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“This area is so different from the East Coast.” She really enjoyed the beauty of the Southwest, from the wide-open spaces to Roca Mountain standing tall in the distance.
Cord cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t be able to make the comparison since I’ve never stepped foot outside this state.”
“Doesn’t it bother you to miss an opportunity to explore the States—heck, the world?”
“New Mexico has everything I need. Can’t imagine I’ve missed too much.”
“If you ever make it to New York City, I’ll give you the grand tour.” She wished he’d take her up on the invitation, but in her gut, she knew he wouldn’t leave his little piece of heaven for any reason—her included.
If it meant seeing more of Lexi, he was tempted. “I just might take you up on the offer.”
She flashed him a bright smile. “Do you spend much time outdoors?”
His lips lifted at the corners and his eyes reflected his amusement. “I’m a rancher. What do you think?”
“Oops.” She couldn’t help but laugh at how that question must have sounded to him. “I meant, do you do much riding or hiking?”
His smile faded. “Not nearly as much as I’d like. But when I was a kid, my mother rarely knew where I was until dinnertime. When she’d ring that dinner bell, I’d come running.”
“A dinner bell?”
“It used to hang by the steps on the porch. My mother got lots of use out of it.”
Alexis grinned and shook her head.
“What’s so amusing?”
“Just imagining you as a young Indiana Jones setting off on an adventure in the desert, seeking out treasure.”
“Not treasure. More like horned toads and tarantulas.”
“Yuck!”
This time he chuckled, and the hearty sound melted over her. This was the part of Cord that made her job here so hard. She really, really liked him. And everything about their relationship was one complication after another. Don’t go there. Just enjoy this time together.
“My mother used the exact same word right before she ordered me outside with my newfound friends.”
“Boys. You all seem to like anything creepy and crawly.” She scrunched her face up into a disgusted look and gave a little shake.
His lips spread into a full smile. The simple gesture tugged at her heartstrings. She couldn’t afford to lower her defenses with him. She was already more personally involved with him than she ought to be. If she weren’t careful, he’d undo all of her carefully constructed barriers.
She had to steer the conversation in a less personal direction. “This definitely isn’t an easy place to reach. Are we close to the ghost town?”
“Not really. Although this is still part of the Brazen H.”
She’d seen the Brazen H marked out on a map, but she hadn’t comprehended its true size until she’d visited the ghost town. The ever-increasing rocky terrain and towering cliff enthralled her.
What surprised her most was how much she enjoyed the tranquility. Out here, there was nothing but sunshine, fresh air, and peace. She didn’t even have to reach for her cell phone to know there wasn’t a signal out here, and strangely enough, that didn’t bother her in the least.
This time it was Cord who broke the silence. “When my grandfather was alive, he’d take time to teach me all sorts of things about life and nature.”
“Those must be very special memories.”
“They are the reason I wish you’d give up on your plan to destroy my family’s land.”
She clamped off the groan in the back of her throat and swallowed hard. “I don’t want to destroy anything. In fact, I’d like to preserve as much of the surrounding landscape as possible.”
“Why can’t you build your resort somewhere else?”
