Why had she come, Zoe wondered, alone in Ty's barn. Had she really imagined she'd be able to swallow her pride and ask him for help?
Yes. For her sisters she would.
Anything for them, including facing the one man with the ability to rock her world.
The bright sun felt good on her face when she left the barn, and she tipped it up, standing still for a moment.
Ty looked up from the water hose where he'd been washing up, and froze at the sight. Zoe faced the sun, her long neck exposed, her lips curved in a half smile as she soaked up the heat.
From where he stood he could see the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, could see the tension from her body slowly drain as she grappled with, then won some of her annoying self-control.
Why he found that so arousing, he hadn't a clue. Always before he had preferred his women mild-tempered. No sharp tongue. A much softer appeal. And if they were blond and long-legged, so much the better.
So why he was drinking in the sight of this petite, fire-tempered little wildcat? She made him furious and hot at the same time, and never had he encountered such a woman.
He was still hurt at her cool and easy rejection of him, so he turned his attention away from her and continued to wash up. A shower would have suited him better than splashing icy water on his chest and arms, but he didn't have time. It was Sunday and he was alone. There was too much to do.
But even with his back turned, the image of Zoe was imprinted on his mind, the way she'd looked when Abby had given birth-elated, sweet, loving, touched. To dispel the picture, he dunked his head, ignoring the iciness of the water as it dripped off him. When he was as clean as he was going to get, he turned off the hose and shook it off. He lifted his head and his gaze hit Zoe's.
She'd not moved, not a muscle except her face, which was now turned directly toward him. Her mouth was open a little, as if she couldn't breathe.
Frowning, he took a step toward her, instantly forgetting his promise to stay clear of Ms. Trouble. It wasn't something he did consciously, for he wasn't a man used to caring about others, but caring about this woman and her sisters seemed to be something he would have to live with.
He reached her and she was still in that strange state of not breathing. "Zoe? You okay?"
Her mouth fell open a bit more, then she swallowed audibly. "Uh… yeah. Sure."
She sounded so… distraught. No, that wasn't right. Her eyes had gone wide, but there was no fear in them. "What is it?"
Her gaze was glued to his chest now. "Ah… nothing. I mean, I've gotta go hard-er, home now and…" Her face flushed. "And get something to chest. I mean to drink. Drink!"
And with that, she whirled and ran toward her truck.
And get something to chest?
Baffled, Ty glanced down at his own bare, dripping chest, wondering what had gotten into her.
Something to chest.
Suddenly a smile split his face. His temper and frustration didn't vanish but rather settled in line behind amusement. He easily caught up to her since she'd dropped her keys three times, then fumbled with the door handle.
"Going to get something to chest?" he asked casually, coming to a halt behind her.
Her shoulders stiffened. Her fingers went still.
When he peered around to see her face, her eyes were closed, her mouth tight.
And her face was a most definite shade of red.
"It sure is warm today," he finished conversationally. "Never know when you're going to need something… to chest."
Something escaped her throat, it sounded suspiciously like a groan.
He laughed then, he just couldn't help it. Reaching for her, he turned her toward him, a feat in itself because she'd gone rigid as a corpse.
"Hello." It wasn't kind to torment her, but she had the ability to single-handedly drive him crazy. He figured it was his God-given right to drive her crazy right back. "Come clean, Zoe, gig's up." He grinned and rubbed his chest. "You want me."
She stared with great interest over his shoulder at nothing. "I have to go now."
"I can see that." He laughed again, he couldn't help it; he suddenly felt lighter than he had in weeks. "Need another look at me first?"
Her face went even redder.
"Tongue-shy?" He bent closer, but she still wouldn't meet his gaze. "Wow, this is a first. Listen-you weren't by any chance back there… lusting after me, were you?"
"Shut up."
"You were." He laughed again, earning himself a cold glare.
"All right!" she fumed, raising her hands. "All right! I might have been staring at you."
"Might have been?" He roared at this. "Slim, you were drooling." He had the satisfaction of seeing her gaze slip for a moment and run over his body. He went instantly hard, surprising himself, for up until that point he'd only been teasing.
She lifted her chin in that endearing yet annoying gesture of hers. "I have no idea why you're so amused about this," she snapped. "Just a moment ago you couldn't wait to get away from me."
"No, just a moment ago we were kneeling over a miracle," he reminded her, his smile fading. "Over Abby and her new colt, and nothing is more real or grounding than that. It's precious, Zoe. Seeing life start before your very eyes, and you know it, too, I saw you. I saw your face. God, the way you looked at me… It made me feel that something was between us. Something amazing. I know you felt it, too, Zoe, don't even try to deny it."
She said nothing, which was typical and frustrating, and suddenly he wasn't going to take it. "That's when you remembered you didn't like me, or that you didn't like the man you think I am, and it was over. Just like that, click, and you're back to unfeeling Zoe Martin. Even your eyes shuttered against me."
She drew an uneven breath, but to her credit, she didn't run as he'd half expected.
"We bring out the worst in each other," she said quietly.
"And also the best." Hell, he had no idea where that statement came from. He didn't even know what it meant. He didn't want this thing between them any more than she did, so why then did he constantly push her for more?
If he was falling, he was falling hard, and for a woman who had clearly been so hurt in her past she couldn't possibly return the feeling. But Ty had a will of iron. If falling for her was a mistake-which it was-then he simply wouldn't fall.
No problem. He was unfallen. That easy.
Straightening, he dropped his hands to his sides and turned from her, bone-weary. He'd been putting in long days at his ranch, then more hours at hers. And for the past two nights he'd been up sitting with Abby, waiting.
"Where are you going?" She sounded startled that he was walking away from her.
"I won't fight for your damn affection, Zoe. I won't even fight for your friendship anymore, I'm too tired. I have other things to spend my energies on-including saving your selfish pride over that ranch."
Now she looked a little frightened. He hesitated, thinking she would stop him, but she didn't speak. Disgusted with the both of them, he shook his head and strode away.
She followed him.
He gave her a look that would have any of his hired hands quivering in their boots as he walked. "What?"
"I…" Zoe couldn't form the words as she struggled to keep up with his fast pace. "We… we, ah, had a meeting last night. My sisters and I."
"Did you?"
"About the ranch."
"Okay." Now he stopped, halfway between the house and his barn. The sun beat down on them. The water still beaded on his tanned chest, glistening, but it was all hard to enjoy when his face and voice were so distant.
She felt as though she were on an emotional roller coaster ride, one she was completely unequipped for. She knew nothing of these matters, she'd avoided exactly this kind of attachment most of her life.
Walking away would be so easy, but she had no choice. For her sisters, she had to do this. And really, just how bad could pride taste, anyway? "We figured we could fix up the barn," she said. "The cabins on the edge of the property aren't needed right now, so they can stay the way they are."
"We've discussed this."
"There's more."
He crossed his arms, his legs spread and steady. An aggressive male stance that screamed dangerously annoyed, tired male. She spoke quickly. "Then maybe we could get some animals, you know. Nothing too complicated at first. Maybe start out with some chickens."
"Uh-huh."
"And a cow or something."
No response. And agonized over what she had to ask, Zoe held her breath. "Only we need some…"
"Some…?" he repeated, ever so helpfully.
She sighed loudly. "We need some help, dammit. Okay?"
He looked disbelieving. "To handle a single cow and a few chickens?"
"I want more than that. Ty… I'm trying to ask you for help."
"Why is it so hard?"
"I don't know."
He didn't soften in the least, keeping his arms crossed over the still-bare, still-magnificent chest she was trying her best to ignore.
"For the record," he asked finally, "are we talking technical help or financial help?"
"Technical."
"I'm already-"
"Yes, yes, I know. Manager," Zoe said, finishing for him impatiently. "This is different. I need more than a general manager. I need to be taught everything."
He didn't comment on the fact they'd be working together, closely. "Where is the money going to come from?" he asked instead.
"I'm going to get a loan."
"You?"
"Yes, me." Zoe forced herself to relax or she was going to split in two. "Delia has a… well, let's just say she got in trouble with credit cards and shopping a few years back."
"Bad credit, huh?" he asked, showing his first signs of sympathy.
For her sister! She was baring her guts here and he felt sorry for Delia.
"Maddie can't get a loan, either. She's never established any credit at all." And she tended to get suckered by every male she met as well, Zoe thought with a burst of worry that never faded, but she kept that to herself. "So that leaves me."
He looked unimpressed. "You have any credit?"
"Sure." Maybe.
He studied her seriously, his face impassive, his eyes still that startling ice.
It frightened her, this distant Ty, as nothing else could have. But why, when it was what she'd wanted all along? "We're… we're helpless without you," she said quietly.
"You're many things, Zoe," he said dryly. "But helpless is not one of them."
She was positive that was not a compliment. "I'm thinking of Maddie and Delia." Here was the swallowing-pride part. "I want this badly," she said with as much dignity as she could muster. "Will you do it?"
"I must be an idiot," he said wearily. "But yes. I'll help you. For Maddie and Delia, I'll help."
It was an effort to keep her voice even. "But not for me."
His eyes held hers, and for one moment they warmed and showed her a glimpse of what she'd seen before. Then it was gone, replaced by that frightening chilliness she'd caused. "How you'd resent that," he said softly. "If I dared do anything to help the independent Zoe Martin."
With that cryptic statement, he turned on his heels and walked away.
And this time, she let him go.
It was dessert time when Cliff showed up and asked if they needed anything done.
"Where's Ty?" Zoe asked casually as she let Cliff in. Usually Ty would be here sniffing out the goods.
Cliff smiled and removed his hat. "He went mountain climbing."
"Mountain climbing."
Cliff looked surprised at her shocked tone. "He always goes, especially when he's mad or unsettled." Cliff grinned and shrugged. "Which happens a lot with Ty. He's a dark sort of guy."
"Mountain climbing is dangerous."
"Especially the way he does it."
Zoe schooled her face into impassivity, but still Cliff's grin faded slowly. "Anyway…" He cleared his throat. "He takes off for a day here and there when he can. He loves it, though you wouldn't catch me dead doing half of the crazy climbs he does."
Zoe's stomach dropped. She pictured Ty hanging off an edge of a cliff, reaching for another, and because of his state of mind-the state of mind she'd put him in-imagined him missing and falling.
Imagined his body broken and bleeding on the valley floor.
Ty Jackson was a big boy, she reminded herself all that night and into the dawn. He could take care of himself, he'd been doing just that for a long time.
She could take care of herself, too. And would.
The next morning, Zoe made excuses to her sisters and got into one of the ancient trucks.
She drove the long, windy road into the closest town. Lewiston. She was going to get a loan, it was the only way. All of Ty's expertise wouldn't help if she couldn't get the money.
She knew Ty would have loaned her money, but she had no intention of doing any such thing. It was bad enough she needed him at all. She'd been reading her library books late at night, soaking up the information she needed on ranching. But even Zoe wasn't that stubborn.
She still needed Ty.
And the money. But five minutes later, she was miserable.
Mr. Jacobs was everything Zoe imagined a loan officer being-impersonal expression and impossibly disapproving. He'd listened with polite disinterest, quickly becoming more disinterested, adamantly refusing to consider a loan. "It's out of the question," he repeated. With a deliberate movement, he pushed his glasses up on his nose and looked down its long, thin length at her. He spoke through his nose. "It's a bad investment."
He might as well have said "You're the bad investment," that's how personally she took his statement.
All her life she'd been told no. All her life she'd been struggling against feeling inferior. It should have been an easy swallow, but it wasn't. "I haven't even filled out a single form," she said calmly, though her heart raced and her palms were damp. She wiped them on the cotton pants she'd changed into for the occasion, when she'd stupidly believed she could dress for this part.
Truth was, it didn't matter what she wore, she had Poor stamped across her forehead. The bank officer had probably taken one look at her when she'd walked in and had decided before she'd even opened her mouth.
"Not necessary to fill out forms in this case." Mr. Jacobs looked past her, clearly hoping his next client was waiting. "Giving money to three women to start a ranch, when not one of you has ever even worked on one before, would be a grave error in judgment."
Zoe refused to be dismissed so easily. "We're hard workers, we won't give up. This can work."
Just as stubborn, Mr. Jacobs shook his head, completely without remorse. "Sorry, no can do. The ranch is not a good bet. Good day." He picked up his pencil, bent his head and proceeded to start on another project, rudely ignoring her.
Head high as she could manage, Zoe left the bank, her stomach burning with shame and fury. She managed to make it home on autopilot, only to be ambushed by Delia at the door of Triple M.
Her sister took one look at her face and called for Maddie. The two of them promptly dragged Zoe into the kitchen, where Maddie plied her with iced tea and homemade chocolate truffles.
Maddie nodded to Delia, and they each sat on either side of her, faces worried and serious. They waited until she was full before attacking.
"Spill it," Delia demanded.
Zoe put down her tea slowly. How to tell them? She honestly didn't know. Thinking she had to protect them, she forced a smile. "I went to see about a loan."
"By yourself?" Maddie asked, concern wrinkling her brow. "Oh, honey, we should have been with you."
"Yes, we should have been," Delia said. "Dammit, Zoe, stop taking everything on yourself. We're a team."
Because there was a note of uncertainty in Delia's usually confident voice, Zoe mentally kicked herself and tried to smooth over the tension. "Yes, we're a team. I just thought I could handle this for all of us. It's such a pain."
"It's in the works?" Delia asked, surprised. There'd been so much disappointment in their lives, Zoe refused to add to it. With the best smile she could muster, she nodded. "It's in the works," she repeated, thinking she'd try every damn bank in the state before disappointing them again.