Taming the Texan

“This is such a gorgeous house,” she muttered as she crossed to the window. “I can’t imagine ever wanting to leave if I had somewhere like this to call home.”

She’d mentioned that before, but he wondered why she didn’t just buy a place in the country. Unless she was one of those picky people who had vast dreams and a meager budget.

“It never gets old,” he admitted. “This land means more than money. There’s loyalty, family, protection. Everything is wrapped up in Pebblebrook.”

Alexa turned her attention back to him. “That’s the most I’ve heard you say at one time.”

“Maybe I only talk when I’m passionate about something.”

The corners of her lips twitched. One of these times when she mouthed off or gave that mocking grin, he was going to put that mouth to better use. There was only so long a man could hold out. Besides, the sexual attraction wasn’t going away. If anything, the tension grew stronger the longer she was here.

Maybe a little seduction would take the edge off. Perhaps kissing her and seeing where that led would have them both putting this time to better use.

“What else are you passionate about?” she asked.

“Bourbon, fighting for what I believe in, good sex.” Her eyes widened and Hayes nearly smiled. “Oh, come on. You can’t be surprised by my answer, darlin’. I’m a guy.”

“I guess I didn’t expect you to throw the word sex down so easily.”

With a shrug, he started down the hall that led to his master bedroom. “Sex has to be easy. Anything else implies commitment and that is impossible.”

Alexa tipped her head and studied him. “Who hurt you?”

She just had to keep pressing. He’d almost rather have her pity than for her to dig deeper into his scarred heart. “My fiancée and my CO were having an affair behind my back.”

Alexa gasped. Clearly, she wasn’t expecting such honesty, but he wasn’t sugar coating. Perhaps the bold statement would get her to back off and stop trying to pick his mind. If she persisted, he’d have to pull out the nightmare. Bringing it into the open would surely get her to back the hell out of his personal space.

“Trust doesn’t come easily,” he added. “Which is why sex is sex and anything more is meaningless.”

“That’s pretty cold,” she told him.

“If you didn’t want the truth, you shouldn’t have asked.”

There was no point in discussing this. They were completely different people and he wasn’t here to make friends or make her feel good by opening up and spilling his emotions about the big, bad, scary things he carried in his mind.

The house tour was a safe subject, though he was a fool for starting in the bedroom. Unfortunately, that was the only area he’d completed.

He’d taken part of the wall in the hallway out to make room for the double doors leading to the suite. This house would be revamped from top to bottom, inside and out, but he still wanted to keep the charm of the ’40s, when it had been built. No expense would be spared and he would put in high-end everything, but doing it himself was imperative. Hayes needed to stay busy, needed to be working with his hands. Idle time would only feed the devil that threatened him daily.

Hayes reached for the doorknobs and eased the doors wide open. Alexa’s gasp behind him was all the validation he needed. Even his brothers hadn’t seen the completed room yet.

“This is…” Alexa moved past him, her gaze traveling all around the room. “It’s breathtaking and so perfect for an old farmhouse.”

She crossed the wide-planked wood floor and stopped at the edge of the gray rug. Hayes moved on into the room, shoving his hands in his pockets and waiting for her to finish assessing.

Her bare feet padded over the rug and to the end of his king-size bed. “That wall of old boards is amazing.”

“Those are from the original flooring that was in here. I’m reusing as much as I can to keep the place authentic, but still adding in the best fixtures and modern amenities like heated floors, lights and blinds on timers, security with motion cameras. There’s so much to do in each room, it will definitely take some time.”

Family and heritage meant something to him. Actually, it meant everything because at the end of the day, that was the only thing keeping him sane. After what happened overseas, if he hadn’t had a sanctuary like Pebblebrook to come home to, Hayes knew he would’ve lost his mind.

Alexa took her time going between the built-ins he’d refinished, to the fireplace with original detailing and scrollwork extending up to the ceiling, and the wide window with custom-built seating and storage beneath. The crown molding had been refinished and he’d also kept the ceiling medallion and painted it white to match the rest of the clean lines.

After several moments in silence, Alexa turned to face him. “This is so impressive. All the detail, all the original touches that make this still feel like a farmhouse, but more up-to-date. The colors aren’t what I’d have expected you to choose.”

Intrigued that she’d given this any thought, Hayes hooked his thumbs through his belt loops. “And what did you think I’d do in here? Black like my soul?”