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“What would you say if I told you my investors want to preserve as much of the ghost town as possible?”
“I’d say I’m still opposed to you buying the land.” He just couldn’t bring himself to tell her the whole truth—that cowboying was all he was cut out to do.
“Is it really your heritage that you’re fighting for?” Her narrow gaze poked at him.
He glanced away. “What else would it be?”
“I just thought…oh, never mind.” She shook her head in frustration. “Let me help you with the dinner dishes—”
“I’ve got it. Just go.” Realizing the gruffness of his voice, he attempted a friendlier tone. “Go get some rest. I’m fine here.”
She walked away, leaving an overwhelming loneliness to sweep over him. They’d reached a stalemate, and both had too much riding on the deal to back down. And once again, he was alone. The story of his life.
The whole time he scrubbed at the dishes with unnecessary vigor, he rolled around everything he’d learned that evening. He tried to ignore how much he’d enjoyed sharing a meal with her and the way she’d smiled at him. Instead, he focused on her intention to make his family’s land a playground for those with enough money to visit an exclusive resort. How in the world was he going to stop her? And keep his home—his refuge?
CHAPTER TWELVE
What in the world had she been thinking?
Obviously, she hadn’t been, at least not clearly. Alexis paced around the living room. The evening had started so well. Cord could be kind and considerate. And that kiss, where had it come from? And what in the world had it meant?
Maybe her rising desire to kiss him back—her curiosity to see where things would go if they’d quit dancing around each other—had her retreating behind the safety of her business persona. She just couldn’t let him get too close. She knew all too well what happened when she got too close to people—they let her down.
First, her mother abandoning he
r and then her fiancé using her as a stepping stone to further his career. She highly doubted that Steven had ever cared about her. He’d cared only about what doors she could open for him. Once she’d accomplished that, he’d forgotten her like yesterday’s sports page.
But that didn’t mean she had to wage war every time she was alone with Cord. It wasn’t like either of them was going to let things go beyond a kiss. And right about now, she was certain he wasn’t any too eager for a repeat—not after she’d detailed her plans for Haggerty.
Still, she should apologize for ruining his dinner. She’d step into the kitchen, say her piece and slip away. She leveled her shoulders, mentally rehearsed her apology, and started for the kitchen. She’d just about reached the door when it swung open. She stumbled back to avoid getting hit by it.
Cord’s eyes opened wide when he noticed her. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were there.”
“I…um…it’s okay.” Her stomach quivered with nerves.
“Do you need something?”
She backtracked into the living room while searching for the right words. Why was she making such a big deal of this? She crossed her arms and turned to him. “Actually, there is something I want—”
“You’re cold. I’ll start a fire. The evenings get rather chilly now that it’s getting late in the year.”
Cord’s back was to her as he stepped up to the stone fireplace. Normally, she’d wait until he straightened and faced her, but perhaps this would be easier. She settled on the couch. Her gaze never left him as the well-defined muscles of his arms flexed while he placed logs on the grate.
Why did everything have to be so complicated? In another set of circumstances, she’d be snug in his very capable arms, and they’d be repeating that delicious kiss over and over again. She stifled a frustrated groan. She had to stop these thoughts. Absolutely nothing was going to happen while she was here alone with this sexy cowboy. Absolutely nothing.
“There’s a throw on the back of the couch that you can use until the fire warms the room.” Cord struck a match.
It wasn’t the throw she wanted wrapped around her. Realizing her fantasy wasn’t going to become reality, she doused the heated thoughts.
She still owed him an apology. Best to get it over with so that they could move on. “I’m sorry about how dinner ended. I didn’t mean to ruin it, especially after you’ve gone out of your way for me.”
“You didn’t ruin anything. I shouldn’t have let it get to me—you know, your plans for the land. I know you have good intentions. Maybe we can just agree to disagree about that issue.”
“I think that might be doable…at least for tonight.” He impressed her with his ability to be a gentleman about the incident. “By the way, the meal, it was a really good. You’re excellent in the kitchen.”
His brows rose. “You’re just saying that—”
“No, I’m not. You can cook for me any time you want.” There was a part of her that hoped he would invite her to dinner again. Not that it was realistic, but a girl was allowed to indulge in a fantasy every now and then.
