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“Even if it means you lose everything? Will sacrificing your home ease your conscience about not being able to protect Haggerty? Is it some sort of penance you feel you must pay?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” His tone was short and clipped.
Her eyes widened, but she didn’t say a word.
The fact that she’d gotten so close to the truth shook him. How had she figured him out in such a short amount of time? It was almost as if she could read his mind. He didn’t know if this special sort of bond they shared made any of this better or worse. He was becoming increasingly confused with each passing moment.
She’d turned to her horse when Cord reached out, grabbing her hand and pulling her back to him. The pain in her eyes bore clear through to his soul with such force that it knocked the breath from his lungs.
Her lips pursed together as though she held back something. A silent moment passed before she uttered, “I didn’t come out here to fight with you.”
“What was the reason?”
“I wanted a chan
ce to be with you and see this land through your eyes. Never mind, it doesn’t matter now. You’re too stubborn to listen to reason.” With a huff, she turned back to Blaze.
Cord longed to believe her. The glimpse of her tender, caring side had only increased his attraction to her. Was she being honest with him? He’d been lied to before by a woman who’d professed to love him forever. He didn’t exactly trust his own judgment these days when it came to women.
Was it possible Lexi was a dutiful daughter stuck in an impossible situation? Nothing more?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Two days later, the shower pulsated off Alexis’s sore muscles, muscles she’d abused by leaning over the little desk in her motel room for far, far too long. She’d endeavored to find a solution that would make everyone happy. The hot water soothed her stiffness. For all of her efforts, she still hadn’t come up with an all-encompassing solution.
It didn’t help that Cord’s sexy image kept filling her mind. Every time she recalled the kiss they’d shared at the canyon and the way his fingers had brushed over her bare skin, it sent her heart racing. The steam from the shower swirled around as the memories of Cord crowded in. She groaned in frustration. Why did she have to meet him now when her life was so complicated?
She considered the idea of giving up the fight and letting herself fall head over heels for this rugged cowboy. Drawn to the thought like a cat to milk, she toyed with the thought of how to make it work. What would a cowboy do in a big city? Modeling work. He was cute enough. Most definitely. But a man used to working the land would be miserable in front of the camera. And how could she move to New Mexico and leave her sick father when he needed her most? The answer was, she couldn’t—she wouldn’t.
So what did that leave for her and Cord? A long-distance relationship? Alexis’s nose scrunched up. She’d been there and done that. The results had been disastrous for her heart. Even though Cord wasn’t anything like Steven, she still wasn’t going to set herself up to be hurt again. No matter how much she liked him—dare she admit it, cared for him—they didn’t have a chance of making this thing between them work.
The chime of classical music sounded from her phone on the edge of the sink. She hurried to rinse off and get dressed. After running a brush through her wet hair, she called her father back.
“Hi. What do you need?”
“Did you get the sales agreement signed?”
Not a Hi. How are you? or even a Good morning. Instead, her father was already talking business. But then again, he had no idea how much this deal was costing her and how her heart was being torn in half. And there was no way she was going to explain it to him. She could only imagine how it’d make his blood pressure spike.
She sighed. “I’m getting ready right now to head out to the Brazen H.”
“Quit stalling.” His voice took on an agitated tone. “You should have had his signature days ago. What is going on out there?”
“I went horseback riding the other day,” she said, still pleased with herself for getting back in the saddle.
“You what? You aren’t out there for a vacation. And you certainly don’t need to be taking foolish risks when there’s a huge deal in the works. What’s that man up to? Is he wining and dining you, hoping to get a better offer?”
“Cord isn’t like that.” She wasn’t going to let her father tarnish her accomplishment. “Aren’t you even pleased that I got back on a horse again?”
“Alexis, I never thought of you as a coward. You’re a strong, intelligent woman who can do whatever you set your mind to, even if it includes horseback riding.”
This was her opening, a chance to ask a question that had lain dormant for years. “Then why did you sell Black Beauty?”
“I don’t want to discuss that horse. We settled this years ago.”
“We never settled anything. You announced he was sold, but you refused to talk about it.”
Her father sighed. “You aren’t going to let this subject drop, are you? You have that determined tone to your voice.”
