to when they were teenagers. Tess would try to best one of Cole’s prized quarter horses with a ranch rig. The horse always won.
History repeated, Cole reined his mount beside the front porch. Tess jerked the wheel to the left, braked hard and fishtailed to a stop on the other side.
Cole nudged his gelding to the driver’s side door. Before Tess placed one booted foot out of the vehicle, he was off his mount and blocking her path.
“Pretty impressive for a rental, but I win again.” He placed both hands on the door frame to prevent her escape, motioning with his head to the horse behind him. “But Blackjack here is the real winner. Although I’m afraid I might have to spend the next month unlearning this race toward home trick we just taught him. Remember how Captain Chaos threw riders when he charged the stables after he came off the trails?”
“Do I ever.” Tess ducked under his arms. “Your dad was furious with us for racing.”
Cole grabbed her by the waist before she had a chance to flee.
“What’s your rush?” He guided her back toward the car. “We have a lot of talking to do.”
She inhaled the scent of sweat, dirt and horse. Home. This is what home smells like. This was also what one hundred percent man felt like. At that sudden realization, she pulled away from him.
A rough, callused hand lifted her chin. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” he challenged. “Have you forgotten what a real man is?”
Tess tried to squirm past Cole but only succeeded in wedging herself tighter between car and cowboy. The length of him pressed against her made Tess all too aware of the danger that lurked behind his mischievous grin. She’d wind up in a whole mess of trouble if she remained in this position much longer.
“Is my mother here?” Struggling to avoid his eyes, she stared instead at his chest. The corded muscles were unmistakably visible through his taut fawn-colored thermal shirt. She felt the urge to run her hands underneath it and trace each ripple with her fingers.
“In the house, but I didn’t tell her you were here. Figured you’d like to do the honors.”
He ran his hands leisurely down her sides and tightly gripped her waist.
Shock registered the moment Tess realized what he was about to do.
“Cole, please don’t.” She grabbed at his hands, trying in vain to pry them away. “Not that!”
Cole’s powerful fingers dug into her sides, tickling her. She twisted in his arms, her knees buckling.
“Okay, okay—you win!” she said in between shallow breaths. “We’ll talk, but later, all right? Let me go see my mom.”
Tess looked up at Cole. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed. When had life become so serious and complicated?
The noonday sun upon his face contrasted the shadow of the previous night’s beard. Tess reached out to stroke his cheek but withdrew before making contact. She refused to fall into that trap again. She hated to admit it, but being here with him felt good, although she knew Cole probably would never forgive her for missing his dad’s funeral. The most she could hope for was to put the past to rest and start over again.
Would Kay Langtry accept her apology? Tess didn’t know where to begin without sounding selfish. The problem was her reasons were selfish. She’d wanted to avoid Cole, even though she had seriously considered flying home. She’d also wanted to avoid a major blowup with Tim. He didn’t want her going back home without him and he wouldn’t miss work to attend the funeral of someone he’d never met. Tim wasn’t interested in seeing where she came from, no matter how hard Tess tried to convince him. How could she love a man like that? The signs were there, but she’d been oblivious to them day after day.
“It’ll work itself out.” Years might have passed, but Cole could still read her emotions.
“I hate it when you do that. I was never able to put anything past you.” Tess faced her old friend. “I truly am sorry.”
Cole turned her toward the porch stairs, placing his hands on her shoulders, and gave her a push.
“It’s not me you have to apologize to.”
Tess sighed and hesitantly clambered up the porch stairs and entered the house. Rustic log walls reached up toward a bevy of skylights in the Langtrys’ great room. Hand-hewn wood beams led to a large open loft. Intricate beaded artwork from the Native American Kickapoo tribe decorated the far wall leading to the kitchen. Plush, cognac leather sofas formed a horseshoe before a monumental, floor-to-ceiling river-rock fireplace.
The house was indulgent, yet it swathed you in warmth and comfort the moment you stepped within its depths. Tess headed for the dining room, stopping when she overheard her mother and Kay’s voices.
“I’m so glad Tess is still coming to the wedding,” Kay, her mother’s best friend, said from beyond the kitchen wall. “It hurts me to think of her staying in New York by herself.”
“It hasn’t been easy for her” came Maggie’s reply. “She still has her roommate, but I think that relationship’s a little strained since Tess was laid off.”
“This vacation will do her some good,” Kay said. “Maybe she’ll move home. You can set those in the other room to cool. I’m afraid we’ve run out of counter space in here.”
Maggie placed a tray of honey-drizzled croissants on the dining table a few yards away from Tess, who flattened herself against a large sideboard, almost gouging her ribs on a deer antler lamp in the process. Her mother would tan her hide if she caught her eavesdropping. A ravenous belly grumble almost betrayed her location. Maggie turned and walked into the kitchen as Tess let out a sigh of relief.
“Shh,” Tess whispered. She placed a hand to her abdomen and tried to concentrate on the conversation, not the sweet aroma that beckoned her.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when the screen door creaked behind her. Cole stood in the doorway, the light behind him shadowing his face.
“Lose your way?” Cole placed his hat on the hat rack beside the door.
Tess crept closer to the kitchen to hear more, motioning to him to keep quiet.
“Tess, it’s so wonderful to see you!” Cole bellowed. A wide grin spread across his face when he sauntered into the room and grabbed a croissant from the table. Admiring the flaky crust, he broke off a piece and motioned for her to taste it. “These are amazing. Try this before it cools off much more.”
Tess shot him a look that would have killed most men on the spot. How dare he give her away! Even worse, he was distracting her with food. Unable to resist a moment longer, she reached for one of her own.
“Here.” Cole offered her the other half.
Tess opened her mouth and took the piece from him, almost nipping his fingers.
“Holy hot!” She danced around the dining room, Cole chortling at her pain. “You set me up, you idiot!”
“I thought you were going to take it from me.” Cole laughed. “Not bite it right out of my hand.”
