Texas Tall (The Tylers of Texas 3)

For a moment he lay still, his breath easing out in a long exhalation. Then he moved off her, rolled over, and, without a word, sank into exhausted sleep.

That, too, was very much as Tori remembered. Some things never changed.

She slid out of bed and pattered into the bathroom. Will’s old flannel robe hung on a hook behind the door. Tori wrapped it around her and walked back to stand beside the bed, gazing down at the man who lay sprawled in sleep like a tired child. Overcome by tenderness and dismay, she shook her head.

Heaven save her, what had she done?

CHAPTER 7

Will woke to silence at 4:15 a.m. Tori was gone from his bedroom, along with her clothes. No surprise there. She probably hadn’t wanted to face waking up next to him. And she definitely wouldn’t have wanted Erin to discover her in his bed.

He’d needed her last night. Something told him she’d needed him, too—for the first time in eight long years. But he’d be a fool to think their wild encounter had been anything more than a one-night stand. Knowing Tori, he believed she was already beating herself up with regrets. Unless he missed his guess, today would be back to business as usual, with both of them pretending nothing had happened.

Put it aside, he told himself. Right now, he had more urgent concerns than his ex-wife. The morning stillness told him the norther had passed, leaving bitter cold in its wake. There was nothing to do but get up and deal with the damage.

He rolled out of bed and flipped the light switch. Nothing happened. There were probably lines down between here and Blanco, which meant no heat, no coffee, even, till the power crews got out this way. There was nothing to do but get dressed in the dark, go outside, and face the dawn.

He pulled on layers of clothing—thermal underwear, a wool shirt, and a down vest to wear under his coat. Thick wool socks went under his winter boots. In the living room he took a moment to light the fire that was already laid in the fireplace and check the wood box for more logs and kindling. That done, he added his coat, his thick wool cap, and his leather gloves.

He was about to step outside when Tori walked in from the hall. She was wrapped in Will’s old flannel robe, her hair tousled from sleep. The memory of her ripe mouth and eager body rose in his mind. He forced it away.

> “It’s early,” she said. “Is everything all right?”

“That’s what I’m about to find out. You might as well get some sleep while the place warms up.” He turned to go, but her voice stopped him.

“Will, about last night. We need to forget it ever happened.”

He’d expected this from her. Still, it stung. “It’s already forgotten,” he said. “And don’t worry, I’m not going to say anything to your new boyfriend.”

Before she could respond, he walked out the door and closed it behind him. On the porch what met his eyes confirmed his worst fears.

In the east the sky was paling to gray. The grim dawn cast enough light to reveal the ice-glazed nightmare the storm had left behind. Frozen sleet coated the roads and buildings. Its weight had bowed the willows to the ground and broken branches off the tall cottonwoods. Worst of all, Will knew from experience, the frozen pastureland would offer no forage for the cold, hungry cattle.

The bunkhouse was already stirring. No lights there, either, but smoke was curling from the chimney. All hands would be needed to get hay to the pastures, to de-ice and refill the watering tanks, and aid the distressed cattle. Will could see where Sky had parked his truck with the headlights on in the open doorway of the long barn. Once he’d made sure the horses were all right, he would join the crews in the pastures.

Beau’s Jeep was coming down from the east pasture, its familiar headlights bouncing along the rough road. Will watched as it came nearer, apprehension a dark coil in the pit of his stomach. The news would be bad, his instincts told him—as if any news this morning could be good. He braced his emotions as the Jeep rounded the last curve and rocketed into the yard.

Beau braked the jeep to a halt and climbed out. Red-eyed and unshaven, he looked as if he’d barely slept. Will came down the icy steps to meet him. “Bad?” he asked, meeting his brother’s eyes.

Beau nodded, his mouth pressed into a tight line. When he spoke, his voice cracked like an old man’s. “More than bad. Lightning strike. I counted seventeen dead around the burnt spot in the pasture. Hope to God there aren’t more, but we won’t know for sure till the sun’s up.”

Will’s knees had gone weak. He braced a supporting hand on the Jeep’s warm hood. “Damn,” he muttered. “That’s all we need to push us over the edge.”

Behind him, the front door opened and closed. Tori had come out onto the front porch. Her gaze took in the frozen landscape and the stricken faces of the two men at the bottom of the steps. “What is it?” she asked. “What’s happened?”

Beau gave her the news. She’d been a ranch wife long enough to know what it meant. No dramatics, just bear up and move on. She shook her head. “I’m sorry. If there’s anything I can do—”

“Just make sure Erin’s all right, and keep her inside today.” Squaring his shoulders, Will turned back to Beau. “Let’s get the men together. We’ve got a herd to save.”

The two brothers climbed into Beau’s jeep Jeep and headed toward the bunkhouse, tires crunching on the icy ground.

* * *

Heartsick, Tori watched them go. The death of that many prime cattle would mean disaster for the future of the ranch. The cows and heifers, many of them pregnant, were the backbone of next year’s herd, the spring calves a promise of profit next fall. And the two pedigreed Hereford stud bulls, if either was lost, would cost a small fortune to replace.

Will was tough, like his father. He hid his emotions behind a stoic mask. But Tori knew he was devastated. Last night’s losses, coupled with the summer’s drought and fire, would put the ranch’s survival in serious peril. Couple that with the legal charges hanging over him, and Will would be staggering under his invisible burdens.

Until the moment she’d stepped outside this morning, Tori had been preoccupied with what had happened last night in Will’s bed. How could she have dropped her guard that way? What, if anything, would Will expect going forward? And how would it affect her growing relationship with Drew?