She opened the door and shut it behind her.
I sat down on the bed and tried to catch my breath. I shook my head and tried to clear the image of her standing in front of me. I tried to erase the look in her eyes. I closed my eyes and saw Olivia and me making love on this very bed. I could never make love to Whitley for the first time in this bed. She deserved so much better than that.
She deserves so much better than me. I need to distance myself from her.
I was starting to fall for her, fast and hard, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.
Then, I heard a truck pull up, and someone started talking. I quickly got changed and headed outside. I locked up the cabin and put the key back above the door. I rounded the corner and saw Mitch, my ranch foreman, talking to Whitley.
The next thing I knew, she was running around to the passenger side of his truck and getting in. Mitch started to drive off, but I stepped in front of his truck. He quickly slammed on the brakes. I looked directly at Whitley, who appeared to be on the verge of tears. I walked up to Mitch’s window, and he rolled it down. He looked pissed-off.
“Layton. ”
“Mitch. ” I looked over at Whitley. “Where are you going, Whitley? And why are you in my foreman’s truck?”
“I, um…I just need to get back, and he pulled up, so…I’m just going to head back to your house, if that’s okay. I just need to leave. ”
I looked at the hurt in her eyes. Is it hurt or fear?
I smiled and nodded. “Okay, I’ll be up there right away. I just have to go back to the Jeep. ”
She nodded and tried to smile. “Yep…okay. ”
I looked at Mitch. “Thanks, Mitch. ”
He gave me a nod and rolled up the window. I stood there and watched as he drove off with her.
My heart started pounding, and I felt sick to my stomach.
Why does it feel like she’s leaving me? She promised me she wouldn’t leave me—ever.
Chapter Thirteen: Whitley
I jumped out of Mitch’s truck and thanked him. I practically ran up the back steps into Layton’s house. I shut the door, ran through the kitchen, and grabbed my bag and purse. I headed toward the door. I needed to leave and leave right now.
“Oh God! How could I be so stupid? What’s wrong with me? I can’t believe I actually wanted him to kiss me…I wanted him to…oh God!” I started to make my way out when I stopped dead in my tracks.
I saw the picture of Mike and Layton on the fireplace mantel.
I promised him. I promised him I’d never leave him.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds before I turned around and started walking down the hallway, looking for Layton’s bedroom to take a shower and put on dry clothes. I slowly opened a door and saw it was the master bedroom. I walked in and put my hand up to my mouth.
It was amazing. There was a huge king-size bed with a beautiful solid wood bedframe. The matching dressers were incredible. The walls had been painted a blue-silver color, and the bedding matched it perfectly. The pictures on the wal
ls were all hand-painted country scenes.
“My God…it’s so serene in here,” I said to myself.
I glanced over and saw a nook with two giant oversized chairs. I thought about how comfortable it would be to sit there and read a book.
Ah hell…I sound like Courtney now.
I walked up, opened a door, and prayed it was his bathroom.
Nope.
“Holy shit. This is bigger than my whole bedroom. ”