acknowledge her or waver. Jennie shivered, even though the restaurant was hot with the number of people inside and the constant cooking. A faint look of triumph lit Ryder’s gaze before he jumped back into his truck.
“Are you ready, Jen?”
Jennie turned towards the sound of Jared’s familiar voice and smiled. “Yes, I am. I wonder what Ryder was doing outside staring at us. Did you see him, Jared?” she said, unable to suppress the shiver that ran through her tense body.
Jared followed her gaze as the silver truck backed out of the parking space and sped towards the exit of the lot, heedless of the children running around the parked cars. “No, but that looks like his truck. Darleen was driving it earlier. Strange, perhaps he’s stalking you.” Jennie shuddered, and Jared pulled her towards him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, but he does seem to be following you around, don’t ya think?”
Jennie nodded and scooted closer to Jared’s warm body. Ryder must be involved with the “accidents” at the Unicorn. She needed to find out how without involving Jared, who would go in all guns blazing and make matters worse. “Let’s go home. No need to think about him now and spoil what’s been a lovely meal.”
“Okay, let’s go,” Jared agreed, almost too readily.
On the journey home, Jared and Jennie talked easily about the dude ranch and Jared’s plans for it. The tension between them dissipated, their passionate debacle apparently forgotten after the relaxing meal. Optimistic about saving their friendship, Jennie shelved thinking about the significance of Ryder’s strange behaviour until later. She could see lots of the pieces of the jigsaw now, but she needed solitude to see if they would fit together.
***
Ryder
Ryder gunned the truck’s engine and pulled away from the parking lot, wheels spinning in a cloud of dust. He narrowly missed a small child running between the parked cars. The near miss didn’t make Ryder kill his speed, though. He was determined to get out of there before Jennie came outside and asked what the hell he was doing. He’d followed Jared’s truck to the restaurant, anxious to see if the couple were still fighting, sure Jennie wouldn’t forgive Jared after Darleen’s visit. His sister’s hold on Jared must be slipping, because as he watched them through the restaurant window, the couple’s body language didn’t indicate the tension and frustration he’d expected and hoped for. Letting Jennie see him was a mistake, but his anger at their togetherness had made him careless.
Ryder smashed his knuckles against the steering wheel. The temptation to end this beckoned.
Breathe… Subtlety and stealth had governed his every action so far, and he must keep to the game plan. The hidden surprise in the yard at the ranch would leave its mark, and then maybe Jennie and Jared would heed the warnings they’d been given.
***
Jared
Jared walked down the stairs, his gaze drawn to Jen hard at work in the office as she sang enthusiastically, if not exactly tunefully, to the latest country tunes on the online radio station. She must have been up for hours. He’d slept surprisingly well, relieved Jen had called a halt to their lovemaking. He’d wanted her comfort for purely selfish reasons and would have hated himself if he’d lost control. Thankfully, she’d known that. Last night, exhaustion had claimed him as soon as his head touched the pillow. Jared wasn’t surprised by the erotic images that colored his dreams, and his mind ran riot with what-ifs. Emotionally stronger this morning, he contained his anger and grief even though the pain of Harry’s death gnawed at him like a virulent parasite.
Jared’s desire for Jen pushed at the boundaries that defined him, and his passion simmered close to the surface, like a volcano about to erupt with burning lava.
He entered the office, where the paper-covered desk suggested organized chaos, and tapped
“Are you ready, Jen?”
Jennie turned towards the sound of Jared’s familiar voice and smiled. “Yes, I am. I wonder what Ryder was doing outside staring at us. Did you see him, Jared?” she said, unable to suppress the shiver that ran through her tense body.
Jared followed her gaze as the silver truck backed out of the parking space and sped towards the exit of the lot, heedless of the children running around the parked cars. “No, but that looks like his truck. Darleen was driving it earlier. Strange, perhaps he’s stalking you.” Jennie shuddered, and Jared pulled her towards him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, but he does seem to be following you around, don’t ya think?”
Jennie nodded and scooted closer to Jared’s warm body. Ryder must be involved with the “accidents” at the Unicorn. She needed to find out how without involving Jared, who would go in all guns blazing and make matters worse. “Let’s go home. No need to think about him now and spoil what’s been a lovely meal.”
“Okay, let’s go,” Jared agreed, almost too readily.
On the journey home, Jared and Jennie talked easily about the dude ranch and Jared’s plans for it. The tension between them dissipated, their passionate debacle apparently forgotten after the relaxing meal. Optimistic about saving their friendship, Jennie shelved thinking about the significance of Ryder’s strange behaviour until later. She could see lots of the pieces of the jigsaw now, but she needed solitude to see if they would fit together.
***
Ryder
Ryder gunned the truck’s engine and pulled away from the parking lot, wheels spinning in a cloud of dust. He narrowly missed a small child running between the parked cars. The near miss didn’t make Ryder kill his speed, though. He was determined to get out of there before Jennie came outside and asked what the hell he was doing. He’d followed Jared’s truck to the restaurant, anxious to see if the couple were still fighting, sure Jennie wouldn’t forgive Jared after Darleen’s visit. His sister’s hold on Jared must be slipping, because as he watched them through the restaurant window, the couple’s body language didn’t indicate the tension and frustration he’d expected and hoped for. Letting Jennie see him was a mistake, but his anger at their togetherness had made him careless.
Ryder smashed his knuckles against the steering wheel. The temptation to end this beckoned.
Breathe… Subtlety and stealth had governed his every action so far, and he must keep to the game plan. The hidden surprise in the yard at the ranch would leave its mark, and then maybe Jennie and Jared would heed the warnings they’d been given.
***
Jared
Jared walked down the stairs, his gaze drawn to Jen hard at work in the office as she sang enthusiastically, if not exactly tunefully, to the latest country tunes on the online radio station. She must have been up for hours. He’d slept surprisingly well, relieved Jen had called a halt to their lovemaking. He’d wanted her comfort for purely selfish reasons and would have hated himself if he’d lost control. Thankfully, she’d known that. Last night, exhaustion had claimed him as soon as his head touched the pillow. Jared wasn’t surprised by the erotic images that colored his dreams, and his mind ran riot with what-ifs. Emotionally stronger this morning, he contained his anger and grief even though the pain of Harry’s death gnawed at him like a virulent parasite.
Jared’s desire for Jen pushed at the boundaries that defined him, and his passion simmered close to the surface, like a volcano about to erupt with burning lava.
He entered the office, where the paper-covered desk suggested organized chaos, and tapped
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