Wyatt (6 page)

Damn. He was hoping to find her still in bed.

Wyatt swore aloud when he felt himself growing hard. He ran
his hand down his face.
Christ!
What
amazing sex. If he concentrated hard enough, he could still taste her and smell
her scent. He wanted her again and muttered under his breath. How was that even
possible? He woke her up two times last night and still wanted her.
Shit!
He stormed out of the house and
back to the barn. There was plenty of work to do, and he’d see her tonight. He
smiled as he thought about being with her again.

He strolled into the barn and saw Ben standing by a stall.
Clenching his jaw, Wyatt headed toward him and stopped beside him.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking a break,” Collins told him. “I’m entitled.”

“Really?
Who told you that? From
what I can hear, the men are having a problem with a horse and yet here you
stand, doing nothing.” Wyatt stepped closer.

Collins shrugged. “There are plenty of men to help out.”

Wyatt fisted his hands at his sides. “Did you ask Lucky if
you could take a break?”

Collins huffed and started walking away. “I’ll go back and
help.”

“See that you do,” Wyatt said. He watched him stroll away as
if he had all the time in the world. There was something about the guy he just
didn’t trust, so Wyatt followed him to the corral.

Ben jumped over the wooden rail and walked slowly toward the
horse to help hold the rope. The other men had a rope around the horse’s neck
trying to calm it down. Wyatt not only trained cutting horses, he also broke
horses before training them to be cutting horses. It was a hard, tedious job
but he loved every minute of it. He had two ranch hands, other than himself,
who could break the horses, and he never asked anything of them he wouldn’t do
himself. They were a lot younger than he was though, so he let them do it more
often. At thirty-four, his body wasn’t what it used to be. He was still in
great physical condition, he worked out and worked hard on his ranch but being
thrown from a horse gets old, and he’d hate to see how he felt in another ten
years.

The two ranch hands, Ethan White and Mason Wright, were only
twenty-three and young enough to believe they could do anything. They were good
though, and Wyatt paid them highly for doing what they did. He smiled as he
watched Mason grab the saddle horn and hoist himself onto the horse. The horse
had worn himself out but Wyatt knew once the rider mounted, the horse would get
its energy back and do all it could to dismount the rider. The men started
cheering when the horse began to buck trying to dislodge Mason, but he held on.
The next thing Wyatt knew, Mason was flying through the air and all five men
standing along the rails groaned when he hit the ground, hard.

Wyatt jumped the fence and ran toward him. Just as he got
there, Mason sat up and grinned up at him. Wyatt shook his head.

“You crazy son of a bitch.”
He put
his hand out to help him up. Mason stood and dusted himself off.

“Let me at him again,” Mason said.

“Are you sure? Ethan can try,” Wyatt told him with a grin,
but he knew Mason wouldn’t let Ethan take this one.

“Hell no.
I got this,” Mason said
as he walked back toward the horse and once again, hoisted himself onto the
horse. The horse jumped and bucked around the corral again. All the men were
shouting encouragement—except Ben Collins. Wyatt glanced over at him and saw
him staring at him. Wyatt raised an eyebrow at him and Collins turned away.
Wyatt sighed. He knew it was just a matter of time before he’d be firing the
man. He was just waiting for him to fuck up big time.

“Hey, boss,” Kirk Collins said from beside him.

“Kirk.
How’s it going?” Wyatt
nodded.

“Fine…can we talk?” Wyatt stared at him then nodded for him
to follow him to his office in the barn. He closed the door, Kirk took a seat,
and Wyatt leaned against the desk. Kirk took a deep breath. “Ava’s leaving me,”
he said quietly.

Wyatt was shocked. “What? Why?” He held his hand up. “No.
It’s none of my business. Are you going to be all right?”

Kirk shook his head. “I’m trying. I’m staying with Ben for
now, but she’s moving to Texas. She has family there.” He ran his hand down his
face. “I don’t know what happened to be honest. One day we were fine, the next,
she wants to leave me.”

“I’m sorry Kirk. That’s why you were preoccupied the day
Candy’s leg was cut.”

“Yeah, I’m real sorry about that, Wyatt. If my mind had been
on my work instead of my wife leaving me, I would have caught it,” Kirk told
him.

“I wish you would have told me. I wouldn’t have sent you
home for the weekend without pay.”

Kirk shrugged. “I deserved it.”

“Yes, but you didn’t need to be sitting at home alone. I
know. I’ve been there.” Wyatt sighed. “I try to rotate the weekends so you guys
have family time but if you had told me, I would have let you work.”

Kirk stood. “I fucked up and it was the right thing to do. I
do understand about being home alone so I’ll work any hours you want me to.”

Wyatt nodded. “Check with Lucky and the men. Some of them
will be more than happy to let you work their hours.” He put his hand on Kirk’s
shoulder. “I’m real sorry to hear this, Kirk.”

Kirk gave a terse nod and strode from the office. Wyatt
stared at the door, and then grunted. This was what love does to a man—brings
him to his knees. It was why he wasn’t going through it again. He glanced down
at his watch and swore. He had to pick Olivia up in a few hours and he hadn’t
even told her where they were going. He pulled out his cell phone and called
the B and B.

“Clifton Bed and Breakfast.
How may
I help you?”

“You sure sound professional, darlin’.”

“How did you know it was me, cowboy?”

Wyatt chuckled. “I’d know that sexy voice in my ear any
day.” He laughed outright when she groaned into the phone.

Olivia laughed. “You’re not breaking our
date
are you?”

“Nope.
I’ll pick you up at six.
We’ll go into Hartland for dinner.”

“You ashamed to be seen here with me?”

“Christ, you’re suspicious. No, I’m not. I just thought
you’d like to go to a nice restaurant since all we have is the diner.
Up to you though.
We can go to the diner.”

“I’d like to go to Hartland. I’ll wear a dress. I just might
wear underwear.”

Wyatt growled. “I knew this was a mistake,” he muttered.

Olivia laughed. “I’ll be your favorite mistake, cowboy. See
you later.” She hung up.

Wyatt stared at the phone in his hand. Damn. He should have
canceled the date. This was going to go south fast, he could feel it in his
gut.
What were you thinking?
He snorted.
The thing was he hadn’t been thinking, not with the head on his shoulders
anyway. It was so good with her though that he wanted her again. Right now, but
he’d wait. Tonight would be soon enough. He hoped.

* * * *

Olivia smiled as she hung the phone up. She couldn’t wait
until tonight because if he thought they were going to have sex, he had another
think coming. She chuckled when she thought of his reaction when she told him
no.

“What are you grinning about?” Evelyn asked from the doorway
to the foyer.

Olivia jerked. “Don’t sneak up on me for God’s sake,
Evelyn.”

Evelyn laughed. “You look guilty, Liv. What are you up to?”

Olivia stood and faced her. “Why, not a thing.” She
fluttered her eyelashes.

Evelyn burst out laughing. “I don’t know why I don’t believe
you.”

Olivia walked toward her and headed to the kitchen with
Evelyn behind her. She took a seat at the table and stared out the window. The
sky was beginning to darken and the wind was picking up. The temperatures had
been dropping all day. It was going to be a cold night and she was going to be
alone in her bed when she could have a hot cowboy next to her keeping her warm.
Olivia snorted.
Warm? Try hotter than
hell.

She wiggled in her seat just thinking of the things he’d
done and said to her in bed. It shouldn’t have surprised her since she’d been
pretty sure he was going to be like that way back when she first met him, and
he’d looked at her like he couldn’t stand her. He wouldn’t even shake her hand.
For almost two years, she’d let him know in every way she could just how much
she wanted him and he never took her up on it. She was glad now she’d gone to
his place to see Cochise, otherwise they’d still be dancing around each other.
Now they were dancing between the sheets, and against walls, doors…

“Earth to Liv,” Evelyn said.

Olivia glanced over to her and grinned.
“Just
doing some day dreaming.”

“About a man?”

“What makes you say that?” Olivia tilted her head.

“You come home in the morning and you have a shit-eating
grin on your face all day. Sounds like a man to me.”

“Oh, yeah, you mean like you look when Stan comes around or
talks to you,” Olivia teased.

Evelyn huffed. “I certainly do not.”

Olivia laughed. “Yes, you do. You’ve got the hots for Stan,
Evelyn Robinson.”

Stan Watson was the foreman at the B and B. He’d worked for
Becca’s grandmother for years. When Becca inherited the ranch, he had stayed
on. He still took care of the horses for the riding trails. Olivia was certain
Evelyn had a crush on the man and if she was right, Stan felt the same in
return.

“The hots?
What a way to put it,
Liv.” Evelyn sighed. “Although he does make me feel like I’m having hot
flashes, even though they’ve been gone for years.”

Olivia burst out laughing. “Go for it. I’ve seen the way he
looks at you.”

“What? Oh no. I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to
change the subject from your man. Who is it?”

Olivia shook her head. “My lips are sealed.”

“I’ll find out eventually, you know. If he comes here to
pick you up for a date, or do you two just
hook-up
?”

Olivia nibbled on her bottom lip. “He’s going to pick me
up.”

Evelyn folded her arms across her chest.
“When?”

“In a few hours,” Olivia mumbled.

Evelyn cackled. “I can’t wait.”

Damn it!
Why
hadn’t she thought of this? Wait. Why should she have? She wasn’t trying to
hide anything and if Wyatt was, he had better get over it real quick. The
grapevine in Clifton would be in full swing by tomorrow. She was also sure some
people from Clifton would probably be at the restaurant in Hartland since it
was a Saturday night. Sighing, she smiled at Evelyn and headed toward her
apartment.

“I need to figure out what to wear.”

“You get real sexy for him, ya hear me?”

Olivia stopped in her tracks.
“Him who?”
She narrowed her eyes at Evelyn.

Evelyn grinned.
“Wyatt, of course.”

Olivia gasped. “How…?”

“Because I know how much you like him and seeing you this
excited about going out can only mean one thing…you’re going out with him.”
Evelyn tilted her head. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

Olivia sighed. “I can’t because you’re not.”

Evelyn nodded. “I’m glad he finally came to his senses. I’m
happy for you. Now, you go figure out what to wear, honey. I hope you have a
great time.” She entered the pantry, leaving Olivia to stare after her.

She sighed heavily. If Evelyn only knew the truth about it,
she’d laugh. The only reason Wyatt was taking her out was that she’d
practically blackmailed him into it. She closeted herself in her apartment to
get ready for her date.

Chapter Six

At six o’clock, Wyatt pulled his truck up alongside the back
porch of the B and B. He blew out a breath trying to calm his insides, opened
the door, and hopped out. After taking a deep breath, he walked up the porch
steps, knocked on the back door, and then walked in. He watched as Evelyn
turned toward him and smiled at him.

“Hello Wyatt, how are you?” she asked.

He smiled. “I’m fine, Evelyn. How are you?”

Evelyn grinned at him.
“Just fine, honey.”

Wyatt cleared his throat when she kept staring at him. He
gave her a nod and started toward Olivia’s apartment door when it opened, and
she stepped out. He suddenly forgot how to breathe and his heart forgot how to
beat, because she looked amazing. She wore a short skintight black dress, which
showed every one of her sexy curves. His mouth started to water as his gaze
moved over her silky black hair, down over her breasts, flat stomach, and took
in every inch of her long legs. On her feet were black stilettos. He swallowed
hard, and then looked into her eyes. She stood there simply smiling at him.

“Hi cowboy,” she said in a low sultry voice.

“Hi,” he murmured, and then he cleared his throat again
because it sounded kind of creaky. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. Are you ready to go?”

Wyatt nodded. “Are you?”

“Oh, I’m ready all right.” Olivia grinned at him.

Shit!
“Let’s go
then.”

Wyatt smiled at Evelyn, who still hadn’t taken her eyes off
him, and put his hand out toward Olivia. When she placed her hand in his, he felt
a shock and quickly glanced at her. She continued to smile up at him as he held
her jacket for her. After he lifted the soft strands of her hair from inside
the jacket, he jerked his chin for her to go out the door ahead of him, and
then wanted to kick himself as his eyes strayed to her ass. The dress barely
covered it.

“That’s some dress you’re almost wearing,” Wyatt muttered.
Her throaty laugh washed over him. “You wore it on purpose,” he mumbled,
silently cursing her.

Olivia stepped around the truck to the passenger side. Wyatt
followed and opened the door for her. He held out his hand to help her in. She
grinned at him. “You
do
remember how
to date, cowboy.”

“Just good manners,” Wyatt whispered as he leaned toward her
and pressed his lips to hers. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes. What about you?”

His lips moved across her cheek to her ear.
“Starving.”

He grinned when he felt her shiver. He moved back from her,
closed the door, walked around the truck, feeling a little more in control, and
got in behind the wheel. Glancing at her one more time, he turned to the front
and started the engine. They drove in silence to the restaurant. Once there,
Wyatt walked around the vehicle to open her door and help her down.

“Jesus, Wyatt. Can it be any harder to get in and out of
this damn truck? My dress keeps riding up.”

Wyatt laughed. “I can’t help it if you wore a dress that
barely covers your ass.”

“Well, the people here in the parking lot will get one hell
of an eyeful if it rides up too much more,” Olivia muttered.

“Are you telling me you’re not wearing panties?”

Olivia put her hands on his shoulders and gazed up at him.
“I’m telling you there is nothing between me and this dress.”

“How the hell am I supposed to get through dinner knowing
that?” Wyatt growled.

Olivia laughed. “You weren’t supposed to find out. I can’t
wear underwear with this dress. Every line would show.”

“Damn it, come on. Let’s get this dinner over with.” Wyatt
took her hand in his and led her into the restaurant.

“Could you please slow down? I can’t run in these fuck me
shoes.”

Wyatt stopped and narrowed his eyes. “Did you say
fuck me shoes
?”

Olivia shrugged giving him an innocent look, which he knew
wasn’t so. “It’s what women call them.”

“Jesus H. Christ. I’m dying here,” Wyatt said as they walked
into the restaurant. The hostess smiled at both of them, but her eyes kept
going back to him. She led them to a table and they took their seats. After
handing them menus, the hostess left them and a waitress came over to take
their orders.

“Do you want to see a movie after dinner?” Olivia asked him
after they ordered.

Wyatt stared at her. “No.”

“Go for a drive?”

“No.”

“I’d ask what you want to do but I think I know,” Olivia
whispered.

“You know exactly what I want to do.
You.”
Wyatt didn’t take his eyes from her.

Olivia leaned across the table and smiled at him. “Not
happening tonight, cowboy.”

Wyatt raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“I told you we were going to date and you had to work for
it.”

“Work for it?” Wyatt asked between clenched teeth.

Olivia sat back and nodded. “Yes.”

“I’m not some fucking dog you have on a leash, Olivia.”

“No one said you were, but I’m not some slut you think you
can hop into bed with at every opportunity.” She shrugged. “Even though you
think I am.”

Wyatt sat back in his chair and folded his arms. “I
shouldn’t have—”

“You’re right…you shouldn’t have.” Olivia leaned forward in
her chair. “The thing is Wyatt, you don’t know me. Not really. You just
assumed, for some reason, that I’m a slut.” She reached toward her wine glass
and ran her fingertip around the top of it. “How many men have you seen me go
out with since I’ve lived here?”

He leaned forward. “I haven’t paid attention.”

Olivia laughed quietly.
“Liar.”
She
held her hand up when he started to speak. “I can count on one hand how many
times I’ve gone out with someone. How many women have you been with since we’ve
met?”

“I’m not having this conversation,” he muttered.

Olivia grinned at him. “So…who’s the slut?”

Wyatt took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I said it. Now, tell me
why you think I have to work for it when we’ve already been to bed
together—several times.”

The waitress, who had just arrived with their food, almost
dropped it when she overheard his remark. She quickly glanced at Wyatt, and
then Olivia. “Do you need anything else?”

“We’re fine, thank you,” Wyatt told her but kept his eyes on
Olivia.

“Because this is how we do it or we don’t do it at all. I
like to be wined and dined. Granted, we had sex first but if you want to
continue being with me, then we go out on dates. I’m not a slut and refuse to
be treated like one. If you think you can just call me or come by for sex
anytime you feel like it, we need to end this right here and now.”

Wyatt ran his hand over his mouth.
Fuck!
He stared at her and she stared right back. If this
date
had happened before the sex, he’d
say fuck it, take her straight home, and say good riddance. But the sex had
come first and he knew how damn incredible it was with her. He glanced away
from her and swore under his breath.

“Why is it all right for you to make demands, but I can’t?
Why is it I have to take you out on dates but yet I can’t take you to bed?” He
picked up his knife and fork, and began cutting into his steak. “Sounds to me
like you’re getting everything you want, sweetheart, but I’m not.”

Olivia cut into her steak, and then stared at him.
“Seems to me that you already got what you wanted, cowboy.”

Wyatt grunted. “Are you telling me you didn’t want it?”

“I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you, Wyatt. I
like to go out and have a good time with a man. I enjoy dating and I haven’t
been on a date since…” She chewed on her bottom lip.

“Ryder,” Wyatt muttered.

Olivia’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought you said you haven’t
been paying attention.”

“Gabe and Emma made sure I heard about it.”

Olivia stared at him and then burst out laughing. “I love
those two.”

Wyatt chuckled. “It was the night Jake and Becca made their
engagement official. You left early.”

“I remember. You were ignoring me as usual and I wanted to
get away from you,” Olivia said.

“I always knew when you were around, Olivia.” He shrugged.
“I just didn’t want you knowing.”

Olivia grinned. “Nice to hear you finally admit it.” She
stood. “Excuse me.”

Wyatt stood and watched her stride across the restaurant,
turning heads as she went. He wanted to punch every guy whose gaze followed
her, but he couldn’t blame them. She was beautiful, confident, and sexy as
hell. He was going to get her into bed tonight despite what she said. She might
not believe that but he did. He could be very persuasive.

Sitting back down, he reached for his soda, took a sip, and
almost spit it out when he saw Stephanie barreling down on him.
God damn it!
Good manners had him
standing when she reached the table. She smiled up at him.

“Hello, Wyatt,” she said her hand touching his arm. It took
everything he had not to jerk away from her.

Wyatt gave a terse nod. “Stephanie.”

“You should come and join us,” she said.

“No, thank you.”

Stephanie stuck her bottom lip out into a pout. He’d always
hated when she did that. He never thought it was cute and it never worked on
him.

“At least come over and say
hi
to daddy.” She looped her arm through his and tried to pull him
along.

Wyatt took his arm from hers. “I will on my way out. Now, if
you’ll excuse me…” He closed his eyes briefly when he heard Olivia clear her
throat behind him. He turned toward her and saw her smiling. Wyatt took her
hand and pulled her around him to sit at the table as he heard Stephanie gasp.

“You’re here with
her?
”
Stephanie remarked through clenched teeth.

“Nice to see you too…fluffy,” Olivia said as she took her
seat.

Wyatt laughed, and then covered it with a cough when
Stephanie glared at him.

“Have a nice dinner, Stephanie,” he told her.

Stephanie sputtered before spinning on her heel and marching
across the restaurant. Olivia chuckled, making Wyatt look at her as he took his
seat.

“It’s a bitch running into the ex when you’re on a date,
isn’t it?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling you enjoyed
that?”

“Because I did.
She’s such a
bitch.” Olivia shrugged. “Sorry, but she is.”

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” he
mumbled.

Olivia narrowed her eyes as she watched Stephanie walk away,
and then she glanced back to him. “What did you ever see in that piece of fluff
anyway?”

Wyatt chuckled. “I really don’t know anymore. But what’s
your problem with her?”

“She made me angry with a remark she made to Emma one day.”

“What did she say?”

“Something to the effect that Emma got
pregnant on purpose so Gabe would marry her.”

“That’s bullshit,” Wyatt growled.

“I agree and I told Stephanie Gabe married Emma because he
loved her.”

Wyatt laughed. “Well, not really, but he loves her now.”

“I think Gabe loved her, he just didn’t realize it.”

“I’m surprised you think that way.”

“What do you mean? Just because I had a rough childhood
doesn’t mean I don’t believe in love. I want that all-consuming love too. Like
Becca and Jake, Emma and Gabe, and Brody and Madilyn. I want to find that
kind.”

Wyatt stared at her. “You won’t find it with me.”

He watched as she glanced away from him, blinked her eyes
quickly, and then turned back to face him.

“You’re just a stop along the way, cowboy.”

He clenched his jaw as he stared at her, and then he nodded.
“Good. We’re on the same page.” He signaled for the waitress. “Are you ready to
get out of here or do you want dessert?”

“Nothing for me, but you
go
right
ahead.”

Wyatt grinned. “I’ll have dessert when we get to your
place.”

“No.”

“To my place?”

“You can have dessert alone at your place.”

“Olivia…” he growled.

“Just think how much sweeter it’ll be the next time.” Olivia
winked.

Wyatt stood and sighed.
“Fine.
Let’s go.”

He took her elbow in his hand and led her from the
restaurant without stopping to speak to Blake Taylor. He just wanted to get out
of there. They walked across the parking lot and Wyatt opened the truck door
but when she started to climb in, he pulled her to him and spun her around to
face him. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. When
she moaned, he slipped his tongue inside to taste her.
God!
She tasted so good.
Everywhere.
He
leaned into her, letting her feel how much he wanted her. Her arms encircled
his neck. He slid his hand down her side to the hem of her dress and moved his
hand under it. He lifted his lips from hers.

“You weren’t lying. There
is
only you under this dress,” he
groaned.

Olivia laughed low in her throat and ran her lips along his
whiskered jaw to his ear. “And you’re making me wet, Wyatt.”

He groaned. “Don’t tell me that shit. I want you, Olivia.”

“I want you too, but we’re going to go to our separate beds
tonight.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “Sure?”

“Yes.”

He blew out a breath and nodded. Once he helped her into the
truck, he strode around it and got in. Christ, she was killing him. Slowly but
surely, she was killing him. They rode to the B and B in silence. When he
stopped the truck at the back door, he got out and walked around to her side.
He opened the door and put his hand out to her. She placed her hand in his and
stepped out. She started toward the porch steps when he grasped her bicep in
his fingers and spun her to face him.