"I see we interrupted," Joey said without apology. "You didn't tell us this lovely lady was yours," he said motioning to Sabrina.
"Now we're all so devastated she's taken we'll have to leave and drown our sorrows in town." Rod threw his arms around the men on either side of him. "I, of course, will get lucky tonight, as usual."
Kyle laughed. "You usually do," he said with a grin. "You're more than welcome to stay the night if you'd like."
"Nah, we gotta get on the road," Marsh replied. "Have to be in Denver by Tuesday." He held out his hand to Sabrina. "Glad to meet you, ma'am," he said.
"Same here," she replied. "I'm so glad all of you could come."
"How could we not come, considering your request was so sweet, and your SOS about Kyle needing our help so convincing," Marsh added.
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Joey and Rod shook her hand as well and thanked her for inviting them to the Rocking M's rodeo.
"If you do it again next year, let us know. We had a hell of a time."
They said their goodbyes and walked away. Contented and happy, she turned to the man she loved.
And came face to face with the angriest man she had ever set eyes on. His face changed before her eyes--the loving looks replaced by a mask of rage and fury.
"Just what do you think gives you the right to manipulate my life like this? Who the hell do you think you are?"
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Chapter Fourteen
Uh-oh. Sabrina had seen that look all too often the past few months.
"You invited them here." His eyes blazed with anger as he advanced on her.
She wiped her hands on her denim shorts, prepared for an argument she really didn't want to have with him. "Yes, I did but--"
"You asked my friends to come save my ranch? To save me? Who the hell gave you the authority to do that?"
"I was trying to help." She'd never seen him this angry. Not even at Jackson Dent. She backed away, not wanting to confront this side of him, not prepared for his reaction.
"Do you know how embarrassing that was for me? To find out you called my friends and begged them to help me?"
"I hardly had to beg them, Kyle. When I explained you were in trouble and needed them, they were happy to help."
The glint in his emerald eyes was harsh. His cynical laugh made her cringe. "Oh that's even better. You tell people I used to compete with that I can't make it on my own here and I need their help. That's priceless.
Perfect. God, Sabrina, how could you do this to me?"
This wasn't at all the response she was expecting. She expected him to be a little miffed that she'd gone behind his back to invite his friends, but then after it was a success he'd agree she'd done the right thing. She didn't expect this raging temper. Who was this man before her? He was like a stranger--so full of venom it practically oozed from every pore. She could feel the tidal wave of fury as he blasted it in her direction.
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"I knew you wouldn't be happy about this, but please let me explain.
I asked your friends to help, and they were more than happy to. It's not like I handed over the ranch financial statements. You don't need to get angry with me about this. It worked out great. The rodeo was a success."
"No, you think it worked out," he said pointing a finger at her. "I say this is a disaster. I'll never be able to show my face around professional rodeo again. Not only did I have to leave competing, but now my former competitors had to ride to my rescue to save a ranch I'm obviously incapable of running myself."
"You're not incapable at all," she explained. "I just thought the rodeo would do so much better if we brought in some of the big names to compete." He leveled a look so murderous it made her cringe. "I was only trying to help."
"Well you didn't. Once again, you stuck your nose in where it doesn't belong. How many times do I have to tell you I don't need your help? I can handle things fine on my own here, and I don't need you to rescue me."
"I thought..."
"No," he interrupted. "You didn't think. That's the problem. You think because you have money and a short-term investment in the Rocking M
that gives you the right to make decisions about it. It doesn't."
She hated feeling this way. Having to explain, apologize. Just like she used to with Mark. Wasn't their relationship different? "Kyle, it was an idea I came up with to help. The feelings I have for you...what's been going on between you and me..."
He grabbed her by the arms and she gasped as she looked in his eyes and saw how cold they were. Where was her lover, the man whose passion and warmth had brought her a new life, new dreams, even the miracle of a child?
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"What's been going on between you and me is just sex, Sabrina.
Nothing more than that. And it certainly doesn't entitle you to go off on your own with a stupid plan you think will help."
She tried to still the trembling in her limbs as the full impact of his words hit her harder than if he'd slapped her across the face.
Just sex. That's all it was to him, that's all she was to him, a convenience. Any real feeling was on her side only. Her heart tore in two as her dream shattered.
She could feel her own anger rising along with her voice. "This is all about your pride, Kyle Morgan. Just like it always has been. I've done nothing but try to help since the day I got here, and you've done everything you can to make me feel guilty for trying. Maybe I shouldn't have come here after all."
His lips tightened as he spit out the words. "Maybe you shouldn't have. Since the first day you got here you've done nothing but meddle in my family's business, and frankly I'll be glad when you're gone so you stop interfering in my life."
How much more could she take? His words stabbed at her, each sentence drawing more blood until it was almost unbearable.
"I've had just about enough," she managed on a shaky breath. "No matter what I do, no matter how good my intentions, I will never be able to satisfy you. I'll never be able to help."
"I never asked for your help," he said roughly as he turned and started to walk away. "I never wanted it."
She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. He wasn't going to leave with the last word. "Yes, you did ask for it. Maybe you didn't want it, but at first you needed me. Or at least I thought you did. I was quite obviously wrong in that assumption." She returned his icy stare, using her anger as a shield to protect her from the raw pain threatening to tear her apart.
He just stared at her, through her, as if she wasn't speaking.
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She took a trembling breath and wiped away the tears. She would not allow him to hurt her any more than he already had. "I'll be leaving soon anyway, so none of this matters. For the remaining time I'm here, I'll stay out of your way."
He didn't respond for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. You do that."
Then he gathered up his saddle and walked toward the barn.
She stood rooted, unable to make her feet move as she watched Kyle's retreating form. She forced a ragged breath, her shoulders heaving in the effort. It was stupid to stand here, watching him, hoping he'd turn around and come running back to her, take her in his arms and tell her he was wrong.
He didn't care about her at all. This wasn't even a partnership, let alone a relationship. Like Mark, it would always be about his way, and no matter what she tried to do to help he wouldn't let her. Pride wouldn't let him.
Damn him and his pride.
Forcing her feet to move, she made the short walk to the ranch house, but couldn't bring herself to go inside and face Kyle's family. She stood on the porch watching the setting sun bank along the horizon, sinking slowly until the flame went out completely, leaving her alone in the gathering darkness.
K K K
Kyle threw the saddle down as he entered the barn. The sun had set, casting shadows through
the old wooden building. But he didn't turn the light on, preferring the darkness to match his mood.
If he lived to be a hundred he'd never understand how she could have done this to him.
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When his friends showed up this morning, he was elated, assuming they'd heard about the rodeo through the grapevine and came out to give him their support out of friendship.
Their appearance at the rodeo did wonders for the success of the event too. Maybe it would have done as well without them, but Kyle doubted they would have had the turnout they experienced today without Joey, Marsh and Rod's presence. Any rodeo fan would be hard pressed to pass up an opportunity to see the top three competitors in the profession.
And then, to find out the reason they came was in answer to Sabrina's distress call was almost more than he could bear. Not her distress of course. Oh no, she had to go and tell them that he was incompetent and incapable of running his family's ranch successfully, and then beg their help.
Rescue him. That's what she'd been trying to do since the day she stepped foot on the Rocking M. A rescue he never wanted, and didn't need.
A bridle sailed across the barn, followed by ropes, a pair of boots, and a screwdriver. When there were no more loose items to throw, he felt a little better.
Blowing a quick breath, Kyle picked up the discarded saddle and placed it on the rack in the tack room, then tried to keep his hands busy by tidying up the barn. Before he started throwing more things and making a bigger mess out of the place than he already had.
He could have done it all himself. He could have asked his friends to come, but he didn't. Because he didn't need their help, and even if he did, not in a million years would he have asked for it.
Men didn't ask for help. They solved their own problems, without begging for aid. His father had run the Rocking M from the time he was old enough to manage the business until the day he died. And he ran the ranch expertly, profitably, and efficiently.
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Kyle should have been able to do the same thing. Only he couldn't.
He failed. Even Sabrina recognized that, or she wouldn't have asked his friends to come to the rodeo.
How pathetic he must seem to them--to everyone who knew about it, and he was certain more people than just his three friends knew what Sabrina had done.
God he was angry with her.
When there was nothing left to put away, he picked a bale of hay and sat on it, brooding. He had every right to be angry with her. She had stepped out of line, beyond the boundaries they set, and gone over his head and made him look like a fool in the process.
So he'd hurt her feelings. Big deal. He pushed aside the memory of her amber eyes pooling with tears, the pain he inflicted shadowing her face as she paled at his insults and shouts. He ignored the way her whole body trembled when he shouted at her. This was her fault and she deserved his anger, and he'd be damned if he'd let himself feel guilty for it.
He pushed aside the comparison of his tirade to that of what she might have experienced at the hands of her ex-husband. It wasn't the same thing at all. It wasn't.
They were business partners, that's all. They'd had fun, shared some great sex, but that was it. This whole idea he was in love with her was ludicrous from the start. He had no idea how that notion had settled in his brain, and chalked it up to foolish desire, making his libido lead his heart down the garden path.
Well no more. It was time he took charge of his life again, and got things back to normal around here. In no time at all she'd be leaving, and that would be the best thing for him, as well as for her.
Then neither one of them would mistake their relationship for anything deeper than what it was--a mutual physical attraction. A hot spark ignited into a flame that would burn bright as long as they were
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together, but like flame and oxygen, slowly fade out and extinguish as soon as they parted.
He wasn't wrong about this, and he wasn't wrong about how he reacted to Sabrina's scheme today. The stabbing ache he felt all over had more to do with sore muscles than guilt and regret. He didn't love her.
He wouldn't love her.
K K K
The next few days Sabrina spent as much time as she could hidden in her room. She couldn't face Kyle again, and didn't want to explain to his family what happened between them.
She still had things to do, otherwise she'd have packed up the night of the rodeo and left the ranch. But she wasn't a quitter, and she made promises that she planned to keep. No matter how hard it was to stay here, no matter how much it hurt to see Kyle every day.
Jenna tried to cajole her into talking, but Sabrina feigned morning sickness and exhaustion, avoiding her. But Jenna was pretty sharp and knew something had changed between Sabrina and Kyle. Jenna asked if Sabrina told Kyle about the baby. The timing wasn't right, she explained to Jenna. But she wasn't going to tell him.
Kyle was all about independence. He wanted his freedom and she was going to make sure he got it. There was no way they'd be able to work things out now, and she wouldn't subject her child to growing up in a family devoid of love. She'd been through that and knew how it felt, and her baby wasn't going to grow up that way. If she had to raise the child alone, she'd do it, and give it enough love so he or she would never doubt they were wanted and cherished.
All she wanted to do was help the Morgans, help Kyle. And every time she tried he turned it around so that she felt she'd done something wrong. Just like Mark used to do.
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Jaci Burton
No, not quite. The situations were completely different. The men were different. Try as she might to lump Kyle in with Mark, they were completely different.
Maybe she should have handled things differently. Maybe she should have approached Kyle about her idea for the rodeo, and let him decide if it was the right thing to do.
She wasn't a man, and didn't have those pride issues to deal with.
Had she simply run amok with her newfound freedom and
independence? Had she even considered how Kyle would feel about the situation? No, she hadn't.
He had made his feelings for her quite clear the other night. He hated her business interference, and reiterated the relationship they had was purely physical. There were no emotional attachments on his end, so when she left he'd be able to move on with no lingering feelings.
But she wouldn't. Not only had she fallen in love with the Rocking M, she had completely lost her heart to Kyle. She'd take away wonderful memories, despite his anger toward her the other night. And she'd take something else with her when she left.
His child.
She stretched her legs and placed a hand on her lower abdomen, caressing the new life that grew within her. No matter what, she'd never regret the time she'd spent here. She had learned so much, not only about ranching but her own abilities.
And when she bought her own ranch and settled in, she'd be able to use her newfound knowledge to make a success of it.
For her, and for her child.
It wasn't going to be easy raising this baby by herself, but she could do it. She had money, and she was smart. She'd hire good people to help her, and they would be fine.
If her heart ached at the thought of leaving the Rocking M, it was only because of the way she felt about the people here. She'd miss Jenna
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and Luke and Brady. And of course little Matthew. They were like family to her.
The more time she had to think, the more she realized that in many ways Kyle was right. She had no right to be upset when he told her their relationship was purely physical. He'd been honest with her from the start. He told her a sexual relationship was all he was capable of, and she'd accepted his terms. Just because she fell in love with him didn't mean he owed her his love in return.
She had a lot yet to learn about love and relation
ships. And as long as she lived, she'd never be able to understand men.
K K K
"You are an idiot of epic proportions," Jenna said with hands on hips as she confronted Kyle near the horse corral.
"Now what did I do?" He turned to look at his sister.
"I don't know. But I've been watching you and Sabrina the past few days. You hardly stay in the same room together for more than a few seconds, and neither of you says a word to the other. What happened?"
He turned away and went back to work on the saddle. "That's none of your business, Jenn. Stay out of my affairs."
She walked around until she stood in front of the saddle. "Is that what she is to you? An affair?"
He didn't answer. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her prying questions. "Not now. I'm busy."
"Well you're just going to have to unbusy yourself and talk to me because I'm not leaving until you do."
He glanced up and saw her fold her arms across her chest and glare at him. "I don't want to talk about Sabrina."
"Why not? Obviously there's something wrong with you two. She won't talk to me either."
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"Did it ever occur to you that maybe neither of us wants to discuss it?"
"You need to talk to her, Kyle. I don't know what happened, but trust me. You need to settle it before she leaves."
"Leave it alone, Jenna. We're dealing with it just fine."
"No, you're not," she replied as she stepped toward him and brushed his forearm, a mixture of anger and concern on her petite face. "And you need to. You'll regret it if you don't."
"Would you please stay out of my business? God," he said as he pulled a hand through his hair, "you're just like Sabrina. Always interfering."
Jenna paused for a moment. "This is about the rodeo, isn't it? The fact she called on your friends and asked them to come."
"It's about more than that," he replied as he resumed work on the saddle.
She jerked on his arm until he looked at her. Her eyes narrowed in anger. "No it isn't. I bet you're pissed because she went over your head and did something that ultimately saved this ranch's butt, and you just can't handle the fact that you didn't think of it yourself."
"Jenna, I'm warning you. I don't want to discuss this with you."