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“You love it here,” she finally said as they trudged through the warm sand and up the steps to his deck.
“It’s peaceful.” One black
eyebrow cocked. “Though some people have the impression that I live in a pressure cooker—that my life in Southern California has to be hectic.”
“Okay, okay,” she said, laughing and holding up her palms. “I’m guilty.”
His arms circled her waist and he kissed her eyelids. “Guilty and beautiful,” he whispered. His lips promised so much more.
The phone rang. “Go ’way,” Denver growled.
The ring seemed more shrill the second time.
“You’d better answer it,” Tessa said, pushing him away. “It might be Colton.” Or Mitch—or Dad.
Grumbling, Denver threw open the French doors, crossed the room and picked up the living room extension by the fourth ring.
Tessa strolled to the far end of the deck and placed her palms against the railing as she stared for one last moment at the sea. Salt air pushed her hair from her face and she breathed deeply of the tangy air.
Her flight back to Montana left in three hours.
“Second thoughts?” Denver asked as he reached her. From behind, he wrapped his arms around her waist and balanced his chin on her crown.
“Second and third and fourth and so on,” she admitted.
“California’s not so bad, is it?”
“It’s wonderful.” As long as I’m with you.
“You could stay longer.”
Torn, she shook her head. “I have to go back. Everything I’ve ever worked for is there.” She smiled wistfully. “But you could come with me.”
He sighed, his breath stirring her hair. “Not for a while. That was my partner on the phone. He needs help on a project that’s hit some snags. And then there’s Colton.”
“You really think he’ll call you here?”
“I don’t know.”
“It’s been so long,” she pointed out before she wondered if waiting for Colton was just an excuse for him to stay. “If he really wanted to find you, he could. My guess is that he doesn’t.”
“Probably,” Denver whispered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the sea. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned her, forced her to look in his eyes. “I’ll fly back to Montana next week—then we can settle everything.”
Her lungs constricted. “Such as?”
“You still want to buy the ranch, don’t you?” he asked and her spirits dropped. “I’ll call Ross and tell him to find some way for me to sell my part of the ranch to you.”
“I thought you couldn’t do that without Colton’s consent.”
Denver frowned. “There’s got to be some provision—some loophole. Ross is a lawyer. It’s up to him to figure it out. That’s what he gets paid to do.”
“Of course,” she said sadly. “Well, I guess I’d better make sure I’ve packed everything,” she said, her heart sinking at the thought of leaving.
“Or you could stay,” he invited, leisurely tracing the column of her throat.
She shuddered, torn. All she’d ever wanted was Denver—on any terms. But now she realized he’d have to meet her halfway. One-sided love always died.
“No, Denver,” she finally said, meeting his gaze dry-eyed, though the prospect of separating from him loomed dark in her horizon. “I have to go back.”
