Chapter Eleven

Beth’s napkin slid from her hand to the table. Her mind whirled. Had Chase really just offered to merge the two ranches and put Tyler in charge of the Circle S? In Abilene?

He was leaving again. Her breath caught and her gaze slammed into his. What the hell game was he playing? How long had he known about this?

Charli smiled a bit too bright. “Daddy, let’s talk business later. I’d like to simply toast good friends, a wonderful holiday season, and the best of wishes for a happy New Year.” She lifted her crystal glass and everyone did the same.

Around the table everyone talked at once and resumed eating. Beth set her fork down. If she tried to eat, she would surely choke.

Although it seemed like hours, only a short time passed before Sara announced she was heading home to rest for a while. “We’ll take the cradle down to the house but leave everything else here for a bit.”

Flo picked up the plates and began to walk towards the kitchen. “I’ll just clean up and then we’ll be heading into Norma’s place for the rest of the day.”

“We can take care of the kitchen, Flo. You and Sammy should get on the road.” Susan followed the older woman through to the kitchen.

Beth picked up plates as if in a trance. All the happiness from earlier—the sleigh ride, the whispered promises—had disappeared. Tyler was leaving, again, just like she called it.

In the kitchen, she stacked the dishes on the counter then escaped out the back door. Charli and her sister could help Flo with the rest of the kitchen. She ran across the yard to the clinic and pushed the door open. Only once she was inside alone, did she pause and lean her back against the closed door to catch her breath.

He’d lied to her.

Even last night, when they’d come to that asinine agreement, he’d known that Chase was grooming him to take over the Circle S.

Somewhere deep inside, she had really believed him, believed that he was home for good and was tired of denying them both when she’d missed him so much.

But he’d known what was going to happen. Oh, maybe he hadn’t known Chase was going to do it today, but in her gut, she knew that Tyler had to have been aware of the plan. She couldn’t see Chase Boyd making an announcement like that out of thin air.

When was Tyler going to tell her? After they got back together? After he got his fill of making love night after night? After she became content and trusted him again?

She pushed away from the door, but instead of going to her office, she went in the other direction and headed into the small house. There was no way she was going to go through that kind of pain again.

All morning while they’d eaten breakfast, she’d been weaving this fantasy in her head. She planned to slip away from the family, come over here and make love with him all afternoon. She pictured them using the Jacuzzi tub and huge king sized bed in the master suite. Although Grant stayed in the house, he’d always used the second bedroom, never the master suite. This afternoon she’d thought about christening the room the way it was intended to be, her and Tyler, naked.

She sank into the oversized chair in the living room and put her feet up on the cushioned stool in front of it. Not two seconds later, she heard a door open and Tyler’s voice call her.

There wasn’t any point in denying she was there. “I’m in the living room,” she called back.

He stopped just inside the arched doorway, arms crossed over his chest and feet braced as if ready for a fight.

“You could have told me.” Beth glared, hating that the first thought in her head was how sexy he looked.

“There was nothing to tell. Chase had been talking, but you know how he is. He talks big. I never really thought he was seriously considering it. And, for the record, I never once told him I’d take over the Circle S.”

“You had to have known he was grooming you for something.”

Tyler dropped his arms and walked over to sit on the cloth-covered stool before her. He rested one hand on her leg and she immediately pulled her feet up, tucking them tight under her.

“We worked on some training methods with the new horses we brought in, things like that. I mean, sure, he showed me how he did things, introduced me to his staff and all, but not in an ‘all this will yours one day’ type of thing.”

“I don’t believe you.” She narrowed her eyes. “You were there all this time and not once clued in to what he was looking to do?”

He lifted his hand in frustration and raked his fingers through his hair. “Don’t you think I would have said something if he had? I’ve been home for over a week and telling you I’m staying. Why would I do that if I thought for one minute I was going back to Abilene?”

“To make sure I didn’t stay with Cole? To sleep with me again?”

His brown eyes widened. “Is that how you think of me? You’ve known me your entire life and you honestly think I could do that?”

She raised one eyebrow and held his stare. “I never thought you’d walk away from me either, but you did.”

“We’re back to that. Full circle, Beth? Back to, I left so I’m an ass and can never be trusted by you again?” He pushed to his feet and paced the room. “How long do I have to keep begging at your feet for forgiveness? How long before I warrant more than a scrap of your affection?” His voice rose with anger.

Beth crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips. How dare he try to make her out to be the witch. “How long? Never. That’s how long. I don’t want anything from you. Not your apologies, or your attempts to win back my affection with horses and snowfalls. Nothing. There’s nothing you can do, Tyler Weston, to ever make up for what you put me through.” She sprang to her feet and headed for the door. If he was staying here, she was leaving.

His fingers clamped around her arm.

“Let go of me.” In her struggle to push his hand away, she stumbled over his booted foot, landing on the floor with a hard thud. “Oh!”

In a flash, Tyler was down on his knee next to her. “I’m sorry. Damn it, Beth, are you okay? Say something!”

She draped a hand over her eyes, not wanting to look at him. “I’m fine. Just go away, Ty. This, whatever it is with us, isn’t working. I can’t take the rollercoaster we’re on.”

He didn’t comment, but seconds later his lips gently brushed her cheek. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Again.”

He kissed her cheek once more, his lips warm on her skin. Her breath caught and he kissed again. His chest pressed against her own as he bent over her and kissed her yet again. This time his mouth was moist and open, and he caressed the open neckline of her silk blouse. He trailed a hot path to her neck and the spot beneath her ear. Her chest rose and fell as her breathing quickened.

Tingles raced up her spine and she bit her lip, trying to ignore the sensations. A large hand slid across her belly, over her silk blouse, long fingers curling into the material. Cool air raked across her bared midriff.

Even though she refused to respond, he continued to kiss her lips. Kiss after moist kiss he brushed across her mouth, driving her crazy and tempting her into forgetting everything but the wonderful sensations that swirled inside her. His tongue stroked the seam of her lips and her heart rate escalated. Her insides curled and ached for him to take her in his arms. Her body wanted to give in and her heart begged her for it, but her head told her she’d be a fool to trust him again.

Long, lean fingers flicked open the top few buttons on her blouse. His lips seemed to be everywhere, and where they weren’t, his fingers were. He touched her, traced patterns on her skin, teased her in places that were so innocent and yet made her want so much more. He drew circles around her nipple and brushed against the sensitive peak with his thumb. His hot mouth closed over her breast through the silk of her blouse. Between her legs, she grew instantly moist.

His hand slid downward and then up just as smoothly, bringing the material of her skirt with him. The cooler air of the room felt good against her bared leg and, when his hand squeezed her thigh, she whimpered with need. The voice inside her grew fainter as her body’s needs and her reaction to Tyler overcame sanity.

His fingers brushed the moistened silk between her thighs, and she couldn’t help the cry that escaped her, or the way her hips lifted to encourage him to touch her again.

He pressed his mouth to the swell of her breast, his hand skimming up to lift her in his palm and circle the nipple with his tongue. She couldn’t take much more and writhed in his hands. He was touching her just enough to set her on fire but not enough to satisfy her. Tyler knew what he was doing, and he knew exactly how she liked to be loved. He used all that information now to turn her into a puddle of desire.

He took her nipple in his mouth and suckled. “So beautiful,” he whispered.

Beth lowered her hand to sift through his hair, finally opening her eyes to see his dark hair at her breast only made what was happening all the hotter.

Tyler sucked harder, tracing her nipple with his tongue, nipping her with his teeth, making her lose her mind with barely any effort. Her hands on his shoulders pulled him closer.

When he released her breast to trail his fingers down her stomach, he raised his head, watching her expression as his hand covered her panties and teased the swollen bud. She gasped. He tugged her panties until they slid down her legs and she kicked them off. Her thighs spread of their own volition and he slid one deliciously large finger inside to stroke her.

She jerked. “Oh God, Ty! Ohhhh...”

He toyed with her, torturing her and giving her a taste of what she wanted but not fulfilling any of her needs; he was only making her forget everything but the sensations running rampant in her body.

Her breath hissed when he suddenly took his hand away. “No, oh, what’s wrong?” She was right on the edge, right on the brink, and he stopped. She tried to pull him back to her, but he held himself completely rigid.

“We’re not taking this any further until you believe that I had no idea what Chase was planning.”

What she believed was that they should discuss this afterwards. She wanted him right now, right here. “Okay, Ty, I believe you,” she grunted.

He shook his head. “No, you don’t.”

Beth swallowed hard and looked deep into his eyes. He needed her assurance and she wasn’t sure she could give that to him. She could lie, just to get what she wanted, but then what would that make her? “Okay, part of me doesn’t believe you,” she replied honestly.

His expression made her heart drop. He pushed away and stood.

Humiliation washed over her. She’d all but begged him to make love to her and he was going to walk away.

“I can’t do this,” he said, frustration lacing his voice. He adjusted himself and ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Either we’re together or we’re not. I can’t pretend I don’t care that you don’t trust me.”

Beth sprang to her feet, pulled her blouse closed and crossed her arms to cover herself. Her face burned with humiliation, and her body ached and throbbed for the release he promised but denied her. “Get out of here,” she choked.

Though he turned, he didn’t make a move to leave. “Don’t build it up in your head that I don’t want you either. I want you more now than ever before, but it’s all or nothing. I can’t give you only the parts you want and keep the parts you don’t to myself.”

“I don’t want any part of you.” She lifted her chin in defiance. “What almost happened here, that was your last chance and you blew it. You said it’s all or nothing? Fine, I choose nothing.”