Should've Been a Cowboy

“What event?” Tyler had a feeling that Morgan had neglected to mention several important items during the drive from the Jackson airport. Tyler couldn’t blame her, though. Morgan had spent the drive talking about her plans for the baby’s room, assuming it was completed in time for Morgan to add the decorating touches she had in mind.

“I’ve set up an open house,” Alex said. “I’ve had to operate under some tight time constraints, but I wanted to catch people at the beginning of the summer with the idea that if it goes well, we can do it again in August.”

“It will go well,” Sarah said. “We’ve invited everybody who might be a candidate for buying one of the Last Chance paints, and we should have a good turnout because June is when the summer tourist season gets rolling. We’ll have tours of the barn, cutting-horse demonstrations, plenty of food—”

“Sounds great,” Tyler said. “I’m not a prospective buyer, but I’m sure I’ll enjoy all that, if I’m invited, that is.”

Morgan touched her arm. “Of course you’re invited! You’re family!”

“Thanks.” Tyler was surprised by how pleased she was to hear that. She loved her carefree life and didn’t mind that home was a sparsely furnished efficiency apartment in L.A. with no live plants and a refrigerator that was usually empty. But she wouldn’t mind borrowing the nurturing environment of the Last Chance for the next few days, providing she could control her urge to snuggle up with Alex.

Her fantasy man leaned back in his chair. “The thing is, I’d hoped to establish the mood with live music, but the country band I’d hired just canceled a half hour ago.”

“What about Watkins?” Mary Lou set down her beer. “That cowhand plays a decent guitar if you could talk him into doing it.”

“It’s a thought, but that’s not the only issue. I also ordered three event canopies because we’re supposed to have some rain, but only one showed up. I’m a little worried that—”

“Say no more.” Tyler leaped into the breach automatically, a learned response from handling this kind of crisis all the time on cruises. “It’ll be fine. I’ll help you figure out some alternatives.” Belatedly she realized that her offer would throw her into direct contact with the man she’d decided to avoid for the duration of her visit.

Alex sat forward, hope in his eyes. “You will? That would be great.” Then he seemed to catch himself. “Wait a minute. You’re on vacation. You shouldn’t have to—”

“Don’t kid yourself,” Morgan said. “She loves this kind of thing. It’s her job to coordinate all the onboard entertainment, so parties are her deal. I had to hold her back or she would have planned my entire wedding from her stateroom on the Sea Goddess.”

“Then I accept.” Alex blew out a breath. “I don’t know what kind of magic you can work, but whatever it is, I’ll take it.”

Magic. That was the exact word she would use to describe the night they’d spent together in the hayloft. She was realistic enough to know how much she’d be tempted to make love with him again, but that was a really bad idea. Considering the emotional tug she felt every time he looked at her, they could end up in a no-win situation that would break both their hearts.

2

LOOKING INTO TYLER’S dark eyes, Alex imagined he could read her mind. She already regretted her decision to help him, but he wasn’t about to let her off the hook. He needed her expertise.

If that meant they’d have to work together and deal with the heat that still simmered between them, so be it. He wasn’t about to interfere with her world cruise and probable promotion. He’d tell her so once they were alone.

In fact, having a private moment to clear the air was a very good idea. “I don’t want to rush you, but we don’t have a lot of time to cook up those alternate plans. If you’d be willing to take a look at the outdoor setup before dinner, that would be great.”

“Sure.” She pushed back her chair. “Give me ten minutes to take my suitcase upstairs and change clothes.”

Morgan stood and pressed a hand to the small of her back. “I’ll go with you and help you get settled in.”

“That’s okay.” Standing, too, Tyler wrapped an arm around Morgan’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug. “No point in lugging baby whosit up those stairs.”

Sarah’s eyebrows arched. “So she hasn’t told you whether it’s a boy or girl, either? I thought she might have let it slip to her little sis, and then we could pry it out of you before you leave.”

“I haven’t told anybody.” Morgan sat down again. “Gabe and I are the only ones who know, and it’ll stay that way until July when the little kid makes an appearance.”

“How about a name?” Mary Lou asked. “Have you picked one?”

Morgan nodded. “Yes, and I promise that you’ll know immediately from the baby’s name whether I had a boy or a girl.”

Tyler sighed with obvious relief. “Thank God. As you noticed when some of us were here last summer, our parents conspired to give all of us unisex names.”

“And I have to admit I had trouble keeping everyone straight during the wedding last year,” Sarah said. “I’m sure I called you by your twin brother Regan’s name at least twice.”

“Don’t feel bad about it. Regan and I had our names switched so many times in school it wasn’t funny.”

“I agree it was a nightmare while we were growing up,” Morgan said. “But now, as a real-estate agent, my name works because it’s easily recognizable. Still, I’m not doing that to my child.”

“I’m glad.” Tyler picked up her empty beer bottle and the napkin she’d used for her chips. “Anyway, let me scoot upstairs and get changed.”

Mary Lou made a flapping motion with her hand. “Leave the bottle and napkin, sweetie. I’ll take care of it.”

“And I’ll carry your suitcase upstairs.” Alex pushed back his chair and stood.

“I can manage,” Tyler said.

Alex gave her a smile. “It’s the gentlemanly thing to do, and I’m the gentleman who’s available.” Hell, he probably shouldn’t have said that. He’d blame all those years of being a glib DJ.

“Thank you, but it’s a small suitcase, and I really can—”

“You don’t know which room.” He was determined to grab this chance to talk with her. “Where should I put her, Sarah?”

“Let me think.” Sarah tapped her chin. “Maybe we should stick with the wing you’re in, because we’re having some problems with the pipes on the other side. I need to call a plumber, but I haven’t done it yet. Gabe’s room should be in decent shape.”

“It was the last time we were up there packing his high school trophies,” Morgan said. “I don’t think the bed’s made up, though.”

Sarah started to rise. “Maybe I should come up there with you.”

“Sit still.” Alex wasn’t giving up this opportunity to have a conversation with Tyler. “I know where the linen closet is. Tyler and I can handle it.”

“Absolutely,” Tyler said. “I’m perfectly capable of making a bed.”

And lying in it? Alex was trying so hard to play it cool, but thinking of Tyler smoothing sheets over the bed she’d sleep in for several nights, a bed that would be in a room right across the hall from his, didn’t help at all. He’d never shared a bed with her, but he had no trouble imagining how wonderful that would be. The hayloft had been earthy and exotic, but a good mattress had advantages, too.

At this point, he needed to decide how he felt about the possibility. Obviously, considering her career plans, it couldn’t be more than a short-term experience. Was that a mistake? Maybe, but not a huge one unless they slipped up on birth control, and he wouldn’t let that happen.

Still, an affair could be a small mistake in that both of them could get more involved than they wanted to be. He didn’t know if he could jump into a temporary affair with her and jump back out with ease. And even if he could, what would be the point? When he was totally honest with himself, he had to admit that he craved what all three Chance men had found—a solid marriage that showed all the signs of lasting a lifetime.

He’d always wanted that, but he’d chosen the wrong woman the first time around. He didn’t like making mistakes, and he wasn’t about to make another one. That meant being careful with his heart. He wasn’t convinced that Tyler didn’t already own a piece of it.

She had a zest for life he’d admired from the moment she’d stepped onto the dance floor last summer. She’d been the one to suggest the romp in the hay, which had told him she wasn’t some finicky city girl and she had self-confidence, besides. That night he’d also learned that she was an unselfish lover with a great sense of humor.

Being wanted by someone like Tyler had soothed his divorce-battered ego. But he wasn’t feeling battered anymore, and she still had the power to make him ache with longing. He wasn’t positive he could satisfy that longing without taking an emotional risk.

“We’d better get with the program,” Tyler said.

What program? Alex made a mental U-turn so he could figure out what she was talking about. Oh, yeah. He was supposed to get her settled upstairs so she could go outside with him and make suggestions for the open house. His concentration was already whacked.

“I left my suitcase and purse out in the front hallway.” Tyler looked at Sarah. “Thank you so much for putting me up for a few nights.”