Forbidden Bond (8 page)

If only she could convince her heart of that.

Chapter Six

“I’m calling Josie today,” Kris called out from the breakfast table.

“What?” Olivia kicked the refrigerator door closed with her foot, her hands filled with a jug of milk and a container of strawberries she’d pulled from the shelf inside. She marched from the kitchen into the dining room and plopped the items down onto the scratched oak surface beside her brother. “When were you going to discuss it with me?” She propped her hands on her hips.

“I’ve been thinking about it all weekend and didn’t want to ruin your time with Taylor.” He shoved a letter he’d been studying across the table at her. “Another collection notice.”

Olivia didn’t need to pick it up to ascertain what he’d already revealed. She stared at the bold red letters glaring back at her from the top of the page.

“That on top of losing another one of our herd last night… It’s time, Livvy.”

She jerked her gaze to his, her heart in the back of her throat, choking her. “Her calf is strong.” She swallowed hard. “God, I wish I could have saved them both. I wish we didn’t have to…” Tears welled.

“Don’t,” he barked. Kris’s attention dropped to the piece of half-eaten toast on his plate. “Please, God. Don’t cry. I can’t take it.” Both palms slid over his face. “You think this is easy for me?” He groaned. “I love this ranch.”

Sinking into the empty chair beside her brother, Olivia wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “I know you do,” she whispered followed by a sniff, doing her best to dry her tears. “It just caught me by surprise.”

Kris lowered his hands to the table. “We’ve run out of options, and I don’t see any other path other than to call Josie and get the place on the market before they haul us out of here and foreclose.”

“I know you’re right. It’s just the idea of throwing in the towel makes me want to scream.”

“I understand. The Wilsons’ are fighters. It’s not in our genetic code to ever give up. But in this situation, Sis…my back’s against the wall.”

All Olivia could manage was a nod. It hurt too much to vocalize anything.

“So,” Kris tossed out on a long exhale and craned his head in her direction, “on a happier note, let me see that ring,” he said, the jovial sound of his voice coming out a bit forced. Kris hit her with a big smile for effect, showing off his perfect teeth. The jerk had never needed braces. Unlike her, who had been saddled with them through most of middle school.

Olivia drew in a deep breath, her stomach twisting into an even tighter knot about having to explain why she wasn’t wearing Taylor’s ring. Then it dawned on her.

“Wait a minute.”

Kris cocked his head.

“What?” he mimicked her exaggerated tone.

“You knew? Taylor told you he was going to propose last night?”

A sly grin split his face. “Yeah.” He chuckled. “I hated calling you…but on the off-chance you could have saved them both...”

“It’s okay.” She shrugged and curled her fingers into a tight fist on the table. “Besides, it was late, and I was ready to come home anyway.”

“Late?” Kris popped one of the strawberries from the bowl into his mouth. “That’s crazy,” he muttered around the mouthful. “Livvy, you’d just got engaged. I wouldn’t have expected you to come home last night unless it had been an emergency.”

“No, I hadn’t.”

“You hadn’t what?” Kris studied her, his face scrunched.

“Gotten engaged.” Olivia held her hand up, the backside facing Kris, fingers splayed.

“You didn’t accept?” He straightened in his chair. “Why in hell not? Taylor’s your best friend. You have the same interests. He seems to make you happy.”

“You don’t think I know all that?”

Kris’s eyelids narrowed. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“There’s nothing to tell. I just don’t think we’re ready to be married.”

“You don’t think you’re ready?” Kris stared across the table, his look incredulous. “Livvy, the guy virtually has
dog and 2.5 kids
stamped across his forehead. Trust me…the dude is more than ready. He’s crazy about you.”

He leaned back. “Now me, on the other hand. No way in fucking hell am I ever getting tied down.”

She launched from her chair toward the kitchen. “You don’t get it.” She snatched a glass from the cupboard and returned to the room. “It’s none of your business anyway,” she added and plopped back into her seat.

Kris sobered and fixed his gaze on hers. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

She swallowed hard. The last thing Kris needed was to worry about her. He had the ranch on top of his rehab already stressing him out. Olivia nodded, then glanced up with a smile. “Yeah. I’m okay. Taylor and I are going to be fine. I told him I needed to take things a little slower. One step at a time.”

“You’ve always known what you wanted out of life.” Kris smiled. “I admire that in you. You have a mind of your own.”

“You mean I’m stubborn.” She laughed.

“That too.” Kris chuckled. “And unlike a lot of women, you don't play games with a guy. So if you’re not sure about taking your relationship with Taylor to the next level, there has to be a good reason… Listen to your heart.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, stood, and wrapped her arms around her brother.

After breakfast, even though she’d planned to go into the clinic early that morning, Olivia couldn’t resist saddling up Jack and taking him out for a ride. Her choice of name for the mustang wasn’t the usual one, but she never liked taking the road most traveled and preferred human names for her animals. With a sigh, she hoisted herself over the stallion’s back, and with a soft click of her tongue, urged him from the stable. Guilt nudged at the back of her mind for blowing off work for a couple of hours, but the knowledge that very soon the land wouldn’t be theirs anymore, and facing Taylor right away after last night… Yeah, she really needed the ride.

Reflex had her giving the cattle a wide berth and heading toward the rear half of the acreage. Years ago, when she used to shadow Kris and Eion, it had been their favorite riding sector. Now it was hers as well. The land rolled, yet the trail was smooth and easy to maneuver, allowing for long stretches perfect for a
give it everything you got
run.

Thirty minutes in, Olivia was almost ready to turn back and head into the clinic when the sound of another set of hooves caught her attention. A rider in the area wouldn’t be unusual, but the ranch hands weren’t scheduled to herd the cattle onto that particular section for another couple of weeks, so she’d expected to have the trail to herself.

The ears of her mustang rolled forward, and he released a loud snort as they rounded a copse of cottonwood trees, moving in closer to the other rider. Olivia patted his neck and leaned forward. “It’s okay, Jack.”

The path curved, opening up into a wide expanse of grass-covered hills that hugged a shallow creek which separated the Mandrake property from the Wilsons’. Olivia glanced ahead on the trail, and, as if she’d just nose-dived over the steep peak of a mountain cliff, her stomach dropped.

Eion.

At a leisurely trot, he headed toward her on a black and white Appaloosa.
Gorgeous.

But she wasn’t sure if she meant the horse or the man controlling the beast.

Side by side with their horses nose to tail, they slowed to a halt. Eion tipped his hat.

“Good morning, Ms. Wilson.”

Okay…she could play nice and use her manners, too. “Morning,
Mr.
Mandrake. I didn’t expect to see you out here, especially since this is Wilson property.”

He smiled. “Good point.” Eion swiveled his head around as if surveying the area before returning his gaze back to her. “I’d hoped you wouldn’t mind, for old times’ sake, you know, and since you didn’t have your cattle in this area right now…” He let his sentence fade away. “I used to love when the three of us would ride out here.” He glanced back around. “Beautiful piece of land your family has. Always thought so.”

“Yes. It is.” With Eion’s head turned, she couldn’t help but drink in his profile. Aquiline nose. High cheek bones. Skin kissed by the sun with the shadow of a dark beard along his jawline. Beneath his hat, he wore his hair loose. Long, straight, and brushing his shoulders. “Beautiful.” The word tumbled from her lips on exhale.

Eion glanced back in her direction, and her stomach flipped.
Dear Lord.
Had he heard her?

“I’ll admit, a part of me hoped to run into you,” he added.

Her heart raced at his words.
Darn traitorous muscle.

“Oh?” She lifted her chin, all nonchalant. “And why is that? Wanted to pick up where you left off last night?” Why the hell had she gone there? Olivia dropped her gaze to where she held the reins. She’d never been able to quiet her tongue around him.

“In a way,” he said. “I wanted to apologize for my actions at
Chuck’s
.”

She jerked her attention back to Eion. He looked up, the morning sun highlighting the blue-green flecks in his eyes. “I was rude, and I had no business intruding on your personal life.”

“Wow.” She hadn’t expected that. He was actually being nice. “That’s big of you. Apology accepted.”

“The three of us used to be close, and I just wanted to make sure you were happy.”

Doing her best to focus on Jack’s unruly mane. She leaned in and combed her fingers through the strands before straightening. “After not a word for so many years, Eion, I have to wonder why you’re concerned. As you said, it’s really none of your business.”

Eion’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he took a long breath. “I may not have phoned, Liv, or said goodbye.” He reached over, and with the tips of his fingers, brushed her cheek. So gentle, yet with enough power to lift every hair on her body. “But a day never passed that I didn’t think about you.” Olivia’s hand went to her face, the desire to feel his skin next to hers too strong to ignore. But before she could connect, he snatched his hand back, fingers curled into a fist. “You and Kris, of course,” he added.

“Right.” Olivia cleared her throat. “Of course.”

“You were my best friend’s little sister. It may have been more than ten years ago, but I can’t help but want to make sure that the…man you’re considering committing the rest of your life to makes you happy.”

Olivia nodded. “Taylor’s one of the good guys and treats me
very
well.” She smiled, hoping he wouldn’t notice that she didn’t mention happy. “So is that how you still see me? As Kris’s little sister?” The question popped out before her brain had considered the implication.
What if he says yes?
Her stomach sank.

A devious smile turned up the corner of his mouth. “Enjoy the rest of your ride, Liv.” With a kick of his heels, he trotted off.

Her jaw fell open.
What the hell was that about?
Guess she got played a little tit for tat with that non-answer. Olivia closed her mouth and grabbed her reins, a growl rolling from the back of her throat. “I’ll never understand you, Eion Mandrake.”

Chapter Seven

“So you’ve had some time to review the market analysis I dropped off.” Josie eased into the chair on the other side of the small conference table and crossed her legs. “What do you think about the price I suggested?”

Sliding his arms onto the wood, Eion nodded once. “The price range is close to what I’d expected.” He threaded his fingers. “But I want the ranch sold sooner rather than later. List it at the lower end of the market.” Eion tapped the chart Josie had prepared.

Josie grinned. “I’ll do everything I can to get you a buyer as soon as possible.”

“Excellent,” he said. There wasn’t any reason to linger in Little Crow Pass. He’d seen all he needed to see and done all he could to make things right with Kris, considering the situation. The guy didn’t want anything from, or to do with, him. Couldn’t blame him. But at least he’d gotten to see him one last time.

And Liv.

He steepled his fingers and the image of her riding up on her mustang that morning flickered across his mind. The sunlight glistening off her long dark hair had beckoned to him. Beautiful long legs had straddled the powerful animal beneath her saddle. The very sight of her had stirred his groin, and the beast beneath his skin. It had taken a lot of control not to yank her off her damned horse and onto his lap. Eion’s blood hummed in his veins.

“I understand,” Josie added, bringing him back to the moment. She dipped her chin in acknowledgement. “Let me get a few forms that you’ll need to sign, and then we’ll get everything moving.” Josie stood and maneuvered around the table, motioning for another employee in the process. A wiry young man, who couldn’t be more than twenty-two, hustled from across the four-room real estate office. “James, if you would, see if Mr. Mandrake here,” she nodded in Eion’s direction, “would like something to drink while I grab some paperwork from my office.”

“Sure thing, Ms. McAllister.” He ran a set of long fingers through his sandy blond curls. “Then I need to head out to the Wilsons’ place and get that For Sale sign up.”

What the hell?
Eion drew back in his seat.
Liv and Kris are selling?

Josie snapped her head toward Eion, her eyes wide, then back to James. “Okay. That’ll work, but there’s something I need to give you first.” She shuffled James off somewhere, heads together in hushed conversation.
Damn
. It wasn’t like her attempt to keep Kris and Liv’s decision confidential had any point, since it was about to be broadcast to every passerby very soon.

Drumming his fingers on the polished surface of the table, Eion’s head spun with the new revelation. He figured things were difficult with Kris injured and their dad gone, but he had no idea it had gotten to this point. Memories flooded his mind. Him, Kris, their father, and of course Liv, all on horseback racing across the land at full speed. He could still hear her laughter on the wind as she had closed the distance between them. A smile bloomed on his face.
Christ.
Every one of them loved that ranch. Eion shook his head. This was so damn wrong. He slammed his fist onto the wood. The phone’s receiver at the other end of the conference table jostled on its base.