Wrangled and Tangled (17 page)

Soon as he caught his breath, he kissed her shoulder and stepped aside to let the water rinse her.

“Ooh, that’s getting cold.”

“We need a bigger water heater if we’re gonna play water games.” He shut off the tap and reached outside for the towels hanging on the towel bar. As he wrapped the bath sheet around her, he kissed her. The way she clung to him made him believe this was the start of something. Was he a fool for feeling a twinge of hope?

Maybe. Because once they were out of the shower, Abe felt her staring at him. Sensed the change in her. Thinking. Planning. Backtracking. He knew his response to whatever she was about to say would set the course for what happened next.

Abe knew exactly what he wanted: a second chance. But he wouldn’t coerce her. He wanted her to come to the same conclusion of her own accord. In the past he’d made all the decisions and expected her to fall in line. This time he’d woo her differently, in a way she’d never expect, but he’d pull out all the stops to convince her they belonged together. “You all right?”

“Yes. I’m great. Thanks for . . . blowing my mind.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“Look, this happened so fast and we didn’t talk about what it means.” She vigorously towel dried her hair. “We agree this is just sex?”

Oh, cupcake, you’re running again. Setting parameters. And that just won’t do.

He’d let her have that little delusion for now, that their connection was just physical, even when deep down inside she knew better. She’d soon learn something new about him: that he had no parameters when it came to sex. That oughta shock her more than the fact he could cook.

“Abe?”

“Uh, yeah. No worries.”

“Glad we’re on the same page.”

Same page? Hell, they weren’t even in the same book. But they would be. Keeping the towel wrapped around his waist, Abe moved to the mirror to brush his teeth.

Janie leaned against the wall and watched him. “You caught me by surprise, not that I’m complaining, because it was freakin’ awesome, but I’m hungry. Would you like me to fix us something for supper?”

He rinsed and spit. “Fix yourself whatever you want. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

By the way her spine stiffened, she hadn’t expected that answer. By the anticipatory look on her face, she probably assumed Honest Abe would do the gentlemanly thing and invite her along.

He didn’t.

His research trip could wait another couple of days, but Abe had the perverse need to be unavailable to her for the rest of the night.

Then they’d see how long her “just sex” attitude lasted.

Abe was gone when Janie got ready for work the next morning. The man confused the hell out of her and she was relieved not to have to face him, because it bothered her that he’d just taken off, while she was still naked, for Christsake, without letting her know where he was going.

You surprised? After your comment about it being “just sex” between you?

Then to add insult to injury, he hadn’t invited her into his bed. She’d lain awake in the guest bedroom after he’d come home, waiting for him to sneak in, scoop her up and drag her into his room for round three.

He hadn’t.

In fact, she was half afraid the click she’d heard was Abe locking his bedroom door.

Locking her out.

So she was trying to figure out this “new” sexually confident, sexually aggressive, but oddly ambiguous Abe.

Not that Abe had been a slouch in the bedroom during the time they were together. His passion for her was evident from the night they met. He’d made love to her so sweetly, so tenderly that first time she’d felt cherished. She’d fallen a little bit in love with him right away, even when she berated herself the next morning for sleeping with a drop-dead gorgeous cowboy hours after she’d brought him to her apartment. When he kept coming back, she’d known frequent sex was part of her appeal, but she’d also known they brought something to each other neither had found in previous relationships: comfort.

So maybe Abe hadn’t been the most inventive lover, but he’d always satisfied her. He always wanted her. Even when things were bad between them at the end, he’d reach for her in the middle of the night. Loving her with everything he had. But in the morning, he’d revert to the same gruff Abe. The sexy, sweet side he showed her in the dead of night hadn’t been enough to convince her to stay.

Would more of that smokin’ hot sex be enough to get you to stick around now?

Who knew? Focusing her mental energy on this situation allowed her to put the stalking issue on the back burner. She knew from past experience that obsessing over something she couldn’t control, could completely control her life. Besides, it’d take some mental fortitude to unravel the mystery of this new Abe. And she couldn’t wait to find out what she discovered next.

Since her car was still in the repair shop, Harper picked her up for work. And again Harper seemed distracted.

“Don’t feel obligated to drag me to the Split Rock every day just because I’m your boss,” Janie said off handedly.

“It’s not that.” Harper sighed. “I’m sorry I wasn’t good company last night either. I’ve just been preoccupied.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“This is gonna sound weird, but yesterday? I was waiting outside the office. The door was open and I heard Tierney . . .”

Please. Not another complaint about Renner and Tierney fighting. “You heard Tierney what?”

“On the phone, talking to Celia.”

Janie looked at Harper. “Celia? Really? I didn’t know they were friends.”

“I didn’t either.”

“But now that you mention it, they did hang out at your wedding reception after you and Bran left.”

“I figured as much. Here’s the really stupid thing. I was jealous. Celia has friends on the circuit. Heck, she has lots of other friends in Muddy Gap. But ever since Bran and I got engaged, even when I sort of figured out she’d set it up and was happy for us, I’ve felt her pulling away. It bugs me. After you and Abe were married, did your single friends decide since you were part of a couple you didn’t need them? Or did you end up having new friends? Couple friends?”

“I don’t remember.” At that time none of Abe’s friends were married. He and Max had always been tight but Max had taken a job out of state right after their wedding. Abe and Hank’s other pals—Bran, Kyle, Eli, Ike, Devin, Fletch—were around sporadically. Although she had female college classmates she saw weekly, Janie had felt isolated from everyone living on the ranch. She didn’t think it was wise to tell Harper the closest thing she had to a friend during that time had been Harper’s husband.

“Since Tierney lives here, same as me, I know Celia pulling away from me can’t be a location thing. Is it because they’re both single? What do they have in common?”

“I imagine people said the same about you and Celia,” Janie pointed out.

“True.” Harper smiled. “Now some of my best pals are the retired ladies who hang out at Bernice’s Beauty Barn.”

“Really? Them throwing you a bachelorette party wasn’t a farewell?”

“No. I miss the regulars who used to be my nail clients. Maybelle, Garnet, Pearl, Tilda and Bernice have me over for lunch every couple of weeks.” Harper looked at her oddly. “You
do
still get your hair cut at Bernice’s?”

“Yes. But I go in at the end of the day when there’s nobody there. It’s faster.”

“But you miss out on all the good gossip.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t go. I avoided anything resembling gossip when I lived here before.” Hadn’t that been one of Abe’s complaints? She acted as if she was too good for the locals?

“It’s weird. I thought since Tierney’s from the big city she’d feel the same way about that small town type of stuff. But according to my sources, Tierney has fit right in.”

“Tierney? Seriously? Surprises me she doesn’t go to Casper for her beauty fix.”

Harper’s gaze turned sharp. “Don’t you like her?”

“Actually, that came out sounding snottier than I meant. I do like her. Quite a bit. But my first loyalty is to Renner and Tierney knows that.”

Harper became quiet again.

“That’s not all that’s on your mind, is it?”

“No. But I don’t know how to say this to you because you’re my boss.”

It stung a bit that Harper didn’t consider her a friend, even after they’d lived together for a couple of weeks when Harper had signed on to work at the Split Rock.

But you haven’t gone out of your way to befriend anyone since you’ve been here. You’re holding yourself off, just like you always do.

Like that was news. Every job she’d had in the last two years had been temporary. Getting close to people knowing she’d never see them again was pointless and that mind-set wasn’t easy to shake.

Maybe it’s time you actually tried to make a change.

The reason for Harper’s reluctance hit her. “This is about Abe.”

Harper nodded. “Everyone is concerned you’ll hurt him again.”

“Everyone?” she asked with a bitter edge. “Meaning … Bran, Hank, and Lainie?” She fought the urge to lash out and managed to keep her tone even. “Remind them that
Abe
insisted I move out to the ranch. Yes, Abe and I have a past. Not a volatile past, but there were plenty of things left unfinished between us.” She snorted softly. “Know the irony in all of this? Everyone had an opinion on our marriage back then. Living with other people, we were subjected to input we didn’t want or need, and yes, it affected us. But what ‘everyone’ is forgetting? Abe and I loved each other. But unfortunately, at that point in our lives, love wasn’t enough.” Janie’s eyes blurred with tears. “So you can tell everyone to back off. What goes on between us now is no one’s business.”

Harper didn’t speak until she parked in the employee lot. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I hope the fact I was coerced into bringing this up won’t affect our friendship.”

Janie was appeased Harper admitted they were friends. It drove home the point that she wanted to be the warm and affectionate type of friend. Not only with Harper, but also with others. What if she didn’t know how? How did she admit that failing? How long would it take her to become the person she’d always longed to be? To put herself out there? To be the first to offer her trust?

No time like the present to take a chance and just do it.

“Keep in mind any time you want to talk, Janie, I am here for you. I know you’ve got a lone wolf attitude, but you really helped me sort things out when everything was so confusing with Bran.”

“Thanks.” Janie looped her arm through Harper’s. “Now didn’t you say something about inviting me’n Abe over for supper and cards? ’Cause I’m thinking a casserole and canasta sounds like a helluva good time.”

Chapter Fifteen

T
ierney had successfully avoided Renner all day.

Or has he avoided you?

Like a total chickenshit, the morning after the kiss in the parking lot, she’d left instructions not to be disturbed in her office, claiming she had rush projects to finish for PFG. When in truth, she’d caught up with her two best friends in Chicago. When Celia called, she’d offered financial advice, because God knew, relationship advice was out of her realm of expertise. After sending Harlow funny, bizarre Web site links that played on their childhood inside jokes, she’d browsed the Zappos Web site and ordered two new pairs of funky shoes.

She’d been bored out of her freakin’ mind all day and a little disappointed in herself that she’d reverted to avoidance behavior instead of acting bold. Her night hadn’t been any better; she’d dreamt of one pain in the butt cowboy whose full lips redefined kissable.

Yawning, slurping coffee, determined to do something productive, she’d just started plugging her monthly expenses into a spreadsheet when the door opened and slammed shut. Before she looked up she knew Renner would be looming over her desk.

And loom he did. All six feet two inches of him. His black hat cast a shadow over his eyes. She suspected his menacing posture meant his baby blues would be snapping fire.

Petty, but Tierney let him cool his boots for a minute before she glanced up with a prissy, “Yes?”