She drew in her breath as if trying to gain control of herself and unclenched her fists then grabbed her chemise and drawers from the floor where they’d dropped in their urgency to touch each other. Her movements were quick and jerky. “You didn’t have to tell me at all. I probably never would have known.” She backed out of the doorway to the bedroom until he couldn’t see her anymore. “The lie and your profession isn’t all of it, is it?” Her disembodied voice came from beyond the bedroom. He could hear the quilt drop to the floor and the rustling of clothing as she donned her undergarments.
Oh, he hated hearing the hurt and anger in her husky voice, knowing he had done that. If she reacted this way to the truth, how would she react to the rest of it? He stared at the doorway, waiting for her. “No.”
A moment later, she appeared, clad in her lace-edged drawers and short chemise, her hands on her hips. “What else? What aren’t you telling me?”
His gaze rose to meet hers. “There is a strong possibility Erik King might find me and show up here to get back what I won from him or?—”
She didn’t let him finish. “What?” She trembled as she stood before him. He could see it. Hell, he could feel it even though he wasn’t touching her, and his heart squeezed a little more. “This man, this Erik King, could come here—” Her mouth snapped shut as the consequences of his actions seemed to become clear to her.
He rose from the bed, wrapped the sheet around himself, and approached her warily. He wanted to touch her, draw her into his arms and hold her, but didn’t dare. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” she whispered, incredulity in her voice.
To his ears, it was as if she shouted. The impact to his heart was the same.
“For what? For lying to me? For making me fall in love with you? Or for bringing danger here?” She drew in her breath, her chest heaving with the effort as she stared at him, her eyes glittering with hurt and betrayal. And so much anger.
She squeezed past him and grabbed her skirt and blouses from the floor, then turned to him once more in all her righteous glory. “How could you say you love me, then tell me you may have put my whole family in jeopardy? How could you?”
He shook his head. He had no answers that would satisfy himself, much less her. Truthfully, he should never have lied to her, even if it was a lie of omission. Hell, he should never have come here, knowing what kind of man King was.
“I think you should go.” She stood there, staring at him, her clothes dangling from her hands. “I think you should leave before this…this Erik King finds out where you are.”
“Iamsorry, Evie.”
She glared at him for a moment longer. “You should be.” She turned and strode away, grabbing her boots from the kitchen as she did.
The door to the little house slammed with a bang, the sound very much like his heart breaking.
I fell in love with a gambler!
She wiped the tears from her eyes and finished dressing quickly on the porch, then leftPequeña Casa, running back to the homestead as fast as her feet could carry her. She stopped at the gate and wiped her face again, then took several deep breaths to still her thundering heart.
She passed through the gate, closing it behind her then cautiously made her way between the barn and the bunkhouse, careful to avoid being seen by any of the ranch hands just beginning their day. When everyone had left the barnyard, she slipped into the barn and headed up the central aisle where Spitfire waited in her stall.
She didn’t want to be here when Jake eventually came back. She didn’t want to see him, and yet, she did. She wasn’t done telling him what she thought about him. Yes, she did love him, more than she thought possible. She could have dealt with the fact he was a gambler, could have gotten over the real reason Jake came to Montaña del Trueno, but putting her family in danger…no, that was something she just couldn’t accept. Or forgive.
“There’s nothing worse than an old fool, Spitfire.”
Spitfire nodded as she reached out to smooth her fingers over the horse’s nose.
She swiped at her face one more time, then grabbed her equipment from the tack room and began to saddle her horse. Her fingers were clumsy, and tears continued to blur her vision. She hated crying, hated this feeling of weakness, of betrayal. Worse, she loathed the fact that she had allowed herself to fall for him to begin with. All these years, she’d fought to be strong, independent, and confident, and here, one man had reduced her to a blubbering idiot.
“Ah, there you are!” Teddy entered the barn and strolled down the aisle. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” He laughedsoftly. “I must be losing what’s left of my mind because I thought I checked in here.”
Evie stiffened as she tightened the cinches on Spitfire’s saddle but didn’t turn around. The last person she wanted to see at this moment was Teddy. Her nephew would take one look at her and see…that she’d been a fool, perhaps the biggest fool in the history of the world. She cleared her throat and fought to fight the constriction making it difficult to draw air into her lungs. “Why were you looking for me? Are the children all right?”
“The children are fine. I was getting concerned though, especially when you didn’t come down for breakfast. You’re usually the first one up…well, you and Hilde.” He came a little closer. “So, where were you?”
“I went for a walk.” Her voice cracked. If she heard it, then most certainly he did as well.
“Before the sun came up?” He took a few more steps toward her and she turned away to avoid meeting his eyes. “Jake seems to be missing as well.” He looked at her. “You were with him, weren’t you?”
“That’s none of your business, Teddy. My life is my life, and you have no right to interfere.” She took a big gulping breath, trying so hard to keep her composure, to keep from bursting into tears, but she failed, and the sound that issued from her throat was something she’d never heard before.
“TiaEvie? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” The tone of his voice changed, becoming deeper, harsher, and filled with suspicion. “Did he hurt you?”
“I…I can’t talk about this.” With quick movements, Evie climbed into the saddle and rode from the barn.
