Page 13 of Trails of Temptation

“I’m still trying to like Pete, you know,” Grant said after a moment.

“Me too, and I’ve known that man my entire life.”

“Do you think her taking this job was a good idea? I mean, Pete was the one who came to me about it.”

“She seems to be enjoying herself,” I replied, when what I really wanted to say was no, this wasn’t a good idea. Keely should have stayed the hell away from Hot Springs.

But in all honesty, I couldn’t imagine her ever leaving again.

One kiss had already sent me over the edge. I couldn’t let it go any further. I had to promise myself, right then and there, that I’d stay the hell away from her if only to not drag her down with me.

“She’s making burgers tonight. I promised I’d get the grill going for her. You should come over.”

“I got a steak in the fridge I need to eat before it goes bad,” I lied, knowing full well I had nothing lined up for my own dinner later.

“Well, the offer stands.” Grant tipped his hat, suspicion in his eyes as his gaze left mine and he walked off.

I sighed heavily, hating the fact that I was lying straight to his face. I’d never been one to wear my feelings on my sleeve. I wasn’t about to lay everything on the line, especially my job and maybe even my life if Pete found out.

I wasn’t scared of him. Not a lick.

But I was right when I’d said Pete was the only family Keely had. I couldn’t risk that for her, even if it meant I stayed the hell away from her, forever.

ChapterSeven

Keely

Two days had passed sincethe kiss. THE KISS. I was still reeling from it. I’d been kissed before, of course. But not like that. No one had ever caged me in with their body and made it perfectly and wholly clear that there was no way I was getting anything less than a bind-mending, earth-shattering kiss that would have me weak in the knees.

This can’t happen again.

That had stung. But if we’d kissed once, we’d kiss again. Right? It was obvious to me in that moment that my feelings weren’t one-sided. George was feeling something too, but fighting it tooth and nail.

Was it wrong of me to continue pushing the issue?

Maybe, and after two days of not even seeing the man, let alone talking to him, I came to realize maybe, just maybe, I’d taken things too far.

“What’s the matter?” Moira asked from the kitchen table as I sliced into a huge, perfectly ripe watermelon.

“Nothing, why?” I lied, swallowing past the grief and embarrassment that’d been plaguing me for the last two days. It was a Saturday afternoon, and a hot one. I could see the heat rippling over the lawn that encompassed the backyard of their house, which butted up against the dirt road with the paddock, then pasture, on the other side.

Day was lounging in a plastic kiddie pool, sunglasses propped on his little nose and his skin already pinkening from the sun. Jennie, Grant’s elderly dog, was lying in the pool as well, her head resting on the plastic rim.

Grant and George were likely out in the pasture riding around. The only time I’d seen George was a few nights ago when I came outside to sit on the back porch and read before going to bed. He’d sped by on Daisy, his horse, so quickly I doubted he’d even noticed me sitting there.

“You seem a little down,” Moira said softly as she flipped a page of the magazine she was skimming through. Her hair was tied up on top of her head, a box fan pointed toward her as we both melted to death. Even the AC couldn’t keep up with the heat of summer this year. “Is it because of George?”

“Yeah…” I said, more to myself than to her. I put the sliced-up watermelon on a plate and set it in front of her before moving back in the kitchen to start on the huge pitcher of lemonade I’d been planning to make all day, but hadn’t gotten to it quite yet. “Actually, I think it’s just the heat getting to my head—”

Moira laughed lightly, giving me a look. “Come on, tell me what happened.”

“I kissed him. Well, he kissed me, technically. Now he hasn’t spoken to me in two days. He hasn’t been coming around, either. Not for breakfast, not for dinner…” I looked down at the ribs I’d just pulled out of the fridge. We’ll be having a huge dinner tonight—Steaks, pork ribs, coleslaw, rolls, and grilled corn. Plus a few other things. Pete was coming over for dinner too.

My stomach twisted at the thought. If Pete was here… and George and I had kissed…

There was no way George would be coming to dinner. I knew it in my heart.

“Maybe I can get Grant to talk to him, see what the problem is—”

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