dark nights .
This building was where he had first seen her, had first discovered the woman who was meant to be his. His future, his life .
His, and no one else's .
He didn't know if she would be here tonight, but he had to try, didn't he? He'd hooked up a few months ago with Charlie and Dale—some of his buddies from pre-prison time—they'd given him a lift tonight. He'd taken advantage of it, even though the two of them were still stuck mentally in high school .
They'd never grow up, never figure things out for themselves; not like he had. Jay had plans, strong plans, for his life now .
After his father had lost the election, he retired from the Masterson County police force to work the small ranch that had been in their family for generations. While not a big place, it was certainly prosperous enough to support Jay and his old man adequately .
It would even support Jay's wife and family when the time came. If the time ever came; once he’d found the woman he wanted. He'd envied the men on his cellblock who had wives and girlfriends to come see them, to give a shit what happened to them. He’d ached for a woman of his own during those four years .
His old man had visited once in four years .
Clint hadn’t visited at all .
If Jay hadn't frightened Pip so badly she would have visited him to. He just knew that. If he hadn’t been such an ass, had taken his time to get to know her, court her, even. That had been his biggest mistake, rushing her .
She’d been so innocent; he’d terrified her .
Jay stepped inside the community center. And looked around .
31
“Y ou shouldn’t be out here alone, honey.” Pip knew immediately who was behind her, who the soft voice belonged to. She’d known he would follow. And he had. She tightened her arms around her middle and looked up at him, straight on .
No more cowering with Matt. Period. And whatever it was the man wanted from her, she was going to meet him on equal footing. And that meant honesty. “I can’t breathe in there .”
“I know
.” He didn’t crowd her, and Pip appreciated that. But she wanted to be closer to him. Pip pulled in a deep breath and stepped into his path .
“I didn’t go outside, I’m still in the building .”
“You hate this place, don’t you?” He stepped closer. Pip fought the urge to back away. This was just Matt. Matt, who would never hurt her. Yet she still felt like a damned coward. Like a rabbit frightened of a declawed house cat .
Not that Matt was all that tame. No, he looked big and strong and...beautiful. Real. Whole .
She felt like such a fraud. A fraud who had been afraid of her own shadow for four years. When was she ever going to stop being such a coward? “Yes! Yes, I hate this place .”
“Was it here that it happened?” He kept coming closer .
Pip wrapped a hand around her jumping stomach and just looked at him. She nodded quietly. “Yes. It was just like tonight. I just wanted to go outside to breathe. There were too many people. The smells, the sight, the press of people all around me .”
It was the first she’d spoken of this to anyone. Her family knew what had happened, of course. Her father had wanted her to go for counseling, to get help of some kind, but Pip had refused. They hadn’t been able to pay for it then, and they definitely couldn’t now .
She’d been too afraid. Always, always afraid . Why ?
“I didn’t realize he had followed me. He grabbed me from behind. I’d already told him I didn’t want to dance. Perci had turned him down, too. And he wanted Perci. I was his second choice, and he told me that. Said one of us was as good as the other .”
A warm hand brushed the tear from her cheek. She hadn’t realized she was crying. Pip firmed her voice and continued, needing to tell him what had shaped her. Maybe by putting it into words now, she could finally start to deal .
Pip just wanted to deal .
“He backed me up against the wall of the building. Out back, by the trucks. He ripped my dress and he had his arm against my throat. I couldn’t breathe. I don’t think I’ve really breathed since that night. Since Perci came running, terrified. She said...she said she just knew I needed her. Phoebe hit him, knocked him off of me. Pan kicked him when he tried to stand up. Perci wrapped her arms around me—helped me fix my dress—and Phoebe and Pan made him go away. And then his father came. That’s when it got so much worse . ”
32
T he first redheaded woman Jay saw was wearing a light blue dress and was damned beautiful. Made a man drool just looking at her .
For a moment he just stared, wondering. And then she turned when someone called her name, and he knew. It wasn't her .
It was the bitch twin .
She was standing next to one of her sisters; this one was slightly taller and paler. He didn't have a clue what her name was. But she'd been there that night. Had kicked his balls into his ears .
He had a score to settle with her, too. Both of them. And the eldest. The one married to that asshole Joel Masterson .
Hell, he had a score to settle with all of the Tyler sisters .
Except his Pip. He’d have to get her settled, first. Then he’d deal with the sisters .
He should not have scared her like he had. Pip was the quiet one, after all. The sweet one. The one made for some man to pamper and take care of .
And that was exactly what Jay was going to do .
He'd get started tonight. Because where there was one Tyler sister, there were three more somewhere .
Pip was here, and he was going to find her .
33
I f one of those damned Gundersons had been within reach, Matt would just tear the sonofabitch’s throat out for the way Pip looked in that moment. What was he supposed to say to her? He didn’t have a clue. “I’m sorry that happened to you, baby. It wasn’t right, and if I could go back in time and be here to help you that night, I would. In a heartbeat .”
She looked up at him out of those blue eyes of hers and everything in him just melted. Matt wanted to take on the world and every damned Gunderson or Rutherford or any other threat that she’d faced in the last four years .
Anything to erase the lingering fear that ate at her .
“I...never told anyone other than my sisters. My mother and father. My dad was so angry. I’ve never seen him so angry, or so sad. Perci still blames herself for making Jay angry. She thinks she could have turned him down easier or something. But he was so drunk…Phoebe--Phoebe went crazy protective, much worse than she used to be. Pan was only seventeen and he scared her, too. He hit her after she kicked him. Slapped her hard enough for her to have a black eye the next morning. I don’t think she’s ever been alone with a man since that night, Matt. I don’t know if she’s ever even been kissed . ”
“That’s not your fault .”
“Isn’t it? I went outside alone. I should have told Phoebe or Perci or Pan. My father. Anyone. Instead I just snuck away, afraid of people.” Bitterness entered her words. “I’ve always been afraid of people, Matt. Even before. You and your brothers terrify me. What does that say about me ?”
Matt didn’t think, didn’t plan it. He just acted. He wrapped his hands around her small waist and lifted her, until blue eyes met green. “It says that you’re shy, not afraid. What is so wrong with that, honey? I think you’re just fine exactly the way you are .”
“Am I? Then why am I so afraid all the time? I don’t want to be a coward anymore.” Her whispered confession went straight through him. “I’m finished being a coward. But I just don’t know how to stop .”
“A coward is the last thing you are. I know. I saw it for myself, remember? No coward braves a raging flood to save her sister, honey. No coward does that .”
He felt the trembling. Felt the fear in her. Fear of him ?
Damn it all, the last thing Matt ever wanted was for this strong, brave, loyal, wonderful woman to ever fear him .
He lowered her slowly to the tiled floor, until she was looking up at him instead of straight at him. Until her chest was pressed to his and he could smell the sweet scent of Pip . “Pip ...”
“ Kiss me .”
Matt was sure he hadn’t heard right. “Honey ?”
Red hit her cheeks. “I’m sorry, I mean...will you kiss me? Just once? I’ve not been kissed since that night...and I...don’t want to be so afraid. Not of you...I don’t want to be afraid of you anymore, Matt. Not you. Not like this .”
Matt said a short, quiet prayer. For strength .
She pulled against his hands, her embarrassment clear. “I’m sorry. I never...you probably don’t want to kiss me, anyway. You’re just nice because that’s who you are. And because of Joel and Phoebe and ...”
Matt couldn’t take the pain she felt in that moment. He still had his hands on her waist and he lifted. Until her mouth was aligned with his own. “Philippa Tyler, I very much want to kiss you . And have for a very, very long time .”
She stopped rambling . “Oh .”
“Yes. Oh.” Matt brushed those sweet lips with his own .
34
S he’d never felt so much like an idiot in her entire life. She’d definitely never demanded a man kiss her before, either. Pip had never thought she’d die from embarrassment before. But it was Matt. She didn’t think he’d tell anyone .
He didn’t feel like he was kissing her out of obligation. Or to spare her feelings .
Matt wasn’t rushing her, either .
Pip didn’t think she could handle it if he rushed her. Instead, she just let him hold her there, off of her feet, while he pressed his lips to hers .
It didn’t hurt .
She wasn’t having a massive panic attack at the feel of a man’s hands on her .
His hands hadn’t left her waist, just held her strong and tight against him. Steady .
Safe. She felt safe kissing this man. And that meant all the world to her .
This time the tears that leaked out were tears of joy .
He started to pull away. Pip wrapped her finger
s in the cotton of his shirt and just held him tighter .
For the first time since she was nineteen, Pip kissed a man right back .
35
R owland had never let a few things like propriety and public appearances keep him from getting what he wanted. He watched Pip hurry off of the dance floor and he started after her. If he could catch her before Masterson did, all the better. He’d always liked a bit of competition in life. It got a man’s blood pumping, after all .
It didn't happen. Jenny, one of his newest assistants, caught him near the door to the hall. "Mr. Bowles, Andrew said you wanted to see me ."
He didn’t. He’d only brought the girl last minute when another had had to back out. Andrew was messing with the girl, probably just out of spite. Rowland started to tell her off to get her to leave him alone, but thought better of it .
He might have a better use for her .
She wasn't any older than Pip Tyler, and barely much bigger. Her hair was a light strawberry blonde and she was a very pretty woman. When a man looked closer. When the man looked beyond the wholesome nerdy goody-goodness of her .
She was the type Hollywood ate for lunch. He’d eaten quite a few just like her himself. Back in the day of him not being a good person and all. He'd only brought her on this trip because she was a native of a small town just like Masterson. She knew how places like this worked, didn't she ?
Hell, she'd probably grown up with two dozen women exactly like the Tyler sisters. And he could use that. "Jen, I did. Would you like to dance? We need to talk. There's something I need you to do for me ."
"Of course, sir. Whatever you need ."
Jenny needed to be careful making that kind of offer in their profession. There were far too many who would take the girl up on that. In ways he doubted this pretty little ingénue understood. Hell, half the men he considered his best friends would devour her at the first opportunity they got .
Discovering the Doctor (Masterson County Book 2) Page 8