“You really want to do this?”Telford asked as he pulled up next to several parked trucks at the indicated GPS coordinates.
“It will be fun,” she said sunnily, shaking off her introspective mood.
She popped out of the truck before he’d cut the engine.
She already wore a beanie and had wrapped a scarf around her neck.It was cashmere, a rare indulgence she’d picked up in Paris one year, arguing to herself that the taupe color meant it would go with everything.She kept it in a sealed bag with cedar balls to preserve it when she wasn’t wearing it.Now she had a cashmere sweater that was a rich rust color—still sort of neutral, she’d defended to herself, but Telford had bought that for her.Along with a teal blue cashmere sweater.
The warning to not get too comfortable was slow to kick in this morning.
“We’re both competitive.You’re a city boy now having a friendly competition with rancher cowboys.Time for you to pony up and show them what you got.”
“We got.It’s a team thing.”Telford left the truck with a lot more reluctance than she had, but perhaps he hadn’t been trying to outrun his thoughts.
“You and Cam were a team,” she reminded him.She grinned and stuck her fingers in her cheeks like she had dimples, like she’d seen in some photos of Cam.“Fine.We’ll show these Montana boys what we got.”
She amped up her sunny smile and pulled her phone out of her jeans pocket and started videoing him.“Stop stalling.Life-or-death survival-or-perish wedding party competition.Take one.”
He paused in his fluid walk toward her.His ocean gaze searched her face, and it was hard to swallow.Then he took out his shades and put them on and looked so much like an action star that her heart thumped a little, remembering their night together.
Maybe she really did need her head examined.The Family had always thought her flawed, but she’d rejected their assessment.Ironic as hell if they’d been right all along and even in a situation that was the complete opposite, offering her almost every freedom imaginable, and a man who didn’t beat, boss, or demean her to get what he wanted, and she still couldn’t submit.
Ugh.She hated that word.She’d worked hard to strike it from her mental vocabulary, but then it popped up again, a taunting, psychological whack-a-mole.
He closed the distance between them, and her mouth dried while her stupid thoughts raced.
“We don’t have to do this, Ayana.I could be a jerk and remind you that you accepted the barely dawn madness on our behalf.I had different plans for our morning.”His voice deepened, and the look in his eyes made it clear that his plans had included more body-melting sex.
“I-I thought it would be a good idea—ultimately,” she stammered, feeling herself blushing though this man had all but dined on all of her last night.“Even if it doesn’t seem like such a genius move now.”
She could hear voices—male, female—and the breeze kicked up.“You’ve run from your past long enough.This is a chance to face it.Get to know your blood.”
“I didn’t run”—he reached out and stroked a finger along her cheek—“as much as I’d made no effort to open a door I’d thought had been sealed shut by others.”
He stepped into her, his chest nearly bumping hers.“But if you want to talk about running…”
“I don’t.”
“You’re safe with me, Ayana.”
“I know.”Defensiveness raised her voice.“But I can take care of myself.”
“I know.But you don’t always have to on your own.Team.”He tossed her word back at her.
She felt utterly exposed.Could she be on a team?Learn to let go and trust?
“Teamwork is why we’re here.Why Cash arranged this whole… whatever it is… pre-wedding obstacle course or whatever challenge.He said it’s a couples thing.A family thing.There was no description of it online at his private wedding site.”
Telford and his research.His scrutiny shifted to the activities, and her breath whooshed in relief.
The breeze kicked up, colder now as if pushing them toward the circle within the trees about fifty yards ahead.
“Oh.I nearly forgot.”She pulled out the beanie she’d made for him over the past couple of days.She’d added felt inside for more warmth and softness, as she’d noticed that he preferred natural fabrics and seemed sensitive about textures.
He took the beanie.Ran it through his fingers.It was a deep, smoky blue lined with a black fabric that was soft.She hadn’t made him anything yet though she had made a couple of vests with fringe that she’d dropped off at the western wear store.
“Thank you.”He put it on.“It’s warm and smells like you.”
“Dynamite color for your eyes,” she said.“Don’t forget your gloves.”
