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If he loved her, if she loved him, he should be a part of what she had going on. She wanted to tell him everything, to believe he really could see beyond his past, beyond Lara Wright, to her. She thought of being on that plane, so sick she thought she’d been dying, and how Blake had held her, how he’d whispered she was beautiful when she’d been a wreck, how amazing she was when she’d felt things were out of control.
Darla scanned the agenda, trying to figure out where Blake would be right now, and it looked like he was doing an opening ceremony at eight. That meant he’d be downstairs, already working. Damn. She was going to go all day with this need to talk to him burning inside her.
Hoping to get lucky, she dialed room 1212. Blake didn’t answer. She found her cell phone and called him. He answered on the second ring. “Darla—”
“Blake.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m here. In my room.”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Listen, I really need to talk to you and I know you’re busy and I can’t, we can’t, but—”
“We will. I promise. My father is with me. Come meet him.” Someone said something in the background. “He says he’ll take care of you during the opening ceremonies while I film, and tell you all my dirty little secrets.”
Secrets. She swallowed hard. “I’ll be right down.”
He told her the location and then softened his voice. “I mean it, Darla. I’m really glad you’re here.” And then the line went dead.
* * *
DARLA EXITED THE ELEVATOR and headed toward the busy entrance to the Mountainscape Entertainment Center, which was basically an indoor amusement park and the place where today’s rodeo events were being held.
Her heart pounded in her chest as Blake and his father, Nick Nelson, came into view. Their resemblance to one another was obvious. In fact, they were so remarkably alike—both tall, lean and good-looking, both in jeans and their event T-shirts—that it was quite something. And if Blake’s father was a testament to how Blake was going to age, Darla wasn’t complaining. The man was in great physical shape and wore his gray hair and wrinkles with charm and appeal one couldn’t help but admire. But it was Blake she focused on, Blake who stole her breath with his dark good looks. Blake who made her heart squeeze and her body ache. Blake who she loved with all of her heart.
In an instant, the two men spotted her. She opened her mouth to greet Blake’s father, when Blake pulled her close and kissed her solidly on the lips. He released her and said, “Good morning!”
Her hand sizzled where it rested on his chest. “Good morning.”
Nick cleared his throat. “That’s certainly a good way to wake up if I ever saw one.”
Darla blushed and Blake slid his arm over her shoulder so she could face his father. “Darla, meet my father, Nick Nelson.”
Darla smiled and accepted his hand. “Any woman who can wrangle this bullheaded man here is someone I want to spend some time with. And I hear you can ride a mechanical bull.”
Darla’s cheeks heated at the innuendo—by Blake’s father, of all people. “I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting day.”
Blake snorted. “You have no idea.” Someone called his name from behind. “Gotta run.” He pointed at his father. “Behave.” He glanced at Darla. “And don’t believe anything he says.”
* * *
DARLA SAT IN THE BLEACHERS while clowns entertained the crowd and Blake’s father entertained her with truly hilarious Blake stories.
“He can’t ride the mechanical bull, you know.”
“Really? He told me he could.”
“You don’t see him on the agenda to ride today, now, do you?”
“Actually, I don’t,” she said. “I just assumed he was busy.”
Nick snorted. “His mother rides better than him, though that isn’t really a good comparison. His mother is pretty damn good. I wish she could have been here today, but her and her sister are doing a girls’ weekend. She does a lot of charity work.”
“What kind of charities?”
“She’s big into animal rescue.”
“My parents are, as well. They have a shelter at their ranch in Colorado. That’s actually the charity I want to ride for today.”
“Well, isn’t that something,” he said. “You know, we’re looking for a place big enough to house some retired rodeo animals until I can find a permanent location. Your parents have any room at their place? There would be a generous donation to the charity, of course.”
Darla swallowed hard. “They have the ranch up for sale right now. So yes, they have room, but I think it would be a month or so before they decide if they are staying or not.”
He gave her a keen, way too intelligent look. “So it’s for sale or it’s not for sale?”
“Where’s Darla?” Blake said over the microphone.
