The Cowboy's Texas Rose (The Dixons of Legacy Ranch 1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

No password keypad opened on Rose’s phone. Instead, a text-message image lit the screen, and Rose tapped it, opening it.

Her breath seized. A photo filled the screen. Katy Kisses? Who was Katy…

“Dammit,” Toby murmured behind her, dropping what had to be her phone and reaching to take the one in her hands. “That’s for me—”

“What in the…” Rose sat up, gaping at the phone, confused. “Who would send me this?” What was this? A close-up selfie of a pretty blond woman and her perky bikini top while she bit her finger with a pouty lip. The text message:

Katy Kisses:Missing you. I knew it wouldn’t be long before you texted back. When are you coming out to play again? When your crew leaves? Def want to finish what we started.

It’s not my phone.Their phones were set to the same ringtones, she remembered. In the haze of her bliss, she’d been remiss and thought this text had hit her phone. But it was Toby’s phone. And if it was Toby’s phone, then…

Oh God.Who was this woman? A side piece? She looked over at him. Her lungs tightened as if talons gripped them. Was he really that player she’d convinced herself he wasn’t? Was he already making plans with someone for when she left?

She’d finally believed she could trust him. Had he sweet talked her the whole time she’d been here? Put on a grand display of chivalry to convince her he was worth it? Just to what? Get her where he wanted? Had he not meant a word about anything he’d said about her, Sage, his family and memories and mother? Had he said all of it to build a pretty picture about himself so she’d finally sleep with him?

She was going to be sick. How had she blinded herself so quickly?

“Rose, hand me the phone,” he urged, pushing up on his arm as panic lilted his voice.

He looked desperate. He looked guilty. Guilt. She’d hit the nail on the head. It was all a ruse, and the anguish on his face told her he’d been found out. Rose scooted away from him, her face going ashen, and felt the chill of the desert losing its warmth replace the feel of his skin against hers.

He reached out and took her arm. “Rose, listen to me. Rose—”

She ripped her arm free, barely registering the panic climbing in his voice as if he couldn’t fill his lungs. She let the phone drop from her hands onto the rumpled blanket between them.

“You lied,” she whispered. Her eyes finally sliced to his as she cupped an arm around her breasts to shield herself from him when moments ago she’d opened herself to him with such abandon. “All of this. You lied to my father’s face. You made my little boy like you. You…you set all of this up.”

“No. No, baby, I didn’t. This chick…she wasn’t…I—”

“I’m not your baby.” She enunciated each word and grabbed her bra and panties, ashamed of her nudity and that he was watching her. He pushed to his feet, too, trying desperately to take her hands. “I got so wrapped up in your charm. I—”

She felt tears well in her eyes. She felt pain lodge like cacti in her throat. Swallowing was fruitless. She fought her way into her jeans as Toby, too, scrambled into his clothes. Jamming her bare feet back into her hiking boots, she abandoned her socks, hooked her bra, and dragged her shirt over her head, ensuring that she had her own phone and snatching up her backpack. Slinging it over her shoulder, she fled the shelter.

“Rose, you gotta listen to me!” he called after her, still shirtless as he jammed his feet into his shit-kickers.

He chased her, coming up behind her as she descended the incline into the canyon and snagging her elbow. She ripped her arm free again and whirled around. “I trusted you. Do you know how hard that was? My dad told me he liked you, to not be afraid to fall for you. You fooled him, too. Good job.”

“She…I…we never—I mean, it was her bra in my Bronco, but—”

She yanked away from him, feeling that nausea roil again. He’d just been with this girl, Katy freaking Kisses, and in the next breath started seducing her? Was he a pathological Casanova? Toby had clearly been keeping in touch with her. Thank God he’d worn a condom, but she’d still gone down on him. Did she need to get tested now? She realized she’d been jogging as he followed, his words receding into an inaudible jumble, though he seemed mindful enough not to touch her again. She crossed the arroyo and came to the parked Bronco. What a stupid vehicle, all jacked up. She wanted to kick it, but it wouldn’t ease the anger she felt…at herself.

That was it. She’d had his number as a player from the moment she’d met him, and she’d still let him into her heart, then into my stupid pants! She’d let down her guard. Had she been desperate? She knew better than to mix business with pleasure. She knew not to let her son become attached to anyone, and yet she’d allowed Toby to involve himself with Sage for the sake of her field school. She’d been selfish. After everything she’d gone through, how could she have still been so naïve?

He’d offered her a dream job. It was all a joke. She could never work here, wondering what woman he was texting on the side. She would always know these ancient wonders were nestled into this canyon, and yet she’d never be able to look at this research again without reliving this man’s betrayal. God, she was back to square one. No job prospects on the horizon. No apartment come the end of summer.

I’m a fool.

He was still following her, though his tone sounded forlorn, and she finally slowed enough to listen. “If you won’t listen to me—” he said, his voice gruff with dejection.

She turned to look at him, chewing his cheek and eyes red-rimmed, desperation having furrowed his brow painfully.

“At least let me give you a ride back to the house.”

“I’m going to my camper,” she snapped, pushing a stubborn tear off her cheek.

He was standing still, arms limp and still shirtless. His chest rose and fell heavily, but not from exertion. From…what was it? Withholding his own emotions? Was he going to cry? He should have thought about that before he kept sexting with his side chick while he’d won her heart and made her promises.

“So don’t bother. It’s a short walk and, honestly, I need some space,” she muttered, returning to her hike up the sheep trail. Twilight was descending, but already she could see the roof of Toby’s beautiful stone estate coming into view. The night looked as if it would be clear with the stars beginning to peek out in the darker east. It would have been beautiful to lie in that shelter with Toby and gaze at them, filling the sky with magnificent light. She rummaged for her cell phone, bitterly examining it again to ensure it was her own. If she ended up needing a flashlight, she’d have it.

Toby turned back to his Bronco and cranked open the door. She glanced back to see him slam his hands on the wheel, mutter an expletive and something about having left his keys in the rock shelter. He got out and slammed the door shut, returning back to the canyon to retrieve his things. Good. She’d already be nearing her camper by the time he made it back. Hopefully her crew would return soon and he’d leave her alone instead of making a scene.

Did they actually need to work tomorrow? Everyone was tired. It had been exceptionally hot for days, and she could do without any more of Howie’s constant smirking. The sooner they got back to UT, the better. Then, perhaps, she could talk to her dean about Howard in person. Except she desperately needed her dean’s reference on all her job applications. Now was definitely not the time to be labeled a whiner.

She sighed. I should have gone to business school and gotten myself a nice little office job pushing papers. No. She would rather raise goats with her dad and son and let life go back to the way it had been before she’d set out on this path of adulthood. Maybe she should just give up on academia. Why had she picked such a hopeless profession? Time to shut down this year’s field school, even if it was a day early.

“It’s settled. When the crew gets back tonight, I’ll break the news. I’ll send a few people to break down the tables and pack up the lab.” They could leave in the morning. And all memories of Toby’s intact pottery and painted mats and rock shelters up and down this vast canyon could be a thing of her past.