Mandy slumped against the bathroom door, her knees weak, her heart pounding. She’d almost caved, had been this close to losing control.
No, no, no. She whispered the word three times for emphasis. He wasn’t to be trusted—not with her company and certainly not with her heart. Why he so easily flipped her switch she couldn’t say, but it had been that way even ten years ago. Back then she’d been so sure he was the man her young heart desired. She’d told him the truth back then. She’d been a virgin and wanted him to be the first, thinking it would show him how much he meant to her.
Instead, he’d walked away, leaving her naked and abandoned. And made sure he was never alone with her the remaining few days before he returned to school. She’d pined after him the whole rest of the year, like a puppy waiting for its master’s return. She’d sent him texts and e-mails, and got nothing in return. He hadn’t wanted her, she realized—he’d wanted her grandfather and had used her to get to closer to JM.
His rejection had been cruel at a time when she had needed gentleness. And now, here she was, married to him. And still wanting him. Cool, objective, no-nonsense Ty Martin. And did she mention, sexy as hell? But if they ever made love, she knew she’d be setting herself up for a huge fall.
One hundred seventy-nine days to go. She feared she’d never make it without losing her mind. And maybe her heart.
Chapter 10
Abilene hadn’t gone quite like Ty had expected on the personal front. Neither had Fort Worth, Houston, or Lubbock. He’d turned on the charm and let her know having sex with her was never far from his thoughts. And he’d come away empty.
Ty glanced over at Mandy, her face pressed to the plane’s window as they headed back to Wyoming for a brief overnight to get a change of clothes and check on things at the office before traveling to the Washington rodeo. At least she wasn’t tense anymore about flying, after taking off and setting down a half-dozen times. Given what was up ahead, her newfound ease would be tested.
Gratefully, business matters had fared better. The rodeos in Fort Worth and Houston had confirmed they’d keep their agreements with Prescott, and as two of the biggest rodeos around, that meant a lot going forward. Of course, since those rodeos used several stock contractors, given their size and length, they had less risk in doing so. Lubbock was the outlier. Stan Lassiter had convinced managers there to give him a chance this year. The committee’s letter asking to void their contract due to “changed circumstances” had been on its way to Prescott’s offices before Ty and Mandy had arrived in Lubbock. The committee had agreed, however, to give Prescott a shot at next year’s contract if the contract included the sweetener Ty had given Abilene and there were no complaints from other rodeos over Prescott’s performance this year. And this time, Mandy had offered the sweetener.
Ty had admired how she had handled the negotiations, needing little assistance from him. It was true Ty’s presence had helped ease some tension from the traditionalists, but hardly reason enough for JM to turn so much control over to him. Made a guy wonder why JM had been so concerned about the business. Guess he was a man used to being in control and couldn’t imagine things going on without him. Ty could relate. That’s how he’d felt when he’d left the ranch. And when he’d left the land development company. Both seemed to be getting along okay without him, though the ranch was probably less successful. Still, it humbled a guy to think he wasn’t quite as crucial as he thought.
As for Prescott, Ty had made one significant contribution on the trip. He’d been able to meet with the AFBR’s livestock director and secure a promise to visit the ranch and assess Prescott’s bulls for participation in an upcoming Touring Division Event. He’d decided to wait until he knew for certain Cody Lane would keep that promise before giving Mandy the good news.
No, it was strictly on a personal level that this trip had been a failure, starting with Abilene.
He’d come on too strong, pushed too fast, too hard. Mandy had made clear that it was separate beds and separate lives. But they were sharing a room, and he’d seen her checking him out. Fight it all she could, reality was they were going to end up in bed together.
His ears popped, signaling a change in air pressure even before he saw the thick gray clouds swirling up ahead. This was going to be a rough ride. Weather report had not been good over the plains. Well, this wouldn’t be the first time—but it was probably the first time for Mandy.
The plane rose and fell and rose again. Mandy clutched her seat as the battleship-gray clouds smothered the plane and rain pelted the windows like tiny bullets.
“What is happening, Ty?” she yelled above the commotion. Fear squeezed her heart as she struggled against panic.
“Weather. We’re heading through a storm.”
“Wh…what kind of storm.” Please let it not be a tornado or something.