bedroom. After opening them, she tipped
her head back, enjoying the cool breeze on her face.
She
could hear the horses out in the paddock, whinnying softly to each other.
Somewhere crickets were singing their night songs. Tye saw a shadow in the yard
beyond her small deck, and she stared curiously out into the darkness. Then she
opened the screen door and stepped out onto the deck.
#
When
Jake saw Tye, his body was still humming from the kiss they had shared, his
head reeling with thoughts he couldn’t quiet. Why had he given in to the
impulse to kiss her, taste her lips again? Dammit, what was this woman’s
hold over him?
"Still
awake?" he asked her, stepping into the band of light spilling from her
room.
Tye
turned sideways and leaned against the deck, the upright post shielding her leg
from his view. Crutches rested under her arms, and her thin robe was almost
transparent with the light behind her. Jake drew a deep breath and called
himself a fool. He saw the outline of where her leg ended just below the knee,
and he felt a deep, wrenching pain.
"I
guess I’m keyed up."
Her
voice sounded strangely breathless on the night air. Jake wondered if she
wanted to repeat that kiss he couldn’t get out of his mind. He stepped
closer, pausing on the top stair of her deck. Watching Tye, he leaned back
against the railing and crossed his feet.
"Being
out here must be quite a change from what you’re used to."
"Actually,
Jake, I like it here. I needed a break from the commotion." She gave a
little laugh. "This is the perfect place to hide until I get better."
Jake
stiffened and straightened up. "And then you go back," he said
flatly. "After you’re finished hiding."
"Of
course. What else would I do?" A soft breeze played with Tye’s blond
hair. Jake itched to run his fingers through the softness, as light and fine as
a baby’s. He struggled with the temptation. Tye was no baby. He should
turn around and haul his butt away from her. The night air, combined with her
sweet scent, was too enticing for a man whose thoughts were stuck on decade-old
memories. How much heartache could he tolerate? How many times did he have to
have his pride stomped into the dust by size seven boots?
"Rodeo
is all I know. You know me, Jake ― I have a knack for landing myself in
trouble. For once I’m trying to think ahead, look to the future.
Sometimes it’s pretty scary, looking ahead," she added, her voice
almost a whisper.
Jake
sensed her vulnerability. Maybe Tye had changed. He’d never heard her
asking for help as she seemed to be doing now.
"We
all have to grow up," he drawled, refusing to be drawn in by her magic.
Tye
tossed back her hair. "I’ve always lived for the moment," she
said, a challenge in her voice. "Up until now it’s worked out
fine."
Jake
watched her fingers play with the folds of her robe. He heaved a deep breath.
"Listen, Tye, you don’t have to hide from me. We’ve known each
other too long."
"There
are some things you never get over. I feel as if I’ll never get over this
self-consciousness about my leg. There’s always someone staring at it to
remind me. It’s horrible. Ugly."
Jake
reached out and encircled her slim wrist with his fingers. The bones felt so
fragile, yet he had seen her competently handle animals many times her own
weight. "It will heal in time, inside and out."
Tye
rolled her eyes at him. "Maybe in ten years. Right now it represents
everything I don’t have any longer. Who would want to look at this
leg?"
"You’re
a desirable, smart woman. Any man with an ounce of sense will see that."
"I
don’t want any man, dammit!" The words seemed to burst from Tye. She
threw him a wide-eyed glance, confusion written on her face as she stared at
his fingers encircling her wrist. Jake stared at her bent head. He wanted to
pull her close, take her inside and show her how desirable she was.
Instead,
he made himself say lightly, "Come on, Tye, cut yourself some slack."
"You’re
right, I
her head back, enjoying the cool breeze on her face.
She
could hear the horses out in the paddock, whinnying softly to each other.
Somewhere crickets were singing their night songs. Tye saw a shadow in the yard
beyond her small deck, and she stared curiously out into the darkness. Then she
opened the screen door and stepped out onto the deck.
#
When
Jake saw Tye, his body was still humming from the kiss they had shared, his
head reeling with thoughts he couldn’t quiet. Why had he given in to the
impulse to kiss her, taste her lips again? Dammit, what was this woman’s
hold over him?
"Still
awake?" he asked her, stepping into the band of light spilling from her
room.
Tye
turned sideways and leaned against the deck, the upright post shielding her leg
from his view. Crutches rested under her arms, and her thin robe was almost
transparent with the light behind her. Jake drew a deep breath and called
himself a fool. He saw the outline of where her leg ended just below the knee,
and he felt a deep, wrenching pain.
"I
guess I’m keyed up."
Her
voice sounded strangely breathless on the night air. Jake wondered if she
wanted to repeat that kiss he couldn’t get out of his mind. He stepped
closer, pausing on the top stair of her deck. Watching Tye, he leaned back
against the railing and crossed his feet.
"Being
out here must be quite a change from what you’re used to."
"Actually,
Jake, I like it here. I needed a break from the commotion." She gave a
little laugh. "This is the perfect place to hide until I get better."
Jake
stiffened and straightened up. "And then you go back," he said
flatly. "After you’re finished hiding."
"Of
course. What else would I do?" A soft breeze played with Tye’s blond
hair. Jake itched to run his fingers through the softness, as light and fine as
a baby’s. He struggled with the temptation. Tye was no baby. He should
turn around and haul his butt away from her. The night air, combined with her
sweet scent, was too enticing for a man whose thoughts were stuck on decade-old
memories. How much heartache could he tolerate? How many times did he have to
have his pride stomped into the dust by size seven boots?
"Rodeo
is all I know. You know me, Jake ― I have a knack for landing myself in
trouble. For once I’m trying to think ahead, look to the future.
Sometimes it’s pretty scary, looking ahead," she added, her voice
almost a whisper.
Jake
sensed her vulnerability. Maybe Tye had changed. He’d never heard her
asking for help as she seemed to be doing now.
"We
all have to grow up," he drawled, refusing to be drawn in by her magic.
Tye
tossed back her hair. "I’ve always lived for the moment," she
said, a challenge in her voice. "Up until now it’s worked out
fine."
Jake
watched her fingers play with the folds of her robe. He heaved a deep breath.
"Listen, Tye, you don’t have to hide from me. We’ve known each
other too long."
"There
are some things you never get over. I feel as if I’ll never get over this
self-consciousness about my leg. There’s always someone staring at it to
remind me. It’s horrible. Ugly."
Jake
reached out and encircled her slim wrist with his fingers. The bones felt so
fragile, yet he had seen her competently handle animals many times her own
weight. "It will heal in time, inside and out."
Tye
rolled her eyes at him. "Maybe in ten years. Right now it represents
everything I don’t have any longer. Who would want to look at this
leg?"
"You’re
a desirable, smart woman. Any man with an ounce of sense will see that."
"I
don’t want any man, dammit!" The words seemed to burst from Tye. She
threw him a wide-eyed glance, confusion written on her face as she stared at
his fingers encircling her wrist. Jake stared at her bent head. He wanted to
pull her close, take her inside and show her how desirable she was.
Instead,
he made himself say lightly, "Come on, Tye, cut yourself some slack."
"You’re
right, I
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