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She stretched on tiptoe to kiss him. Then she climbed into her vehicle.
“Be careful,” he said. “Be safe.”
“I will.”
He leaned in and kissed her again, then closed the door.
Sam watched her Escalade until it disappeared from sight. And wondered how in hell he was going to keep from worrying about her all damn night. Every night. Out there in Luckenbach. Alone. No one around. The ex out there somewhere.
Dammit.
He shouldn’t have let her go.
* * * * *
Sky felt ill at ease over having told Sam about Nashville—and seeing how upset it made him. Although he’d clearly tried to keep himself in check, she’d caught flashes of fury when she’d told him what had happened to her. Given the kind of man he was, it likely ate away at him.
But she also felt that telling him was the right thing to do. The way he kissed her and the sexual urges that raced through her were proof something significant—and sensual—existed between them. It wouldn’t be fair for him to not know her trauma. Especially since she thought about it sometimes and it made her body tense. She wouldn’t want him to think he’d done anything wrong or had hurt her if she inadvertently stiffened up on him while he was holding her or kissing her.
She knew he’d never do either. It was a solid affirmation in her mind. There was a distinct correlation between the way he treated abused horses and the way he treated her. He had a kind, gentle nature that drew her in. Made her trust him. And she knew she wasn’t mistaken or misled this time. She knew this wasn’t a case of leap first and figure out the rest later, as had been her pattern in the past.
The way she responded to his kisses and to his touch was innate and powerful. She had confidence in it. Sam made her toes curl, but he also soothed her soul. He was everything she’d ever wanted—and more.
She only wished she didn’t have all of this baggage. She hated the complication it created. Not only was she sick of being pursued by Mac, she worried about Sam getting involved.
As she paced her small living room, she contemplated his thoughts on her handing over the money to the sidewinder. Yes, she ran the risk of the con man thinking he could get more cash out of her. Especially if he racked up another gambling debt. If she caved this once, would he consider her weak enough to prey on her every time he needed to pay someone off?
Conversely, if she didn’t give Mac the sixty grand… He’d just keep calling her, wouldn’t he? He’d left five messages on her cell phone today, as usual. That demonstrated his tenacity. And he was being so clever about what he said—as though making sure his communication with her couldn’t be misconstrued as him trying to extort money.
The other eerie thought that rambled around in her brain was Sam’s suggestion that Mac was after more than just the cash.
An ominous tremor slithered through her at the thought of what he’d done to her in the studio, and how terrified she was of him doing it again.
Maybe, as they’d all suggested, she ought to stay at the inn, while there were rooms available.
But what if he tracked her down there? What if he wanted to break into her room and accidentally got the wrong one and hurt an innocent bystander? What if he caused some other sort of mayhem at the ranch?
Sky would never forgive herself.
Besides, if she caved and took a room, it would solidify in Reese’s mind that something much more dangerous than Sky had let on about had happened in Nashville. And giving Reese a bone always meant she’d chew on it until she reached the answer she wanted.
Sky couldn’t let that happen. Not this time. Not with this particular situation. There was absolutely no way Reese could learn about what had gone down with Mac Willet. They were best friends and sisters in arms, sure. But this wasn’t Reese’s fight—it was no one’s other than Sky’s. More than that, she honestly wouldn’t be able to look Reese in the eye if her best friend knew what had happened.
So staying in Luckenbach was the current answer to her problem. With a chair propped under the chrome knob on her front door and the windows locked, the curtains drawn. Her 9mm within reach.
Shitty way to live, but necessary for the time being.
Chapter Five
Luckily, Sky’s morning perked her up. Thursdays were busy days at the inn, what with last-minute preparations going on for the weekend celebrations that were scheduled. This particular weekend there was a wedding on Saturday and an anniversary party on Sunday, both being held on the event lawn.
Sky headed into work early to experiment with more pastries and see how they went over with the crowd hustling and bustling about. She wanted to add some variety to the complimentary breakfast bu
ffet that came with an overnight booking at the inn.
She baked cranberry-orange muffins, gooey cinnamon rolls, chocolate-chip scones and chocolate éclairs. Then she made the rounds, carrying a large tray full of her offerings around the inn and lawn, inviting people to sample the fare. She took a tray to the med facility for Caleb and his staff. Finally, she headed over to the stable and set a tray on a small table outside Sam’s office.
“I want honest opinions only,” she announced to his volunteers, along with Dalton and Al Wilbury, one of the many security guards who patrolled the ranch.
