Wild Ride: Lance and Tammy (27 page)

She pursed her lips watching him leave.

“What is it?” Lance saw her expression.

“Ma’am makes me sound old.”

He chuckled.  “I assure you, he means it out of respect.”

“I know.  I just don’t like it too much.”

“I’ll tell him.”

“Please don’t.  I don’t want him to think he’s offended me.”

“Vern has thick skin.”

She didn’t feel like arguing so she dropped the subject. She took a few bites of her food aware he was watching her closely. She did her best to ignore him.  She was embarrassed that she let herself get so vulnerable last night.

“Tammy—are you all right?”

She mustered her best convincing smile. “Right as rain.”

“Really.” He didn’t believe her.

She nodded and faced him doing her best to keep her expression free of worry.  “I miss home.”  That seemed to suit him.

“Me too.” His phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket reading the number.  He stood up and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ve got to take this.”

“Of course.” She kept smiling.

He answered the call and walked away.  She swore she heard him say Marianne, but it didn’t matter anymore.  She returned her attention to her plate and even though didn’t feel hungry now, finished her breakfast. It would be a while before she’d eat again.

Before she knew it, they were sitting next to one another waiting for their plane to board. Lance got another phone call, and he spent the next twenty minutes talking to whomever on the other end.  It was nothing familiar to her so she tried not to listen and instead watched the muted soccer game on a flat screen television mounted on the far wall of the terminal.

Finally he hung up, then the boarding was announced.

“That’s us.”  He picked up her carryon as well as his own and headed toward the gate.

She was glad she got to sit beside him this time, but all she did was fall asleep.  She was exhausted.  She heard Lance ask the stewardess for a blanket and her response was a stuttering ‘sure thing sir’. Soon after she felt it pulled over and tucked around her shoulders.  Then she felt a strong hand on her head guiding her onto his shoulder.  She sighed and he turned his head and kissed her brow.  Her heart contracted in her chest, but she didn’t open her eyes.  He was still so attentive, so sweet.  How were things going to be when they got home?  Was she to go on with her busy career, and he with his?

“Hey babe, were landing.” His soft deep voice woke her. 

She blinked twice and sat upright.  Four and a half hours already?  She looked around to meet his amused expression.

“I exhausted you, didn’t I?”

She blushed and nodded. 

He reached up and cupped her chin to examine the bruise on her cheek.  She forgot to cover it up with make up this morning. “Elaina is going to want an explanation over that if you don’t hide it.  I’m sure you don’t want to discuss how you got it because I know how open you are with your personal life.”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “Not just me.”

“Touché.” He smiled. “Colton is picking us up, so you should do something about it because he’ll hunt Richard down and do to him what I should have done.”

“I could just tell them that you make love so violently that I bumped my head,” she whispered. Where the hell did that come from!  If she was after a shock factor, she got it.

His mouth fell open.  He was literally speechless.

“I have some cover up in my bag.  I’ll quickly duck into the bathroom before we leave.” She practically stuttered out.  Before she could fully recover he cupped her head and kissed her—hard, and in public!

Someone clearing their throat got his attention and he released her. The stewardess was standing beside his seat looking a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry, but I need the blanket back and the seatbelt light is on.”

Lance flashed her that irresistible Hartley smile, not the least bit ashamed and handed her back the blanket.  She however, blushed further, stammered out a ‘thank you’ and left.

Tammy was shaking her head amused. “The affect you have on women is startling.”

He shrugged like it was nothing.  Well, when he had that talent since he hit puberty, she was certain it didn’t mean much to him anymore.  Who knows, maybe he got tired of it after a while.  Would woman still think he was attractive if he didn’t have those good looks and undeniably wicked charm?  However, he was also unfairly intelligent.  She liked that about him the best.  Well, that masculine mouth did edge the score sheet in her direction too!  Especially what he could do with it. 

The plane landed and they made their way through the Terminal in Billings toward the luggage carousel.  Lance gave back her carryon that he insisted on toting around for her, so she could go to the bathroom and fix her face.  Chances are Colt was already here. 

“I’ll get the luggage and meet you near the exit.”

“Okay.”

It only took a few minutes to cover the bruise on her cheek but she couldn’t do much about the small amount of swelling that remained.  She just fanned her hair forward to cover that part of her cheek before she set off to find the Hartley men.  At least for the charity event she had ample time to hide it under makeup and no one seemed to notice.  She was grateful or her mother would have been full of questions.

Tammy saw the brothers standing next sliding glass doors of the terminal.

Colt saw her first, came forward and picked her up in a bear hug kissing her hard on the cheek. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

That was completely worth it.  This was where she felt she belonged. She actually started to cry.

“Jesus Tammy, what the hell?”  Colt suddenly became awkward.  He was never good with tears.  Elaina’s would bring him to his knees.

Thankfully Lance stepped in and took Tammy’s arm. “She’s had a rough few days is all.”

“I’m happy to be home.  I’m so happy I cry,” she explained.  Colt seemed relieved yet shifted awkwardly.  Obviously he thought he caused it.

“I’m fine.  Honestly.”

He nodded.

The ride home was a little over four hours.  She sat between Colt and Lance who discussed business and family.  Every now and then, when the conversation was appropriate, she inquire about everyone’s well-being.

“My poor wife,” Colt said. “I feel like I’m killing her with that baby.  God, I’ll never have another one if she makes it through this.” 

Tammy patted his forearm. “Women have been doing this for a while Colt, she’s a tough gal.  You just have big babies.”

He sighed and nodded watching the road in front of them.  “I just don’t remember it being this hard the first time.  She’s so uncomfortable.  I called Jacob over in the middle of the night on Sunday because she just couldn’t get comfortable.”

“What did he say?”

Colt flicked her a glance. “He laughed at me. Told me to just give her a hot bath and quit worrying so much.”

She snickered and slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Yeah, you too,” he added irritably.

Lance turned and looked out the side window to hide his own smile.

“I know you just love her and want to make sure she’s okay.  I think it’s really sweet.”

He scowled not feeling her compliment.

She spared a look at Lance who seemed close to laughing himself.

They dropped her off at her apartment, and Lance carried her luggage upstairs for her while Colt waited downstairs.  “I’ll call you later.”

“Will you?”

He looked confused. “Tammy, what is going on with you?”

She took a deep breath and let it out slow. “I—just—well, oh for heaven’s sake Lance, are we or aren’t we?”

He tilted his head, still confused.  Then his expression flattened as it finally dawned on him. “Jesus Tam, what do you think I am?”

She shrugged.

“You think that I just used you for a good time and now I have no need for you?  Christ, I could have had any woman for a good time in New York.”

That didn’t affect her the way it should. It made her feel worse.  He saw that.

“I meant, I’m not that desperate as to seduce a family friend.  I really like you.”

Like?
“I just don’t know.  I have a busy schedule.”

His brows rose and he stared at her for a full minute. “I see. Are you saying you don’t want to continue?”

Is it possible to have your heart physically shatter and still breathe? “It just seems a little unreal.  I have three jobs—“

“Give one up then.”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Won’t.”

He stared at her for a moment looking completely staggered.  Gosh, even now he was so masculinity beautiful, but still, she knew she had to do this.  Lance was, and always will be, way out of her league.  Her stomach was in knots, her heart broken, but she had to think of herself.  She had to survive.

Finally he nodded. “This isn’t right—the way you’re going about this.  You know it isn’t.”

“This won’t work.”

“You’re afraid.”

She pursed her lips together and refused to answer him.  She was more than afraid.  She was bloody terrified.

He waited a moment.  When he knew he wasn’t going to get a response, his expression changed.  Back was the indecipherable Mr. Hartley. “Well Tam, when you decide to practice what you’ve preached to Elaina, or anyone else, you have my number.”

“You said you don’t give second chances.”

He nodded finally letting his anger show. “You’re right.” He turned and left without another word.

She started to cry.  This was a man who always got what he wanted, and she’d ended it first. Was she being stupid?  Yes, she was.  She needed normalcy back in her life before she lost herself.  This was the best way.  There was no chance for them.  He would get bored.  She went to the window and pulled the curtain aside. She saw Lance when he emerged from the building and he didn’t even bother looking up to see if she was watching him.  He’d probably not forgive her for this.

***

“Do you want to talk?” Colt asked.  Lance looked livid.  That was an emotion that Lance didn’t reveal easily, well any emotion wasn’t revealed easily by his brother.  Colton usually came out fists swinging if he was feeling like that.

“She’s had a pretty rough go over the past few days,” was all he said.

“Yeah, what’s that bruise from?”

“An ex-boyfriend struck her.”  He should have known that Colt would see it despite her efforts to cover it up.  He had to suppress a smile though.  What Tammy said on the plane popped in his head; violent lovemaking. She never ceased to amaze him.

“Is he still breathing?” Colt gritted out.

“She wouldn’t let me kill him,” he answered equally angry.

“Hell, she’s just too kind hearted.”

“Yes she is. Don’t let on to Elaina about the bruise.  Tammy would be humiliated.”

“Yeah like she’s not going to see it.  She’s due out at the ranch this weekend.”

“Maybe it’ll be mostly faded by then.”  He rubbed his chin and stared out the windshield. 

“What was her family like?”

“Her father and brother were likable, the mother, well, it seemed like she was trying after a few days. She might have changed her attitude toward Tammy.  In the beginning she was intolerable and her father seemed to rather stay out of it. We pretended we were engaged.”

Colt’s brows shot up but he never said anything.

“Her mother is one of those people who are more concerned about what others think of her.  She was very demeaning when we accidently ran in to her on the first day back.  I blurted that I was her fiancé before I could stop myself. Tammy was spectacular though.”

“Spectacular?”

“Yes, she played the part perfectly and put every other woman to shame.  Jesus though Colt, she could fill out a dress like no one’s business.”

“You don’t say.”

“She was elegant, sophisticated and fetched a record quarter of a million at my auction.”

“Well shit.  That’s impressive.”

“I bought her.”

“I figured.”  He chuckled.

“You should have seen her up on stage.  She was shy, blushing bright red and completely unpretentious.  It was—irresistible. The bids were rising faster than I could count.  I bought her because she was thrown into it.  No time to prepare.”

“Well, she’s beautiful,” Colt said.   Lance continued like he hadn’t heard him, but he knew he did.  Lance never missed a thing.

“We took in a record two and half million.  Marianne called me this morning when the final tally came in.”

“She’s got to be proud of that.  She had some big shoes to fill.”  Colt hid his expression of dislike.  He really didn’t care much for the woman.  Lance went through a hard time after the death of his friend and colleague and Marianne walked away from him.

“I think this will be the last year for me.  She’s able to do it on her own now.”