“I love you.”
The words hung in the dusty air between them. Had he said them out loud? Her body quivered with little aftershocks, and she sighed, her warm breath both tickling and cooling his heated skin. His heart seemed to hesitate between beats as he waited for her reaction.
“Me, too, you.”
His heart started again, steady this time, and he breathed. Those three words were enough for now. He cradled her against his side and let her doze. He’d get up and dressed in a few minutes and walk the colt. Until then, he wanted nothing more from life than this woman in his arms.
Now that he’d admitted his feelings aloud, Chance needed this respite from his guilt—and his indecision. He could follow his heart, betray his family and love the woman in his arms. Or he could betray her. The choices sucked, and the devil sitting on his shoulder whispered that he’d resent Cassie for driving a wedge between him and his brothers. He cursed softly even as he tightened his arms around the woman who was becoming his everything.
An hour later, he had the colt up and moving. Cassie watched him, her face pale, and the corners of her mouth drawn down.
“This is all my fault.”
Chance continued walking the colt, but he glanced over his shoulder to study her. Her jeans hung low on her hips because she hadn’t fastened the top button. The T-shirt she’d pulled on sans bra showed every curve, and he was glad he hadn’t fastened his own fly.
“No, it’s not. Horses colic, Cassie. I checked the grain bin and the hay. It’s all good. No mold. He didn’t get sick from eating it. Besides, he’s been grazing on grass in the pasture and probably not drinking enough water. You did not do this to him.”
She looked so miserable he felt compelled to do something—anything to make her feel better. He’d made love to this woman—his woman. And wasn’t that a kick in the pants. He hated seeing her so emotionally beaten. As he returned, he paused long enough to gather her into his arms. He kissed her forehead and laid his cheek on the top of her head for a moment. A feeling of rightness settled somewhere in his chest. Despite all the roadblocks, he wanted her—in his bed and in his life.
“I repeat, Cass. This is not your fault. And we’ll get him through it. I promise.” He planned to promise her so much more, too.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Chance.”
Thirteen
“Shut up, Cord.”
Chance’s brother was waving a piece of paper in his face. “Have you seen these fliers? Every store in Cowtown has one stuck to the door.” He used the local nickname for the area known as Stockyard City.
Chance brushed Cord back with a wave of his hand. “I’ve seen it. So what?”
“So what? All hell would break out if the old man was here. You better be glad he and Cash flew to Vegas to pull Chase’s butt out of the fire over the deal with that showgirl.”
He vaguely remembered something about a blackmail scheme and a showgirl at the Barron Crown Casino, and being glad at the time they hadn’t dragged him into it. “What do you want me to do about the fliers, Cord? Go door to door and rip them down?”
“I want you to fix this. Before the old man gets back and has a stroke.”