Chapter Ten

The barn was quiet. The moon overhead glowed high and full as Tyler made his way across the ranch yard. Everyone in the family had been asleep for hours; well, almost everyone. He knew one person who wouldn’t be and he knew exactly where she’d be. He hoped.

Inside the darkened barn, the horses shifted in their stalls. A grey cat slept curled up in the straw; the old Tom didn’t even lift his head as Tyler walked past. It only took him a few minutes to spot her sitting on the floor with her back resting against the stable walls.

For a second, he thought her asleep, but as he got closer, she turned her head.

“Hey,” he said softly and squatted down next to her.

“Hey.”

“Hear anything yet?” He sat down fully, resting his back against the same wall. It was chilly out here. The storm the weatherman had been predicting hadn’t come yet and he hoped it wouldn’t. He needed the cold, but not the ice, for tomorrow.

“Nah.” She blushed and glanced behind her at the stalls. “I don’t know why I still do this.”

“It’s tradition.”

“I’m not six anymore.”

“Me either.” For a long moment he held her gaze.

Beth chewed her bottom lip and her eyes filled with regret. “I wish I’d known about the accident. I spent so much time hating you for not coming home for Christmas.”

He swallowed hard. “I should have handled that differently, but I didn’t want to ruin everyone’s holiday.”

“It was ruined far more by thinking you didn’t care.”

Tyler longed to pull her into his arms, but with her tense body posture and arms wrapped around her drawn up knees, he didn’t think she’d welcome the embrace. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared out ahead into the dark. “That’s the problem, I didn’t think. I guess I was pretty good at that last year.”

Beth didn’t reply. Tyler didn’t know if that was good or bad.

She stretched out her legs and rested her hands on her thighs. “That’s something about Diane,” she commented.

Tyler sighed and rested his head against the wall. “Yeah. I thought Cord was going to have a coronary.”

“Did you think he overreacted a bit? What was with all that?”

“It’s a control thing. She’s way over there, and he can’t have his finger on what’s happening. Drives him crazy when he can’t make sure everything is the way he wants it to be.”

“That’s one of the reasons you left, isn’t it? Cord was controlling you...I was controlling you.”

He turned, and for the first time since he’d been home, he didn’t see anger in her eyes. She seemed to understand at least a bit more about why he left like he did. Why he couldn’t take it another day. Without stopping to wonder how she’d react, he slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. She went without hesitation, snuggling against his side. Her hand splayed on his heart and her head rested below his chin. Tyler sighed and closed his eyes. This was all he wanted for Christmas.

“I’ve grown up a lot. I wouldn’t handle things the same way now. Running away wasn’t the way to deal with things.”

Beth nodded and raised her head from his chest. “Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know that I would have listened. I was so consumed with finishing my degree and taking over the practice, I honestly don’t know that I would have understood how serious you were.”

Her breath smelled like peppermint, most likely from the candy cane she’d been crunching earlier. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. She didn’t pull away, and her moist lips welcomed his kiss. When he covered her mouth with his own, she slid her hand across his chest and moaned deep in her throat. He savored the taste of the Christmas candy on her tongue and enjoyed the softness of her breast pressing into his side. Sliding his hand down her back, he cupped her hip in his hand and pulled her closer. Her thigh slid between his, and her hand reached to touch his face. His heart raced and his jeans tightened as she stroked her hand along the line of his jaw.

Tyler broke the kiss and drew in deep harsh breaths of air. Beth blinked open her eyes to stare drowsily up. She turned her head and pressed her open mouth to his neck and kissed his skin. He closed his eyes as desire washed over him. When she climbed into his lap, he wrapped his arms around her as she straddled his thighs. Beth kissed his neck again and threaded her fingers into his hair. She had to know what she was doing to him; the evidence pressed into her soft rear end. But she didn’t seem to mind. He slid his hand under the back of her sweater and caressed the soft smooth skin of her back. She wiggled in his lap and rubbed herself on his hardness.

“Beth,” he complained but without really wanting her to stop.

“Hmm,” she sighed and nuzzled his ear.

Under her sweater, he swept his hands up under her breasts and brushed his thumbs along her pebbled nipples.

Beth whimpered and sat up straighter in his lap, throwing her head back as he caressed her. When he rolled her nipples between his thumb and finger, she moaned. “That feels so good.”

“You’re killing me,” he whispered.

“When we were kids, and we’d come out here and wait to hear if the animals would talk, how did we pass the time?”

“I don’t remember.” He lifted her sweater until he could see her small breasts. Then he pressed her forward and lifted her to his mouth, capturing one rosy peak between his lips.

Beth’s breath grew harsh, and she arched into him. “Remember how much trouble we’d get in when our parents found us asleep in the stalls?”

Tyler lifted his head, letting one breast slip free from his mouth to turn his attention to the other. “I think we got ourselves in more trouble when Flo found us asleep together ten years later.”

Berth laughed. “She chewed Sam out good for that. He’s the one who told us the animals talk on Christmas Eve.”

Tyler looked into her sparkling eyes. It was so good to see her happy; he wished the moment would never end. He swallowed hard, afraid to break the moment. “Yep, and then she explained about the birds and the bees. Although we’d figured that part out long before she sat us down.”

He’d give anything to pull her down to the floor and make love to her, but if they made love again, it had to be because it was right and not just because it felt good. He lifted his head and regretfully set her sweater back in place. Ignoring her confused look, he pulled her back into his arms and settled her against his chest. “We have to be still and quiet, or they’ll know we're here.”

Her heart hammered against his own, and her breath was unsteady. He closed his eyes and tried to forget how hard he was.

Minutes ticked by and he wondered if she’d gone to sleep. He rubbed her back safely on top of her sweater and let her rest.

“Ty?”

“Hmm?”

She lifted her head. “Do you think I was a spoiled brat growing up?”

He frowned. “What are you talking about? Why do you say that?”

She climbed off his lap, stood up and walked away a few steps. “I was the youngest, and everyone always gave in to me. I’m thinking maybe you got sick of it always having to be my way.”

“Who put that idea in your head?”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve thought back over things and wondered if maybe I was partially to blame for why you had to get out of here.”

Tyler stood up and crossed the small aisle of the barn to where she leaned her back against the wall. “If I’d told you I was leaving, what would you have done?”

“I’d have gone with you.”

“Exactly. And if I told you it was me or the practice, what would you have chosen?”

She looked up and his heart jerked at her hesitation.

“You,” she whispered.

He kissed her forehead in agreement. “And you would have given up everything you’d worked hard for, and the one thing you wanted more than anything in this world...just for me.”

She nodded. “Yes...and I think I would have been really mad about it.”

“Exactly. And well you should have been. No one should have to choose between what they love to do and who they love.”

She turned her head away. “You did.”

“Look how wrong I was.”

“I wish I’d read the note. I wish—”

He cupped her cheek to halt that line of thinking. “You can’t go back and change anything. I wish I’d made it home last Christmas—who knows what would have happened.”

Beth shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. “Last Christmas Eve I was here, alone. I cried and cried thinking you didn’t love me, that you didn’t care enough to come home. I didn’t know you were in a hospital fighting for your life.”

“I could have had Charli call, but I didn’t. I’m sorry about that now. It’s just one more mistake I’ve made in a long list of things I can’t undo.”

Blue eyes opened and gazed sadly into his. “So, what now? What do we do now?”

Hell, he didn’t have the answers. The only thing he could think to do was go to bed and figure it out after they’d made love. But even he was smart enough to know that wouldn’t fix their problems for the long haul.

He shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from touching her. “I told you, I’m staying. But you don’t believe me.”

Beth reached out her hand but stopped short of touching him. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t. I think after a time, you’ll take off again, and then what? I can’t go through that again.”

“Then we’re back to square one—you don’t trust me, and I have no way to prove myself to you.”

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and the action drew his attention.

“I did have an idea,” she said softly.

“What’s that?” He was still focused on her mouth, thinking about all the delicious ways she could set him on fire with a kiss.

“Well, it’s more than obvious that the chemistry we’ve always had is still there.”

Tyler glanced down at his swollen crotch. “Uh, yeah.”

Beth grinned and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think instead of getting wrapped up in a relationship and talk about the future and all that, we should just go with what works and stop fighting it.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

She smiled an impish grin and glanced up from under her lashes. “I think we should enjoy the physical part of things and agree that that’s all we have.”

Tyler took a step back. “You want to have sex? That’s it, just sex?”

Beth reached out towards him. “Don’t you? A second ago, you wanted to toss me to the floor and jump me.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, so?”

“Don’t you see, Ty? If we enjoy each other right now, for however long it lasts, with no commitment on either side, then no one will get hurt if you decide to move on again.”

“No one will get hurt? You don’t think that sleeping together on a regular basis, and then ending it, isn’t going to hurt?” Is she insane? Or was he insane for even arguing the point?

On the other hand, she was offering him the chance to get her back in his life. Maybe with her in his arms every night, he could convince her that he’d changed and was home for good. Sounded good, but something still didn’t feel right. Why did it irk him so much that she was offering this type of relationship, settling for sex alone.

When Beth was determined, there was little that could stop her. She reached for him, unsnapping his jeans and drawing down his zipper before he even knew she had moved. Her small, but very sure hand was in his boxers, cradling him before he could say anything else. Tyler stepped closer as she played, stroked, and drove him crazy.

She grinned up. “I think we both want each other. It’s not like we’re strangers who just hooked up in a bar. Why keep tormenting ourselves and denying the pleasure we know we can give each other?”

She slid to her knees and covered him with her mouth. Tyler groaned and his eyes closed. He didn’t know what was hotter, the feel of her mouth on him again, or the site of her kneeling, her blonde head bobbing up and down as she pleasured him. He moaned and leaned one hand against the wall for support as she expertly brought him to a point where he had to have more. “Beth,” he growled.

Unperturbed, she continued; the only sounds in the barn were his harsh breathing and her mouth working its heavenly magic on his swollen shaft. When it became too much, he reached down, but she refused to stop. He found himself sifting his fingers through her hair instead and letting her do exactly what she wanted.

Only when he shuddered and stiffened, his knees threatening to buckle, did she take her mouth off him. There must have been a rag lying nearby because he felt her cover him with a cloth as he exploded.

Gently, she wiped him and stood up. Tyler hugged her to him as he struggled to breathe normally. Beth’s arms wrapped around his waist and his still bared erection pressed into her belly. She snuggled in closer.

Tyler drew a long, deep, steadying breath. “Maybe you have a good idea,” he reluctantly agreed.

She tipped her head back. “Oh? What did I possibly do to convince you of that?”

He laughed and dropped a kiss on her very sexy little mouth. “Does this new situation of ours have rules?”

She slowly stepped out of his arms. Tyler took the moment to quickly tuck himself back into his jeans and zip up. He then picked up the rag she’d used and tossed it into the waste basket.

“I think the first rule should be that we don’t spend the whole night together.”

“Sex, but no sleeping together? Why’s that?”

“Waking up with each other every day would be great, but when it ended, we’d miss that. I think we should have as much sex as we want, but we don’t move into each other’s beds. That makes it too much like a relationship.”

Tyler was still annoyed that she kept insisting it was going to end. But, at the same time, to keep her close, he’d have to go along with it, for now. “Okay, next rule?”

She plucked a stray horse hair out of the wall of the barn and flicked it to the ground. Why was she avoiding his eyes?

“The family doesn’t need to know. It’s no one’s business but ours. No acting like we’re a couple.”

“It’s not their business; I like that part.” He’d work on that last bit. “Now, I have a rule too.”

“Okay, let’s hear it.”

“We may not be in a relationship that you think has a future, but neither of us is to date anyone else while we’re sleeping together.” There was no way he was going to stand by and watch her with Cole.

She widened her eyes. “Of course not, that goes without saying.”

“Yeah, well, I’m saying it.” He had no way of knowing if she’d been with anyone else while he was gone, but he’d be damned if he’d sit home while she was out with Cole or anyone else.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He leered at her and wiggled his eyebrows. “When do we start?”

Her laughter filled the quiet barn. “Well, if we don’t want the family to know what we’re up to, we better not start tonight. How about tomorrow night, after all the celebrations?”

Tyler stepped close, sliding his hands around to cup her tiny rear end and pull her up against him. “We’ll have a celebration of our own,” he whispered against her mouth.

Beth went up on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck. “We won’t even need mistletoe.”

It wasn’t the perfect Christmas gift, but it was damn close.

****

Beth walked into the kitchen and immediately headed to the coffee maker. Around the table, the family was already reminiscing about years past, and she half listened as she poured an ample amount of flavored creamer into the steaming mug.

“Do you remember that Christmas when Daddy took all of us to New York City and we saw the Rockettes?” Susan sipped her steaming coffee. “We were all in the hotel suite and trying the high kicks like they did and...” She broke off laughing and glanced at Flo as her sisters joined in. “And Flo tried it, slipped and broke her leg. We spent the next six hours in the emergency room.” Susan grabbed her side as she gasped with laughter.

“It wasn’t very funny at the time,” Flo muttered.

“I would have given anything to watch them legs of yours try and lift as high as those girls,” Sam said.

Flo swatted his shoulder. “We all wanted you to go but you wouldn’t leave the ranch.”

“I ain’t never stepped foot off Texas soil, and I ain’t about to.”

“It ain’t like it’s going to poison you, old man.” Flo shook her head.

“Born here and I’ll die here. That’s it.”

Beth chuckled under her breath at the banter.

“That’s okay, Sam. I try not to leave here unless I have to myself,” Teddy agreed. “Besides, New York is full of elevators.” He shuddered dramatically, making them all laugh.

“You’ll wrestle a bull to the ground, but one silver metal box that goes up and down sends you into fits,” Susan scoffed.

“We all have our fears.” Flo tried to be the peacemaker between the two as always.

“Some fears are just irrational,” Susan insisted.

Teddy shot her a look. “Some people are irrational.”

Cord joined Beth at the counter and picked up the coffee pot. He bent towards her and kissed her cheek. “Merry Christmas, little lady.”

“Merry Christmas, Cord,” She smiled before moving to the table and sliding into a chair next to her sister.

“So, tell us, how were the animals last night?” Susan asked. Her blue eyes sparkled as if she had a secret.

Beth choked on the hot coffee. All she could think about last night was what she did to Tyler and the deal they’d made. She’d forgotten all about trying to hear the animals talk. Probably a real good thing they couldn’t. “Uh, quiet as always. I guess they waited until I left.”

Sara reached for the tray of pastries in the center of the table. “Did Tyler catch up to you?”

“Yeah, he found me in the barn.” The images in her head made her flush, and she only hoped her cheeks hadn’t reddened and given her away.

“Good morning and a very Merry Christmas!” Chase Boyd joined them in the kitchen and reached for a mug of coffee. “Charli’s grabbing a shower and said not to wait for her.”

“Why don’t we all head out to the great room and have our coffee there?” Flo opened a cupboard, pulled out a large tray and put the sugar, cream, and spoons on it.

Susan joined her at the counter and filled a coffee carafe with what was left in the pot and set another one on to brew. “We usually have a big brunch later after opening the presents,” she explained to Chase.

“It’s nice to be here with all of you. Sometimes it gets a bit quiet with just Charli and me.”

Beth frowned, thinking of last year. She’d been in rough shape at Christmas and hadn’t even made it to the big holiday dinner before begging off and going back to bed. If Grant hadn’t made her get up, she’d have likely slept right through to New Year’s.

She blinked to get her mind off the past.

Cord lifted the coffee laden tray off the counter and headed out of the kitchen, joined by Chase, Susan, and Flo.

Buck stood up and helped Sara to her feet. “I hope Santa brought me a new back because I’m going to need one before this baby comes,” he teased.

His wife smacked his arm. “Why don’t you try carrying the next one.”

“The next one? How many are you two having?” Teddy asked.

“We’ve got lots of bedrooms to fill in that house of ours.” Buck pulled his wife close to his side and kissed her.

Teddy’s eyes widened and he started to say something but Susan jammed him in the stomach with her elbow. “Oh, I’m so sorry did I bump into you?” she asked sweetly, and flounced from the room.

Beth looked around. “Where’s Tyler?” He couldn’t be sleeping in, could he?

“You’d better come look at this, Beth!” Susan hollered from the front of the house.

Beth picked up her pace down the hall towards the great room. Inside, Susan had opened the drapes that covered the large picture window. White powder covered the entire front yard. The branches in the small trees, the bushes, everything was coated with white. Stepping up to the window, she glanced out over their yard. If she didn’t know for sure she was in Texas, Beth would have sworn she was looking at snow.

In the middle of the horseshoe shaped driveway sat a team of horses hooked to a wagon. Tyler sat in the driver’s seat, the grin on his face a mile wide.

“The boy’s nuts!” Teddy remarked. “He had to have been up all night doing this.”

“He’s damn lucky. It’s supposed to be cold today, or all that would be melting as fast as he made it,” Sam muttered behind her.

“It’s a white Christmas,” Beth whispered.

“Let’s go,” Buck commanded, pulling his wife along behind him.

The family filed out onto the front porch with Beth following more slowly behind. She’d never had a white Christmas...and Tyler had given it to her. She swallowed hard, desperately trying not to get emotional, but her heart swelled towards him and she couldn’t help it. This had to have cost him a fortune not only in money, but time as well.

Ignoring the rest of the family, Tyler jumped down from the wagon and held his hand out to her. She stepped off the porch and bent down to pick up a handful of snow. “It feels so real.” Back in New York, the ski resort made snow all the time, but it was usually on top of some real snow. This was all manufactured and she was shocked it felt like the real thing.

“Where on earth did you get this?” she asked. She looked around and for the first time, saw the enormous machine off to the side.

“I couldn’t do a horse drawn sleigh, so the wagon will have to do, but how about a ride?” She smiled up and he took her hand, leading her to the wagon. Not caring that she was still in her pajamas, Beth climbed up into the seat. Ty pulled a blanket from the back up and over her shoulders and another onto her lap. Snuggled in the warmth of the fleece and in the knowledge that Tyler had done something for her that no one else would ever have dreamed of doing, her heart swelled with warmth. She wished there was a way he could climb under the blanket with her.

She inhaled the brisk air and held onto the seat as he set the wagon in motion. “You were lucky we had this cold snap.”

“That’s for sure.” He urged the horses ahead and they rode around the yard in a circle. “Actually, I would still have been able to make the snow, but it would have melted quicker.”

Beth was in shock. How did he do this? She studied the team of horses for the first time. “Wait, whose horses are these?”

Tyler smiled. “I have Chase to thank for those. The wagon and the horses are his. Since the day before yesterday, I’ve had them hidden in a barn that we don’t use anymore over in the back forty so you wouldn’t know they were there. He had them trucked up here for me.” He winked. “Pretty, aren’t they?”

Beth couldn’t do anything more than nod. The enormous Clydesdales were stunning. “Does he use them often?”

Tyler flipped the reins and clicked his tongue to the horses. “He bought them from the widow of a friend of his. He doesn’t use them much, but once in a while, Charli drives them in the local parade.”

Beth loved the way the wagon rolled along, the pitching and pulling as the horses found their rhythm. The cool air on her cheeks was refreshing and she smiled from ear to ear, unable to believe there was really snow in their yard on Christmas morning. She brushed back her hair and grinned up at the man next to her. “This is amazing, Ty.”

They waved to the rest of the family as if they were in a parade themselves. Beth didn’t remember the last time she felt this excited. First the agreement she and Tyler had come to last night and now this. What a difference a year made.

Her heart pounded thinking about being with Tyler later in the day. She wasn’t going to let herself wonder about the future or if he’d be around. She was going to let today be wonderful and not think about anything else.

Several more times around the yard and Tyler pulled up to the front porch. “We’ll ride around some more later, but I think we’re holding everyone up from doing presents.”

He jumped down and scooted around to her side of the wagon. Reaching up, he gloried in the smile shining in Beth’s beautiful eyes as he let her fall into his arms and settled her on her feet. Knowing they were being watched from the house, he didn’t pull her into his arms and kiss her, but hoped the look in his eyes told her he wanted to.

His back shielding her from view, Tyler cupped her jaw and whispered, “I couldn’t sleep last night, thinking about what you did to me in the barn and what we talked about.”

Beth’s hand lifted to rest on his forearm. “Me either.”

“Do you think, later this afternoon, we could slip away unnoticed and make sure everything is okay over at the clinic?” he suggested with an innocent raise of his brow.

“Sounds good to me.” She leaned up and brushed a kiss across his cheek. “Thank you for the snow—this is the best gift I’ve ever received.”

A half-hour later, paper scattered the floor of the great room. Susan dug under the tree for the last of the gifts. Emerging with a small package, she read the tag. “Tyler’s” She shook it and then tossed the box across the room where he sat in the leather recliner.

“Hey, what if it’s breakable?” He caught it easily enough, but grimaced at the brunette who was so casual with his gifts.

She wiggled her eyebrows. “I know what’s in it and it’s not.”

With a half smile, he checked the tag. From Beth. He glanced up to catch her eye across the room. She returned his stare with a smile that made him wish this part of the day was over so it could be just the two of them celebrating.

Quickly unwrapping the small box, Tyler lifted off the cover and pushed aside the tissue paper. Unbelievable! A rare belt buckle, the very one he’d been searching for, shown back. Not only had Beth remembered, she’d actually been able to find it. He caught Beth smiling at him. “Wow, I can’t believe you found this!”

“I saw it in this little shop and couldn’t believe it was the same one you’d been trying to find.”

Tyler picked up the metal clasp and traced the pattern on the silver buckle. He turned it over to study the back. “It’s barely even worn.”

“I know, isn’t it weird? I mean, there it was, right in this antique shop window. I’m not even sure the guy knew what he had.”

Tyler stood up and crossed the room to brush a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks so much.”

She laughed. “Well, it’s no snowstorm in Texas, but it was the best I could do.”

A commotion at the door had them all turning their heads. Sam tugged a huge package through the double doors. “This is for Sara,” he grunted and pulled it to rest in front of her.

Knowing what it was, Tyler sat on the cushioned arm of Beth’s chair to watch the show.

The pregnant woman untied a large bow and let the paper fall off the gift. “Oh,” Sara cried and pressed her hands to her mouth.

Buck crossed the room. He sat on the arm of the couch next to his wife and touched the wood of the old cradle where names were carved on the headboard.

“All the Weston boys were rocked in this cradle.” Sam blew his nose with a red and white hanky as Cord patted his shoulder.

“You did a great job, Sam. It’s like brand new.” Their beloved housekeeper wiped her eyes with a tissue she’d pulled from her sleeve.

Tyler smiled as Sara sifted through everything in the tiny bed.

“Flo, you made all these didn’t you?” Tears poured from Sara’s eyes.

“Well, most of them.” She nodded and sniffled. “Now, some of those finer things, Diane sent from Paris. You don’t have to use my homemade ones if you’d rather not.”

Sara shook her head. “I can’t tell the difference between yours and hers.”

“Babies don’t care what they poop and spit up on,” Teddy interjected, lightening the sappy mood in the room. “Are we ever going to eat? I’m starved.”

Susan slammed her hands on her hips. “You’re always starved.”

“Not all of us worry if the scale shifts a pound this way or that.” He retorted and headed out of the room.

Charli laughed and linked her arm through Susan’s. “This from the man who can’t pass a mirror without checking himself out.”

Susan giggled and the two women began to whisper as they walked from the room. Tyler heard his brother’s loud complaint and figured that, once again, one of the ladies had gotten him back.

“Come on, Ty.” Chase Boyd rubbed his stomach and moved towards the dining room. “I gotta feeling if we don’t get a move on, there won’t be anything left.”

Cord touched the older man on the shoulder. “Don’t let Flo hear you say that or she’ll be back in the kitchen. It’s hard enough for us to get her to take it easy as it is.”

Tyler started to follow his brother from the room but couldn’t help a glance back to see if Beth was going, too. She stood with Sara, admiring the tiny blankets in the cradle. His heart squeezed at the sight of her picking up the tiny baby sweater set. She laughed at Sara and then looked up in time to meet his gaze. He wanted her. It hit him powerful and hard, and it was all he could do not to cross the room and pull her into his arms and kiss her, long and hard. She was so damn beautiful. Her glowing eyes held his stare and, with his own, he told her all he wanted to do to her when he got her alone.

With one side of her mouth tipped upward, she dipped her head and looked away, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. He had no doubt she got his message loud and clear.

“You going to stand there all morning or what?” Sam pushed at him from behind and gave him a glare.

“Sorry, old man. I forgot you have to have your grits or you’re grouchy.” Reluctantly, he led him to the dining room and sat down.

“Never you mind about my grits.” Sam took a seat and Flo set a steaming bowl in front of him before he even picked up his napkin. Then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, and whispered something in his ear.

As Tyler watched, Sam laughed and nodded. Amazing. While the lanky, leathered old foreman and the elderly but robust housekeeper might seem an unlikely couple, they’d fallen head over heels in love over fifty years ago and were still going strong. Anyone who saw them together could see that in an instant. Anyone unfortunate enough to come upon them unexpectedly could also witness the passion they still shared. More than once, Tyler’d made that mistake.

Chuckling, he reached for the platter of bacon. Some things a guy didn’t want to remember.

Sara and Beth joined the rest of the family and he couldn’t help the stab of disappointment when Beth sat way at the far end of the table in between Teddy and Susan. He took the tray of stuffed French toast and added two big hunks to his plate. “You make these?” he asked, passing the tray to Charli.

She nodded. “I tried to make more and help Flo, but she wouldn’t let me do much.”

Tyler glanced at Flo who was pouring the thick white sausage gravy over biscuits on her plate. “Don’t take it personal. She loves you, but she doesn’t give up control of her kitchen.”

Charli shrugged. “It’s okay. I just hate seeing her on her feet so much.”

“Trust me, all of us have tried to get her to slow down. She’s bullheaded.” He poured the warm salsa over his scrambled eggs and dug in. “Sam’s the same way.”

“How was the big surprise this morning?” She lowered her voice and glanced toward Beth.

He couldn’t keep the proud smile from his face. “She loved it. The horses performed like true ladies, too.”

“I knew they would. Nothing rattles them, not even being trailed six hours from home and stored in an unfamiliar barn. I’ll make sure they get some extra special treats this afternoon.”

Tyler put his arm around the other woman and gave her a squeeze. “You and your father went all out for me and I appreciate it.”

“I just want to see you happy.” She stabbed a piece of sausage with her fork and lifted it to her mouth. “I don’t know much about being in love and all that, but if snow in Texas and a team of horses helps, I’m all for it.” She winked.

He glanced at Beth to make sure she couldn’t hear him. “We talked last night and came to a certain understanding.” They’d agreed that the arrangement would just be between the two of them, but Charli had been there for him through everything. She knew how much he needed Beth to forgive him, how much he needed her back in his life. She’d be excited to hear that he was making some progress in the right direction. It was good to get someone else’s thoughts on the subject too; he couldn’t very well ask anyone in the family. They’d be furious with him even though the plan was Beth’s idea.

“Oh, yeah?” Charli filled her coffee cup from the carafe on the table and then topped off Tyler’s. “Is it a good understanding?”

“I don’t know. I think so, but who knows.” He couldn’t help but look Beth’s way and his heart skittered as he caught her staring at him. She furrowed her brow and glanced at Charli and then back to him. Tyler winked, relieved to see the corner of her mouth lift up into a small smile. What an idiot he was to ever have left her. No matter how hard things were at home with his brothers and Sara and all, he should have been able to stick it out. He’d learned a lot this year from Chase, and the man he was now would have handled everything differently. But he couldn’t rewrite the past; all he could do now was try his best to make a good future. Maybe that’s why he had such an issue with this plan of hers. It didn’t feel right. Almost as if he was doing something immoral.

Didn’t that take their relationship to a different level, sort of like Teddy handled his relationships? As long as the sex was good he stayed, but once that was done, he was done? He and Beth had something far more meaningful, didn’t they? His smile faltered. She didn’t really think all they had left was the physical side, did she?

“Hey, you awake down there or what?”

“What’s wrong? What?” Tyler jerked his thoughts back to the table to find Teddy glaring his way.

“I asked you to send that plate of sausage this way.”

“There’s only one left.” Tyler picked up the platter.

Charli took it out of his hands and pushed back her chair. “I’ll get some more.”

“I’ll help you.” Teddy followed so fast his chair tipped on two legs and almost fell.

“That boy never moved so fast in all his life,” Sam grumbled, scooping the last of his grits out of his bowl.

Flo laughed. “He’s got a whole lot of hope, that’s for sure.”

“He better not get more than his hopes up. Charli isn’t one of those ditzy girls he usually chases.” Susan lifted her glass of orange juice as if it was a toast. “She’ll put him in his place, and I for one can’t wait to watch him hit the ground.”

Sara laughed next to her. “Tell us how you really feel.”

Tyler grinned and, once again, his gaze landed on Beth. How were they going to slip away later? This is good. Not ten seconds ago he was telling himself the arrangement was all wrong, and now he was hoping the holiday festivities would end early so they could be together. The more he thought about making love to her, the more his brain shut down and the tighter his jeans became. Would they have to be quick in case someone wondered what they were up to? Or could they take all afternoon and no one would be the wiser? Visions of both versions crossed his mind and he took a long drink of water hoping to cool his insides a bit. It would be a long day if he couldn’t get his mind focused on something else.

“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Chase Boyd stood, mimosa in hand.

Teddy and Charli came through the door from the kitchen just in time, and Tyler couldn’t help but notice how red his brother’s face was. Shot down, again. Not surprising.

Chase waited until they slid into their seats. “Thank you to our wonderful friends for having us for the holidays. I can’t tell you what it means to me. Your parents, God rest their souls, would be so proud to see all of you today.” He nodded towards Sara and Buck. “The next generation is about to be born on the Double B, and the family business is steady and profitable for yet another year. The best part is all of you are here together to celebrate the holidays.” He glanced at Flo. “Well, almost all of you. But, no worries about Diana. I’m sure she’ll find her way back to the fold.”

He cleared his throat, glanced to his daughter and then back to the crowd in general. “I’m getting on in years. It didn’t escape me that what happened to Beau could easily happen to me. I’ve got a lot of good friends and good workers, but as far as my family goes, well it’s just me and my girl there. Charli and I talked about something at length and we’d like to propose the following.” He drew a deep breath and turned his attention to Cord. “Charli and I would like very much to become partners with the Double B by turning over forty-nine percent of the Circle S over to you.”

Tyler frowned, his chest caving as if someone just stomped on it.

Cord’s jaw dropped. Around the table everyone was equally shocked as Tyler glanced from one to the other. He and Chase had talked about this idea before, but never in a million years did he think the older man was ready to put the plan into motion now.

“I don’t even know what to say to that, Chase.” Cord cleared his throat but no more sound came from his mouth.

Tyler had never seen his brother at such a loss for words before.

Chase brought his hand down on Cord’s shoulder. “There’s a lot of details to work out, and we’ll talk some more tomorrow with your attorney. But I’m dead serious here. I want to know what’s going to happen to my own small empire before I kick it. I respect you, all of you, and we know you’ll respect our vision.” He turned and pinned Tyler with a beaming smile.

Ah hell. Tyler’s heart hit the floor of his stomach. Could there be worse timing for this decision? He knew Chase meant well, but he also knew what was coming and, like a runaway horse, he couldn’t stop it as Chase went on.

“With Charli retaining fifty-one percent, she’ll have controlling interest, but we have no doubt there won’t be any problems with decisions with Tyler running things alongside her.”