Page 45 of Tempting Wyatt
Wyatt Logan ignoring me murdered my good mood.
“Nah. I’ll stick to passenger princess for this one.”
IT’S GROWINGDARK when we park the vehicle in the barn closest to the cabins. It’s walking distance, but due to the lack of light, Isaac drives me back in his truck. Much like Wyatt, he opens my door and helps me out. But unlike Wyatt, he surprises me by jumping into the truck bed like a skilled gymnast. I watch as he retrieves an amber-colored bottle of beer from a cooler that looks like a toolbox.
“Want one?”
I shake my head. “I’m good. Thanks though.”
Together, we make our way to the porch. It’s probably ninety-five in LA today, but I don’t know if it made it to seventy degrees here.
I shiver, and he curses softly under his breath. Without a word, he grabs a sturdy brown jacket from the cab of his truck. Before I have time to protest, he wraps it around me.
It’s heavy and warm, and it holds traces of bonfire and sharp, masculine cologne.
Isaac takes a seat on the porch swing. He takes off his cowboy hat, setting it next to him and running a hand through his messy sandy-blond hair.
I lower myself beside him.
He clears his throat, then takes a long drink of his beer. “I haven’t had a chance to ask how you’re enjoying Montana so far.”
“It’s beautiful here,” I say, looking toward the mountains in the distance. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Looks like fall is nearly here. Seems early to be this cool out, but it’s nice.”
“Not missing the palm trees?”
I laugh lightly. “Not really. Wouldn’t mind a little more sunshine though.”
He nods. Takes another swallow of his beer. “Be glad youdidn’t schedule your visit in winter. We’re usually snowed in completely on Christmas.”
Snowed in or not, Christmas would be beautiful here. I can already see it in my mind. The snow, the lights. Exactly like the Hallmark-movie holidays I imagined while growing up in half-furnished apartments while heating up my microwave dinners. Usually alone.
A sense of longing I haven’t felt since I was a kid strikes me deep in the chest like lightning. Swallowing becomes a struggle.
Christmas is undoubtedly amazing here. But I won’t be here to see it.
Unless I come back.
I try to imagine how awkward that would be or if I could just pull off being a regular who rents this cabin during the holidays. But that would lead to questions I don’t want to answer about why I’m not with my own family.
When I see that he’s expecting a response, I just shrug. “I can’t imagine it’s too bad. I’ve never really seen much snow, except on a skiing trip once a few years ago.”
Issac’s brow furrows. “It’s pretty rough. We’re lucky to have the equipment to handle it, but it’s not for amateurs. No offense,” he finishes with a wink.
“None taken.”
“Have you had any actual fun yet on your vacation? There’s not a ton to do here, but The Stillery and The Wild Coyote can be a good time on the right night. The Stillery is more of a local crowd. Wild Coyote draws all the tourists. Has a mechanical bull and everything.”
I shrug. “It’s not really a vacation, honestly. I’m behind on a work deadline.”
“Deadline?”
“Yeah. I’m a writer.”
“Anything I might’ve read?”
I never know how to answer this. Isaac misinterprets the apprehension on my face.
“You think I’m illiterate because I’m a cowboy? And here I was, telling myself you weren’t some snobby city girl after all.”
