The Colton Bodyguard

“All the women I sleep with?” He raised an eyebrow. “If you knew how few women I’ve slept with over the last couple of years, you’d feel sorry for me and offer to be my lover every single night.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “You’re a piece of work, Tyler Stanton.”

“Yes, I am, but what I’m saying is true. I’m not a player, Greta.”

“Then what are you doing with me?”

He sobered and gazed at her for a long moment. “To be honest, I’m not really sure, but I like what I’m doing with you so far. Now, eat up before it gets cold.”

While they ate, she was grateful that he kept up a light conversation, talking about the changes he’d made to Stanton Oil since his parents had died in a car accident ten years ago. At twenty-two he’d stepped in as president of the company and eventually had appointed his two-years-younger brother as vice president.

“I had to work twice as hard and twice as long as anyone else to earn the respect of my employees. To most of them I was a snot-nosed kid who’d just graduated from college with a business degree but didn’t have the age or wisdom to run the company.”

“But you proved them all wrong,” she replied. She knew how respected Tyler was in the business world.

“It took time but I now enjoy a good relationship with everyone who works for me,” he replied with a touch of pride in his voice.

She was vaguely surprised that there was no morning-after awkwardness. He was warm and easy to talk to, showing her a side of him she’d never seen before.

By the time they’d finished eating and she’d helped him with the cleanup, she was ready to see the horse he’d told her about.

He helped her into her coat and then he donned a casual leather jacket and they left the house by a back door in the kitchen. In the distance several outbuildings rose up, certainly nothing like the big cattle operation at the Colton ranch but enough pasture and room for a few horses.

The early-November sun was warm, and as they drew closer, she identified the outbuildings as a small barn and stables. There were two corrals, a large one in the distance and a smaller one with a shedlike structure that would provide shelter from the weather. In the small corral a black Thoroughbred filly danced nervously as they approached.

“Oh, Tyler, she’s beautiful,” Greta exclaimed.

“And so far completely unbreakable,” he replied.

When they reached the fence, the filly backed to the opposite side. She pawed the ground and shook her head in a show of spirited temperament.

The excitement of a new challenge rose up in Greta. “She has good lines. Do you intend to race her?”

“No, nothing like that. I just want to be able to ride her. I want her to trust somebody and find some peace.”

Greta looked up at Tyler, surprised and touched by his words. The man continued to keep her slightly off balance. He was proving himself to be nothing like she’d originally thought.

She looked back at the filly and her heart ached with the need to soothe, to cure. The physical wounds the horse had sported when bought by Tyler had apparently healed.

Her coat looked shiny and full, and while she was still a bit on the thin side, she looked healthy. But she was obviously tormented by the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of her human owner and those scars were deep inside her.

“I want to work with her,” she said firmly.

“Great!” Tyler smiled with pleasure. “I hear you’re one of the best in the business, so I know she’ll be in good hands. You know, the easiest way is for you to move in here so that you can work with her whenever you want. It’s silly for you to drive back and forth from here to Tulsa.”

She knew he was right. Often when she was training a horse, she stayed on the ranch where the horse was located. Besides, things had been so tense at home lately. The idea of a couple of weeks away was definitely appealing.

“I’ll drive home now and pack some bags and come back here later this evening,” she finally said. She didn’t know if her decision was a mistake or not, but as she looked at the filly, she knew with certainty she wanted to help her, to train her to trust again.

He nodded. “I have two ranch hands. Bill Naters takes care of upkeep and lawn work and whatever else needs to be done. He’s here off and on. Raymond Edwards is here full-time during the days and works mostly in the stables and with the horses. Just tell him whatever you need and he’ll see to it that you get it. You can usually find him either in the stables or in the barn.”

They began the walk back to the house. “Should I expect your return by dinnertime?” he asked once they were back in the house and she had grabbed her purse to leave.

She looked at her watch. “Yes, I should be able to make it back here by early evening.”

He opened the front door and together they left the house and headed toward her Jeep in the driveway. “We’ll go out to dinner. Do you like steak?”

She smiled at him. “I grew up on a cattle ranch. I cut my teeth on a T-bone.”

“Dumb question,” he replied with a charming grin. “There’s a great steak place not far from here. How does that sound for dinner?”

“Wonderful,” she replied. Dining out was definitely better than just the two of them eating in. She still felt more than a little bit vulnerable where he was concerned and she was determined to make sure that he understood that the arrangement between them was strictly professional from here on.

Last night had been an anomaly that she didn’t expect to be repeated, no matter how much she might entertain a weakness for a repeat.

She opened the Jeep door, but before she could get inside, he took her by the arm, twirled her around and pulled her close against his chest.

“What are you doing?” she asked, both loving and hating the instant responsive heat his nearness evoked.

“Just one more thing before you go,” he murmured softly.

“What’s that?” she asked breathlessly.

“This.” He slanted his lips down to capture hers in a kiss that seared her from head to toe.

Someplace in the back of her mind she knew she should jerk away...halt the kiss...do something to stop the insanity. Instead her arms automatically reached up to circle his neck and she leaned into him as the kiss deepened.

When he finally released her, her heart pounded too fast. She murmured a quick goodbye and slid into the safety of the Jeep.

It was only when she was on the road and headed toward Tulsa that she allowed herself to think about Tyler and that deep, unexpected kiss.

It had been a definite sign that despite their night together, he still wanted her. And as crazy as it was, she still wanted him, too.

She’d never indulged in a strictly physical relationship before, but that was what this was...desire built on nothing more than some kind of wild chemistry between them.

The sane thing to do was to drive home and not return to Tyler’s place. But she hadn’t felt quite sane in months. Besides, she desperately wanted to work with the horse that showed such distrust of people. There was also a desire for her to be away from her own home, gain some distance from everything that had been happening there.

Work had always centered her and it had been too long since she’d utilized her talents as a trainer. For the past couple of months she’d been busy planning a wedding that was no longer going to take place.

Working with the horse at Tyler’s place would be a good escape for her. She no longer had to play the socialite and appear at public events in fancy designer dresses with Mark and her parents. It was a role she’d never been comfortable in.

Surely when she returned to Tyler’s later this evening, she’d be able to make him understand that what had happened between them last night wasn’t going to happen again.

Chapter 3 (#ulink_0c668188-f728-5a15-b648-6eaad7faaa27)

Tyler watched the horse he’d named She-Devil when he’d first brought her home and realized just how temperamental, how emotionally damaged, she was. She remained backed up against the opposite side of the corral, her body tensed as if she was expecting something bad to happen to her.

Raymond Edwards, his ranch hand, joined him at the corral. “I saw you had Greta Colton out here. Is she going to work with the filly?”