[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
shut the hell up about it but still she continued to press on. She didn t seem to get that each time she
brought it up, every time she mentioned his name, the pain deepened. Gripping the railing with his
outstretched hands, he bent at the waist and stared into the wooden slabs between his feet.
Two weeks had passed since Brett had walked away, two long, painful weeks. About as long as their
brief relationship had actually lasted, Cade noted. He d expected Brett to freak out at some point. He just
hadn t expected it so soon.
Remembering the rage and disgust that had spilled from Brett s dark eyes that night, Cade felt his face
contort in pain. As he d stood there, facing Brett s anger, he d known he d lost. There was nothing he could
say or do to dispel that kind of resentment, that kind of hatred. When Brett said he was done, he was done
and Cade couldn t summon the strength to fight any more.
Over the last two weeks he d realized this was the first time he d felt this kind of hurt. He d never
really done serious relationships. There d never been anyone who d held his interest long enough. But
Brett sure he d always felt stirrings of lust toward the guy, but he hadn t realized his feelings went much
deeper than that. He could see it now, he could feel it now. He loved Brett Miller, plain and simple. And he
couldn t stay here when he felt like this, not when he had to face Brett every day while he tried to do his
work.
His throat tightened and he swallowed thickly. For a second there he d believed they had a chance.
When Brett had surrendered the way he had Cade s heart had taken a giant leap. He d been sure for so long
that Brett was a no-go, off-limits when it came to sex. In one night Brett had dispelled that belief as he d
allowed Cade to undress him and make love to him the way no woman could. And then a couple of weeks
later Brett had ripped the hope away, taking it with him as he d disappeared into the dark.
Bastard, Cade thought to himself, squeezing the wooden railing with his hands and feeling a splinter
pierce his skin. Son of a goddamn bitch.
Along with the pain had come a boatload of rage that bubbled to the surface at various intervals
throughout the days. He kept a tight leash on it. It wouldn t be fair to Jimmy or the two boys to let his anger
spill over into his work. And it wasn t like he could let loose at Brett. In the two weeks that had trundled by
not a word had passed between them. As a matter of fact, they d barely seen each other. Cade couldn t
blame the distance on Brett. Before, it had been Brett who d done the avoiding. Now not only was Brett
avoiding Cade, but Cade was avoiding Brett right back. The thought of facing him made Cade sick to his
stomach. He couldn t do it. He didn t have the energy.
130 www.samhainpublishing.com
Coming Home
As soon as he got back to New York he d have his lawyers draw up the papers to sell his half of the
ranch. If he wasn t here, he wasn t keeping it. There was no point in hanging onto something he couldn t
have.
A coyote howled in the distance and he lifted his head. A sudden desperation to get out of the house
flooded him and he turned to head back into the kitchen. He d take a drive around Steeplecrest, say
goodbye to the old spots he hadn t taken the chance to re-explore since getting back.
Grabbing the keys from the hall table, he jogged down to the car and pulled open the door. Three
months in town and he was still driving a rental. He grimaced as he turned the key in the ignition. He
hadn t wanted to tempt fate by buying a car. Now he could see that it sure as hell wouldn t have made a
difference.
***
Rick hadn t said anything to anyone. It had taken two weeks for Brett to believe that, but now he
could finally breathe again. The guys were all acting the same as ever around him and from what Mitch had
told him that morning, Rick had left town on Monday. He was safe. No one would ever know. He could go
back to normal. So could Cade. They d be able to work with each other again. Just work. Sex would only
complicate things and Brett couldn t bring himself to go there again.
As he brushed down one of the horses he realized he felt like himself again. He wasn t fully there. He
sure as hell wasn t happy. But he felt like Brett Miller and that s all that mattered.
He was walking the horse back into her stall when Jimmy s voice reached his ears. He was spouting
curses beneath his breath as he stamped into the stables.
What s this about Cade? he demanded, scowling at Brett.
Brett stepped out of the stall and closed the door. What about him?
What about him? Jimmy said as if Brett should know the answer. He s going back to New York
tomorrow. Not coming back. That s what about him .
Tomorrow? Brett repeated the word out loud and then said it twice more in his mind. Cade was
leaving tomorrow, jetting off to New York with no plan to come back. Giving his head a quick shake, Brett
waited, but it refused to sink in.
He turned from the stall and looked at Jimmy. You sure about that? he asked, narrowing his eyes.
There had to be some kind of mistake. Cade s stubborn ass wouldn t give up this easily. He wouldn t hand
over the ranch without putting up a fight.
But the old man was nodding as he leaned against the stable door. He told me himself. Holding his
hat to his head, Jimmy frowned. He didn t say anything to you?
Brett stiffened and for a moment he couldn t speak. Uh, no, he grunted eventually, striding past
Jimmy into the yard.
www.samhainpublishing.com 131
Ava Rose Johnson
I gotta say I m surprised, Jimmy continued and Brett grimaced as he realized the old man wasn t
about to let the subject drop. He s always been a decent kid. Didn t think he had it in him to leave us in a
rut like this.
The urge to defend Cade swept through Brett and he gritted his teeth. He didn t owe the guy shit, not
after what he d pulled him into. We managed before, he said instead, keeping his tone neutral. We can
do it again.
Yeah, we managed. But the horses are in love with that kid, every goddamn one of em. Jimmy
heaved a sigh, his anger replaced with disappointment. I don t want to let Paul anywhere near Marci. He s
weak enough with the horses as it is, but with Marci he d wet his pants.
We ll figure something out.
We better. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl fopke.keep.pl
shut the hell up about it but still she continued to press on. She didn t seem to get that each time she
brought it up, every time she mentioned his name, the pain deepened. Gripping the railing with his
outstretched hands, he bent at the waist and stared into the wooden slabs between his feet.
Two weeks had passed since Brett had walked away, two long, painful weeks. About as long as their
brief relationship had actually lasted, Cade noted. He d expected Brett to freak out at some point. He just
hadn t expected it so soon.
Remembering the rage and disgust that had spilled from Brett s dark eyes that night, Cade felt his face
contort in pain. As he d stood there, facing Brett s anger, he d known he d lost. There was nothing he could
say or do to dispel that kind of resentment, that kind of hatred. When Brett said he was done, he was done
and Cade couldn t summon the strength to fight any more.
Over the last two weeks he d realized this was the first time he d felt this kind of hurt. He d never
really done serious relationships. There d never been anyone who d held his interest long enough. But
Brett sure he d always felt stirrings of lust toward the guy, but he hadn t realized his feelings went much
deeper than that. He could see it now, he could feel it now. He loved Brett Miller, plain and simple. And he
couldn t stay here when he felt like this, not when he had to face Brett every day while he tried to do his
work.
His throat tightened and he swallowed thickly. For a second there he d believed they had a chance.
When Brett had surrendered the way he had Cade s heart had taken a giant leap. He d been sure for so long
that Brett was a no-go, off-limits when it came to sex. In one night Brett had dispelled that belief as he d
allowed Cade to undress him and make love to him the way no woman could. And then a couple of weeks
later Brett had ripped the hope away, taking it with him as he d disappeared into the dark.
Bastard, Cade thought to himself, squeezing the wooden railing with his hands and feeling a splinter
pierce his skin. Son of a goddamn bitch.
Along with the pain had come a boatload of rage that bubbled to the surface at various intervals
throughout the days. He kept a tight leash on it. It wouldn t be fair to Jimmy or the two boys to let his anger
spill over into his work. And it wasn t like he could let loose at Brett. In the two weeks that had trundled by
not a word had passed between them. As a matter of fact, they d barely seen each other. Cade couldn t
blame the distance on Brett. Before, it had been Brett who d done the avoiding. Now not only was Brett
avoiding Cade, but Cade was avoiding Brett right back. The thought of facing him made Cade sick to his
stomach. He couldn t do it. He didn t have the energy.
130 www.samhainpublishing.com
Coming Home
As soon as he got back to New York he d have his lawyers draw up the papers to sell his half of the
ranch. If he wasn t here, he wasn t keeping it. There was no point in hanging onto something he couldn t
have.
A coyote howled in the distance and he lifted his head. A sudden desperation to get out of the house
flooded him and he turned to head back into the kitchen. He d take a drive around Steeplecrest, say
goodbye to the old spots he hadn t taken the chance to re-explore since getting back.
Grabbing the keys from the hall table, he jogged down to the car and pulled open the door. Three
months in town and he was still driving a rental. He grimaced as he turned the key in the ignition. He
hadn t wanted to tempt fate by buying a car. Now he could see that it sure as hell wouldn t have made a
difference.
***
Rick hadn t said anything to anyone. It had taken two weeks for Brett to believe that, but now he
could finally breathe again. The guys were all acting the same as ever around him and from what Mitch had
told him that morning, Rick had left town on Monday. He was safe. No one would ever know. He could go
back to normal. So could Cade. They d be able to work with each other again. Just work. Sex would only
complicate things and Brett couldn t bring himself to go there again.
As he brushed down one of the horses he realized he felt like himself again. He wasn t fully there. He
sure as hell wasn t happy. But he felt like Brett Miller and that s all that mattered.
He was walking the horse back into her stall when Jimmy s voice reached his ears. He was spouting
curses beneath his breath as he stamped into the stables.
What s this about Cade? he demanded, scowling at Brett.
Brett stepped out of the stall and closed the door. What about him?
What about him? Jimmy said as if Brett should know the answer. He s going back to New York
tomorrow. Not coming back. That s what about him .
Tomorrow? Brett repeated the word out loud and then said it twice more in his mind. Cade was
leaving tomorrow, jetting off to New York with no plan to come back. Giving his head a quick shake, Brett
waited, but it refused to sink in.
He turned from the stall and looked at Jimmy. You sure about that? he asked, narrowing his eyes.
There had to be some kind of mistake. Cade s stubborn ass wouldn t give up this easily. He wouldn t hand
over the ranch without putting up a fight.
But the old man was nodding as he leaned against the stable door. He told me himself. Holding his
hat to his head, Jimmy frowned. He didn t say anything to you?
Brett stiffened and for a moment he couldn t speak. Uh, no, he grunted eventually, striding past
Jimmy into the yard.
www.samhainpublishing.com 131
Ava Rose Johnson
I gotta say I m surprised, Jimmy continued and Brett grimaced as he realized the old man wasn t
about to let the subject drop. He s always been a decent kid. Didn t think he had it in him to leave us in a
rut like this.
The urge to defend Cade swept through Brett and he gritted his teeth. He didn t owe the guy shit, not
after what he d pulled him into. We managed before, he said instead, keeping his tone neutral. We can
do it again.
Yeah, we managed. But the horses are in love with that kid, every goddamn one of em. Jimmy
heaved a sigh, his anger replaced with disappointment. I don t want to let Paul anywhere near Marci. He s
weak enough with the horses as it is, but with Marci he d wet his pants.
We ll figure something out.
We better. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]