Page 36 of A Fortunes of Texas Christmas (Fortunes of Texas)

The drive back to her ranch was quiet, with a tinge of regret in the air, as though they both knew their day together was coming to an end. If she invited him in, he knew they would make love. It was inevitable.

But she didn’t.

He walked her to her door, noticed that a light flicked on in the main house, and then he waited while she unlocked the screen. “So, good night,” he said and passed her the shopping bags.

“Good night, Amersen. Thank you for a lovely day.”

He wanted to kiss her so much that his mouth tingled and his gut burned. “I had a nice time today.”

“Me, too,” she admitted. “So, kiss me good-night and go back to your hotel.”

“Good night,” he said, drawing on every ounce of his self-control to press his lips to her cheek and not ravage her mouth with his own.

“I’ll see you Monday,” she said quietly, stepping back.

He’d already explained that his flight left Monday afternoon and that he would be stopping by Sterling’s Fortune to see Kate before he flew out of Austin. “If you would like to have dinner tomorrow night, I will be at the hotel. Say, around six?”

“No.”

He frowned. “No?”

“Every time I say good-night to you, it’s harder, if you get my meaning.”

Amersen understood. Even if he didn’t like the idea. “So, this is it? Our last time together as friends?”

She nodded. “Yes. Absolutely.”

He kissed her cheek again, stepped back and dropped his arms. “Then bonne nuit, Robin.”

And by the time he got back to his car, she was already inside her house and the door was closed.

* * *

On Sunday morning, Robin took Butterfly out for a long ride. It was chilly and overcast, and by the time she returned to the stables, it was spitting rain. She spotted her brother’s Jeep in the driveway and smiled. Both her brothers knew their parents would be at church this morning, so he’d obviously come to visit her. Reece was always good to talk to, a little more serious than Evan, but less disapproving. And she needed someone to talk to about Amersen. She wished she had a girlfriend close at hand to spill her woes to, but her best friend, Amy, was traveling through South America with her boyfriend and wouldn’t be back in Austin for several weeks. Other than Amy, she had a few other female friends she could call, but she didn’t feel like explaining how she felt when she could barely explain her feelings to herself. But Reece would have an understanding ear.

Only, when she dismounted, grabbed Butterfly’s reins and walked into the stables, it wasn’t Reece sitting on a hay bale waiting for her. It was Evan.

“Where’s the Bimmer?” she asked and tied Butterfly to a hitch.

He grimaced. “Fender bender last night. And Reece is in Dallas on business, so I borrowed his car until I pick up a rental this afternoon.”

She nodded and loosened the cinch. “The folks won’t be back for another couple of hours. Mom’s got that quilting class after church.”

“I know,” he said and wandered toward her. “How was your date yesterday?”

Her fingers fumbled. “My date?”

“I saw you in town,” he replied. “With Beaudin.”

“Spying on me now?”

“Coincidence,” he said, pulling the saddle off Butterfly. “I was out and saw you from across the street. You looked...happy.”

“Something wrong with that?” she asked.

Evan scowled. “Don’t get all loco on me. I’m just concerned.”

“We had this conversation the other day,” she reminded him and grabbed a currycomb from the bucket by the stall.

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