two of them eating in. She still felt more than a little bit vulnerable where he was concerned and she was determined to make sure that he understood that the arrangement between them was strictly professional from here on.
Last night had been an anomaly that she didn’t expect to be repeated, no matter how much she might entertain a weakness for a repeat.
She opened the Jeep door, but before she could get inside, he took her by the arm, twirled her around and pulled her close against his chest.
“What are you doing?” she asked, both loving and hating the instant responsive heat his nearness evoked.
“Just one more thing before you go,” he murmured softly.
“What’s that?” she asked breathlessly.
“This.” He slanted his lips down to capture hers in a kiss that seared her from head to toe.
Someplace in the back of her mind she knew she should jerk away...halt the kiss...do something to stop the insanity. Instead her arms automatically reached up to circle his neck and she leaned into him as the kiss deepened.
When he finally released her, her heart pounded too fast. She murmured a quick goodbye and slid into the safety of the Jeep.
It was only when she was on the road and headed toward Tulsa that she allowed herself to think about Tyler and that deep, unexpected kiss.
It had been a definite sign that despite their night together, he still wanted her. And as crazy as it was, she still wanted him, too.
She’d never indulged in a strictly physical relationship before, but that was what this was...desire built on nothing more than some kind of wild chemistry between them.
The sane thing to do was to drive home and not return to Tyler’s place. But she hadn’t felt quite sane in months. Besides, she desperately wanted to work with the horse that showed such distrust of people. There was also a desire for her to be away from her own home, gain some distance from everything that had been happening there.
Work had always centered her and it had been too long since she’d utilized her talents as a trainer. For the past couple of months she’d been busy planning a wedding that was no longer going to take place.
Working with the horse at Tyler’s place would be a good escape for her. She no longer had to play the socialite and appear at public events in fancy designer dresses with Mark and her parents. It was a role she’d never been comfortable in.
Surely when she returned to Tyler’s later this evening, she’d be able to make him understand that what had happened between them last night wasn’t going to happen again.
Tyler watched the horse he’d named She-Devil when he’d first brought her home and realized just how temperamental, how emotionally damaged, she was. She remained backed up against the opposite side of the corral, her body tensed as if she was expecting something bad to happen to her.
Raymond Edwards, his ranch hand, joined him at the corral. “I saw you had Greta Colton out here. Is she going to work with the filly?”
“Yes. She left for Tulsa to pack some bags and will be back here sometime later this evening.”
“Good. I’m glad she’s on board. She’s one of the best trainers in the area. If anyone can help that poor tormented soul, she can,” Raymond said.
“I told her you’d be available for whatever she needs,” Tyler replied.
“Of course.”
Tyler clapped the thin, wiry cowboy on his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Raymond.”
Raymond smiled at him, revealing a missing eyetooth that had been knocked out in a bar fight when he’d been young and stupid. “You’re an easy boss. I’m heading into the stable now to clean out the stalls. I look forward to learning from Greta.”
Tyler nodded and watched Raymond disappear into the stable. Raymond didn’t live on the property. For the past five years he’d worked for Tyler, he’d arrived each morning at dawn and left around six. Tyler kept four saddle horses and Raymond saw to their needs and kept the stable and riding equipment meticulously clean and maintained.
With a final glance at She-Devil, Tyler turned and headed back toward the house. Greta. His brain instantly filled with a vision of her. He’d been surprised to see her on his front porch, but nothing had surprised him more than her appearing in his room the night before.
He’d wanted Greta Colton long before Mark had ever met her. He’d sent Mark to meet Greta with the specific intent of getting her interested in his filly and close to him.
The moment he’d first seen her she’d stirred something inside him. Even after making love to her last night, he hadn’t had enough of her. He wanted more.
Once Mark had become engaged to her, Tyler had tried to spend as little time as possible around her, although there had been occasions when they’d all been together. Still, Tyler had kept himself distant, not wanting to ruin anything for his younger brother by giving away his own feelings about her.
Since the age of nineteen, when their parents had died, Mark had struggled with life. He’d squandered what little inheritance he’d received, and when he’d been flat broke, Tyler had offered him the position of vice president of the family company, along with a generous salary and few real responsibilities.
But Mark liked the good life and he rarely made it from payday to payday. When that happened, he’d come to Tyler for extra money, and it happened frequently.
Tyler entered the house by the back door, poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table. There were times he thought his brother hated him. Mark hated Tyler’s success, hated having to come to him for a handout. Mark had known of Tyler’s desire to meet Greta from the beginning. When they first met, his brother hadn’t mentioned the wild horse but had wooed Greta right into a relationship and eventually an engagement. Tyler suspected a lot of Greta’s allure for his brother was because Mark knew Tyler was interested in her.
Tyler hadn’t alibied Greta to ruin her relationship with Mark, although he’d known the odds were good that would happen. He’d alibied Greta because he couldn’t stand the thought of her being behind bars and he knew she didn’t have it in her to kill anyone. Most important, when he discovered that Mark hadn’t even visited Greta in jail, let alone attempted to help her in any way, Tyler had known he had to step forward.
He hadn’t seen or spoken to his brother since Greta’s release from jail, but he had heard rumors that Mark wasn’t crying in his beer and instead had been making the rounds of old girlfriends and partying it up. He must have found a sugar mama because normally by now Mark would be asking for an “advance” on his paycheck.
Thankfully, nobody’s heart appeared to have been broken by Tyler’s false alibi and the subsequent broken engagement. He’d accomplished what he wanted to do by getting Greta released from jail and last night he’d held her in his arms and made love to her.
It had been magic. Making love to her had been everything that he’d fantasized about and more. He had no driving desire to find a wife and build a future with her. He just knew
