either. “It’s a bit better when you get used to it,” he observed, and Kailey nodded.
“I’m kind of dreading getting out. The air is going to be cold.”
“Do you come here a lot?” he asked.
“This is my first time swimming this year. It’ll be warmer in the middle of summer. Unless we get a really dry season. Then the creek goes down and there’s not much good swimming at all.”
“I just got back from Washington. Felt like a dip would blow some of the dust off.”
She leaned back, let her toes pop out of the water. “You haven’t heard of a shower?”
“This sounded nicer.”
They were quiet for a few minutes and Ry decided it was one of the strangest silences he’d ever encountered. On one hand, it was surprisingly comfortable. And on the other, he knew she had a zillion burning questions. Probably starting with asking why he’d run out on her that morning. He hoped to God she didn’t actually ask.
“How’d you do?” she said finally, as she started to push herself off in a breast stroke.
“Huh?”
“At the rodeo. How’d you do?”
He shrugged, the air cold on his shoulders. “I did all right. In the money.”
He’d won, but he wasn’t going to brag.
“You’re really good. I’ve seen the standings. And a couple of our guys are pretty excited you’ve shown up next door. You could probably come over and sign autographs.”
Maybe she really was warming up to him after all. Maybe she’d gotten over whatever had been bugging her that day at the diner when she’d refused to let him buy her lunch. “That’s pretty generous of you to say,” he observed. “Considering.”
“Considering what? That I think you’re a jerk?”
And just like that she was beneath the water again. The girl could swim like an otter.
She emerged at the other side of the swimming hole. “Maybe it is time for me to go,” she said, and struck out for the edge.
“Kailey, I get that you’re mad, and you have every right to be. I’m sorry. I have no excuses for my behavior.”
Her feet touched bottom and she started walking her way in. “It says something when a guy can’t even hang around for breakfast.” She was stomping now, making an unholy racket as she splashed her way toward shore. “Or when you stiff the motel on part of your bill.”
“Wait, what?” He put his feet on the bottom and stared at her. What was she talking about?
“You underpaid. I had to drop off the room key, which would have been humiliating enough. But there was still twenty bucks owing.”
He’d been sure he’d counted out enough twenties before leaving the money on the desk in an envelope he’d found in a drawer in the room.
But it had also been five in the morning. And dark.
She was standing on the edge now, in her white bra and panties. Which theoretically covered as much as any two-piece bathing suit, maybe more. But then there was the issue that it was white. And soaking wet.
And see-through.
“Kailey,” he said, his voice rough. “For the love of God, I hope you have a towel.”
She stared at him for a few seconds before what he’d said registered. But it was long enough for him to get a good long look at what was beneath the transparent fabric. And long enough for him to remember what it had been like with her back in February in the dim light of the motel room.
Amazing. Incredible. Scary as hell.
It was that last part that kept him grounded, tempered the need pounding through him to have her again. Cold water or not, he knew it was best for both of them if he stayed submerged right now.
She spun away and trotted off to where she’d left her clothes, then bent over to retrieve a towel she’d brought. He groaned a little, wondering if she’d bent over like that on purpose just to torture him.
When she turned around again, she had the towel wrapped around her. Well, around her middle, anyway. It was short and only went to the tops of her thighs. He could still see the lovely, long expanse of leg beneath it.
Kailey Brandt was trouble. And he was starting to believe she didn’t realize that about herself.
She was also angry. And beneath that he suspected she might be a little bit hurt. That’s what bothered him most of all. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Hadn’t known he actually could.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Kailey, me leaving that morning was all on me. It had nothing to do with you.”
“Really?” Skepticism was ripe in her tone.
“Really,” he insisted. What could he say that would be close to the truth but not the truth? He was scrambling and the moments strung out until Kailey let out a huff.
“You’re a liar, Rylan Duggan. What was it, anyway? Was I too clingy? Too sweet? Did you think I’d expect a proposal in the morning? Was I unsatisfactory as a lover? I mean, I haven’t had that complaint before, but sometimes people don’t gel for whatever reason and—”
“No!” He cut her off, ran a hand over his wet hair. “Shut up, Kailey. Just shut up.”
He started walking out of the water and as he got closer he could see her eyes swimming with tears. “Aw, Kailey...”
She held up her hand. “Just don’t. I cry when I’m angry. And right now I’m really wound up.”
He reached her and tried not to shiver as the cool evening air touched his wet skin. “You want to know the truth? I liked it. A lot. Too much. And I was afraid that if I didn’t get up and leave that morning that I’d end up staying for breakfast. Or longer.”
“And would that have been so bad?”
“At the time? Yes.”
“Why?”
God, he hated these kinds of conversations. He’d learned long ago that there was no right answer to her kind of question, so he was as honest as he dared to be. “Because I didn’t have anything to offer you. I still don’t. I’m not the kind of guy who hangs around, Kailey.”
“You’re here now. At the ranch, I mean.”
“But only temporarily. Remember?” He didn’t stick around any one place for long. He liked it much better being free to go where he pleased, when he pleased. He called the shots and made his own choices. It had been a long time since anyone had made them for him. His choices, his consequences. It was easier that way.
He scooted past her and grabbed his shirt from the ground, gave it a shake and pulled it on. His shorts still dripped and
