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CHAPTER ONE

RAIN SNAKED DOWN the windshield of his F-150 in lazy rivers as Walker Pearce waited for the stoplight to turn green Jackson Town Square was deserted, but the light waited for nonexistent tourists to make their way across the street He hit the windshield wipers, wishing they could wipe the phantoers from his skin, as well The cab of the truck still smelled like her perfume

Ignoring the rain, he cracked his , then pulled forhen the light turned

It wasn’t that he hated her It was just that he’d thought she’d really wanted to talk when she’d called But, of course, that wasn’t what Nicole had wanted from him It never was

He knew his scruples weren’t exactly sound He’d kissed her, yes In fact, they would’ve had sex one night if they hadn’t gotten spooked by a near interruption So no, he couldn’t pretend that he was above such things, exactly But so around with the ranch owner’s wife had felt less wrong when it had beenhappenstance An unexpectedafter a summer party He hadn’t meant it Neither had she Or so he’d told himself

But now that he was no longer working at the Fletcher Guest Ranch, Nicole couldn’t leave it to chance She’d called and asked his It was important, she’d said She’d needed to see hi important to a woman like her But he’d mistaken the word

Walker scrubbed a hand over hishe’d have to shave his beard if the smell of her skin wouldn’t wash off

He hadn’t had sex with her this time, either, despite the way she’d cliainst him He wasn’t sure why he was so detere She didn’t seeotten fired from the ranch, Walker had told her they couldn’t do it because he worked for her husband, because they’d be doing it under the ht But those things didn’t matter now, so why did he feel even less tempted?

Maybe she’d just picked the wrong h, and swiirls who’d made his head spin with fascinated lust when sex had seeerously romantic

Sex was no longer unattainable and there was nothing roer with Nicole She just made him sad And he orried that everyone at the ranch suspected He’d been fired for yet another paperwork screwup, but being fired over paperasn’t one of the most common stories told around a campfire It had been an excuse Walker had known that and so had his er Walker had no idea if that meant Nicole’s husband knew, or if it was a nore

Whatever the reason, seeing her felt wrong now, but his refusal had seriously pissed Nicole off Maybe she wouldn’t call again

He felt only relief at the idea as he parked his truck in front of his apart, he crossed the lawn and walked toward the old saloon next door

Truthfully, heHe needed a drink, and fast

“Hey!” Jenny Stone called from behind the bar as soon as he walked in “You’re just thefor!”

Walker couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across his face Jenny was a daiving you, darlin’? I’d be happy to oblige”

Jenny rolled her eyes “You wish”

“True enough But I do try to steer clear of a woun Tends to leave a rabbed a stool

“The usual?”

When he nodded, she drew a beer and shot a nervous look toward the back of the saloon Walker turned to look, but the place was nearly empty at 3:00 pm on a rainy Tuesday

She slid hiton?”

For a moment, Walker had no

idea who Jenny was talking about He’d worked with a daone so quickly that he’d never even learned their na for a memory The one that popped into his head shocked the hell out of him “Oh, Charlie! Of course”

He and Charlie Allington—known as Charlotte only if you were trying to irritate her—had gone to high school together In fact, she’d been his tutor for all of his junior year “It’s been a long time,” he said