Wishing on a Rodeo Moon (Women of Character) (30 page)

"Jake?"

The
house remained quiet and still. Tye heard her rasping breath in the softly
falling dusk. Where was Jake?

She ran
down the hall to his office and found it empty. Tye turned and walked back to
the living room. She exited the house by the kitchen door and stood
indecisively. Where was he?

"Why
aren’t you out celebrating?" His voice came from the around the
house. Tye yelped, startled, as Jake walked toward her, his thumbs hooked in
his belt loops. She took an eager step toward him, relief making her want to
grab him and kiss him.

"Jake,
you’re here! I didn’t see your truck and I couldn’t imagine
where you were. I left right after you did. Why did you leave like that? I
really need to talk to you. I’ve been so selfish, so caught up in my own
wants I’ve ―"

Jake
stood there not saying a word, one brow raised, a bored look on his face.

Tye
swallowed hard. "Jake?" If her voice sounded thin and scared,
that’s the way she felt. "I-I did it, Jake. I beat my fear."

#

Jake
wondered why she’d come to rub it in. He was already hurting like hell,
he didn’t want to see her again. It had been a stupid move on his part to
go to the rodeo anyway.

"You
did it," Jake repeated, his voice hoarse. Desperately, he cleared his
throat. He still hadn’t recovered after arriving in time to see Tye on
the back of that two thousand pound stomping, twisting animal. It had brought
back memories of the night she got hurt, and it had sunk him into a misery so
deep he couldn’t act normally.

Jake
made an effort to pull himself together.

"Tye,
I came to the rodeo today to say if you want to move out of my place,
I’ll help you. If you go back to rodeoing, I’ll support your decision.
Damn it, Tye, if you just wanted to live together, then we’ll damned well
do that, too, and forget about any of the rest of it." Jake closed his
eyes a moment, feeling the cost to himself, knowing what he had to say next.

He
opened them to find Tye close to him. "I came prepared to agree to almost
any terms to keep you. I love you so much it hurts."

A look
of wonder filled Tye’s eyes, but Jake shook his head and touched her
cheek briefly. Anger and despair ate at him, burning into his gut.

"But
I can’t, Tye. I turned coward, if that’s what you want to call it,
when I saw you on that bull. I can’t watch you riding bulls. Those six
seconds just about tore my insides out." Jake had thought he was going to
embarrass himself and puke in the dirt. Lanny Jenkins had come to stand beside
him and luckily, he hadn't, but it had been real close.

"It’s
over," he said harshly. "I’m not going to try and hold you
down. I love you, Tye, but I don’t want you." Emotion, hot and
tight, gripped his throat.

"I
love you, Tye," he muttered, pushing back the bile that wanted to rise. He
had said it, now she would leave.

The
exhilaration on her face almost undid him. She looked so alive, so ready to
take on life's challenges. How could he bear to let her go? But he wasn’t
letting her go. He was pushing her away. It was a matter of survival, for both
of them.

The
leaving would be worse than ten years ago. They’d been kids back then,
and he’d loved her, but now there was a different depth to his passion. A
deep caring and need to keep her with him, see her through life’s
hardships, at any cost; except this one. He would slowly die, Jake knew it for
sure.

"I
love you, Jake." Her arms wound around him and Jake stood stiffly, trying
to take in what she had said. He didn’t feel as if he could respond
properly. She squeezed him. "Do you hear me? I love you. You're the first
to know I just rode my last bull. I’m begging you, Jake, to give me
another chance. Take me back. Please."

Jake
jerked Tye away from his chest and stared at her. "What?" he
demanded. Elation gripped him, but he didn’t trust it. He pulled her back
to him before she could answer. "Don’t say anything else."

Tye’s
voice came to him muffled, but the words were sweet. "I've loved you for
what seems like forever but it was scary, a totally new phase of my life. Until
today I never realized how much bull riding weighed on me. Even knowing that, I
had to ride one last time. Now I feel like I've closed that part of my life. I
want to move on."

Tye
looked at him uncertainly. "That is, if you still want me. Do you want me
Jake? Can we make this work?"

Jake
felt as if a light had begun to shine once more. "If I still want you?
God, of course I do. I thought I could handle it if you went back to bull
riding, but all I could remember was the night of the accident. I’ll
never forget what you went through."

"I
remembered it, too," she admitted. "The bull riding is over, though
I’ll still rodeo part time. I’ve been offered an opportunity to
write articles promoting women in rodeo." She stepped back from him and
Jake looked around. Dark had fallen, they stood alone in the night air, a warm
breeze caressing them, the sound of it in the trees.

"I'm
sorry about what happened that night I left. I seem to act selfishly a
lot." Tye looked down at her feet and rocked on her heels. Jake
couldn’t see her face, it was hidden by a curtain of hair. "I was so
scared."

When she
looked up at him Jake was jolted by the tears running a steady stream down her
cheeks, the wetness making tracks through the dust clinging to her creamy skin.
Feeling a sense of wonder, Jake touched a fingertip to the tears. Her
vulnerability was there for him to see. "I used my father's mistakes, and
my own to try and deny what was between us. I was running again. The time you
spent collecting those clippings spoke of the time you invested in me through
the years."

"I
can understand fears, Tye. I had to confront my own. I’ve been lying to
myself. I never stopped loving you. When you left I was angry but I know in my
heart it was too soon for us. I guess it was easier to blame you, but I
couldn’t stop caring. That’s why I let you come and stay at my
place, even though I thought I was looking for some kind of closure. Ten years
ago I should have come after you. Maybe that’s why I was so entrenched in
anger. I felt guilt over letting you go so easily."

"We
both had growing up to do."

Tye
linked her hand with his. Jake could see the hope on Tye’s face. It was
the same emotion squeezing his heart.

"I
want you, Tye, but I won’t settle for anything less than marriage."

Tye’s
smile was blinding, her eyes sparkling. She threw her arms around his neck.
"Oh Jake, I’ll marry you. I will. I will. I need you in my life. You
enhance everything about me that is good."

Jake
dipped his head, tasted the sweetness that was Tye. Tough and tender Tye. His
Tye.

Tye gave
a gurgle of laughter. She put her arms out and stretched them upward to the
sky. She twirled away, and then back. "I feel so full of renewed energy, I
could dance all night." One moment she was smiling at him, the next,
without warning, her leg gave out. Tye slid to the ground as easily as you
please.

"Tye."
Jake reached his hand out to her.

#

Tye
looked at his hand, the wide palm, then let her eyes travel up to his face.
From her perch on the ground, in the dirt, she started laughing.

"I
was warned this could happen from time to time. Are you prepared to pick me up
when my leg kicks out, Miller?" Tye asked him sassily, confident of his
answer.

"Every
time," Jake assured her solemnly, his fingers already closed on hers.

Jake
pulled her up against him. She let her head rest against his chest for a
moment, then she stepped back and dusted off her jeans. With both hands she
reached up and gripped Jake’s shoulders, cocked her head sideways, then
planted a slow kiss on his mouth. Leaning back, arms still encircling his neck,
she gave Jake a cocky smile.

"I’m
going to count on you, Cowboy, as long as you know you can count on me."

Tye
gently traced a fingertip along the feathered wing of an eagle, a recent
addition to Jake’s carvings. The guests had finally left the gallery, the
lights were dimmed and it was time to go home with her husband.

Tye
threw back her hair, excitement making her heart beat rapidly. She would burst
if she didn’t share her news with Jake. She didn’t know how she had
managed to keep the secret for an entire day. And what a day! Full of
preparations for Jake’s showing, and the crowning success had been the
show’s centerpiece. Tye stared at the carving Jake had surprised her
with. A head and shoulders likeness of herself in beautiful honey-hued wood.
She was forever captured, reaching one hand upward, fingertips touching the
stars. Jake had depicted her life; reaching for stars that seemed out of reach
and coming full circle to completion.

When she
heard approaching footsteps, she placed the long neck bottle she held in her
hands on the table behind her. Quickly, she faced Jake.

"Everything
is locked up," he said.

When he
caught sight of her his mouth curved in a smile she knew well. A warm, sensual
smile that promised great delights later. Tye felt as if his arms had just
wrapped around her.

Jake was
devastating in black, right down to the boots on his feet. The only splash of
color was his turquoise neck tie. He reached out an arm and pulled her close.
The fire in Tye leapt in anticipation. "Why do you suppose it’s
taken me all day to get you this close to me?"

Jake ran
his gaze over her, then gave her a rueful smile. "Tye, do you have any
idea what that tight-fitting little dress and those spike heels have been doing
to me all night? Do you know what I’ve been thinking while this place was
packed with people?"

"I
can guess." Provocatively, she pressed close and laced her fingers behind his
neck. No need to tell him she had picked the dress deliberately for that
effect. "Why do you think I learned how to walk on these darned heels?
It’s all for your benefit."

"We
have the place to ourselves..." he said suggestively, one brow
arched."There’s a workroom down the hall."

Tye
laughed, unable to contain the excitement a moment longer. Reaching behind her
she pulled out the bottle of sparkling cider with a flourish. "First
things first. This occasion calls for a little something special to celebrate."
Tye uncorked the bottle with a soft pop. Grabbing the paper cups she had found,
she poured a liberal amount of the clear, bubbling liquid into each cup.

"Here
is yours." She handed him a cup.

Tye
swirled the liquid in her cup, then lifted her gaze to her husband. She gave
him a deliberately wicked smile. Lazily, she let her fingertips trail down his
neck and along his shoulder. Tye placed her palm flat against his chest,
feeling the flex of muscle beneath, all too aware of the darkening interest in his
eyes.

"First,
I’d like to toast two glorious years of marriage," she said huskily.
When Jake would have spoken, Tye pressed a finger to his mouth and shook her
head. She raised her glass again. "Here’s to many more successful
showings. And . . ." mischievously, she indicated he should take a drink.
"Let’s toast the newest addition to our lives." Tye moved his
hand from her hip to her flat stomach. "Daddy."

Jake
choked and put the cup down. He cleared his throat. "You’re
―" His voice rasped and didn’t cooperate.

Tye
patted him on the back, laughing, crying, surprised by the wetness on her
cheeks.

Jake’s
arms wrapped around her fiercely. "Tye," he finally managed.
"Sweetheart."

"I’m
pregnant, Jake." Tye knew the smile on her face was huge. She leaned back
so she could see his face. She didn’t want to miss one moment of his
reaction.

"Pregnant."

Tye
swallowed with difficulty, seeing and feeling Jake’s wonder, the joy. It
radiated from him.

"I’m
so happy, Jake. I can’t imagine my life, our life, being anything other
than what it is, and now, we have so much more to look forward to."

"So
that’s why you cut back this year’s rodeo schedule," he
murmured, feathering kisses up the side of her neck. "And you brought in
more help for the riding program."

Tye
closed her eyes, hardly able to think with Jake’s lips on her skin.
"Yes. It’s been a hectic time, but I found a few people. . . to fill
in. . . Mmm, I feel the need to lie down. There’s been too much
excitement today." Tye suddenly opened her eyes wide. "That’s
not to say I can’t stand a bit more," she amended.

Jake’s
growl was muffled in her shoulder as he swung her off her feet. Tye squealed
and quickly wound her arms around his neck.

They
almost made it to the work room.

THE END

Women
of Character Series

Memory
could be gentle. At other times it left scars.

Anna
Barlow had read those words this morning and somehow they felt like a
reflection of her life. She stared out over her ranch’s fields now,
trying to shake off the cobwebs of old memories.

Newly
warmed earth and northeast temperatures collided, creating ground vapor as the
sun fought its way through heavy clouds. She shivered, brushing at the cool
morning mist that settled in her hair. Her mare stood unmoving beneath her, her
nostrils blowing gently from their run. Anna patted Spirit’s neck,
wishing she could forget she was barely hanging onto the ranch. . . her home.

Every
tree, stick and grain of dirt of the Double B Ranch belonged to her. The barns
and dilapidated fences . . . the makeshift corral.  She couldn’t
walk away from her only real home. Her grandfather Martin Barlow had brought
her here at the age of fourteen. Now, everyone she’d ever loved was gone.
Martin. Tyler.