Page 76 of Untamed Heart
‘Go ahead,’ I said, smiling sweetly. ‘I’m dreadful at this – I’ll watch.’
Smirking, Kyle joined Leo, throwing himself into it.
Immediately I glanced over to Cole, just as he did the same. Our eyes locked, his over Kendra’s head as she moved into him, around him. His gaze was careful, pained. He glanced to Kyle and back to me, confused.
I looked down at my drink, wanting to reassure him but not knowing how without raising Kyle’s suspicions. Gradually, as the afternoon gave way to evening, Kyle and Leo’s antics increasingly took centre stage, other tourists joining in.
As I plotted how to sneak away, calculating that Kyle was gradually becoming too drunk to notice, Jesse sidled over. The top buttons of his shirt were open, his tan glowing with the exertion.
‘Having fun?’ I asked with a smile, trying to mask the strain in my voice.
‘I’m keeping up.’ He returned it, but his expression lacked his usual warmth. ‘Listen, Lottie. You can tell me to back off, I know this isn’t my business, but . . . this situation with your ex. It’s got Cole all twisted up. I know you and him have something going on . . .’ He paused, reaching over to put a hand on my arm as I flinched at his words. ‘And I know it’s big. I don’t want to put my foot in it and speak out of turn, but Cole is totally gone for you. I just . . . I can’t stand by and watch him get his heart broken, you know?’
I gritted my teeth, fear and shame curdling in my gut.
‘I . . . I know how things look, but I’m not planning on that, okay? You’re a good friend for risking a conversation about it,’ I said, trying to give him a reassuring smile, but feeling it was more like a grimace. ‘But Kyle is only here for the weekend. That’s it.’
Jesse frowned, but nodded.
‘Does he know that?’ He glanced over at Kyle, mid-conversation with Leo. ‘He sure isn’t touching you like that.’
‘I swear to you, Jesse. I don’t feel anything for Kyle. I’ve just got to keep things on a level this weekend. I can’t risk ruining this whole thing because he ends up having a tantrum and making this whole weekend about our relationship drama. The ranch is on the line, your jobs.’
Tears threatened again as I swallowed hard. Jesse squeezed my arm as I turned to him, his eyes softened.
‘Okay, okay. I get it now. Don’t fret, Princess, we’ve got you. They’re having the time of their lives and we’ll keep it that way, all right? I’ve even promised Ashley a one-on-one private roping lesson, clothes optional.’
‘Jesus,’ I croaked, knocking back the rest of my drink. ‘Tell me you’re joking.’
He just smiled, turning back to the bar.
‘Things sure got a lot more fun since you arrived. You want another drink?’
I shook my head, glancing at Kyle again.
‘I’m gonna head back. Alone.’
Jesse winked, adjusting his hat as he sauntered over to the bar.
‘I’m tired,’ I said to Kyle as I reached him through the mass of bodies on the dancefloor, shrinking away as he grabbed me around the waist. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? We’re having a cookout at the ranch in the evening – come and join us?’
‘Go back to my hotel,’ Kyle said, cheeks flushed. ‘It’s the penthouse. I’ll meet you there.’
‘I’m staying at the ranch,’ I shouted above the music. ‘Let’s take this slowly, okay? We can talk more after everyone’s gone.’
Kyle rolled his eyes, but nodded as he ran his hands over my ass before kissing me, hard.
I pulled back immediately, turning before he could try anything else and stalking off the dancefloor, almost making it to the exit before someone grabbed my hand.
‘Don’t tell me he’s talked himself into your life again,’ Cole growled, barely caged anger rolling off him in waves.
‘I can’t talk now,’ I said, not daring to keep speaking to him, just walking out into the faded light, hearing Kendra’s voice behind me, calling him.
I kept it together on the drive back to the ranch, keeping my thoughts purely practical. I scrubbed at my face once home, trying to erase Kyle from it, getting straight into my pyjamas and then bed, lining up my headphones to get stuck into an audiobook. It felt futile, but I needed to escape and knew a book would be the answer, but also knew hearing the voices would stop my attention wandering.
As the narrator began, I shuffled back against the headboard, closing my eyes. It started to work: muscle by muscle I felt myself unclench, the complexities and frustrations easing away until—
A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped, my eyes flying open as I removed my headphones, relaxation swallowed by anxiety.
