Lying on the adjacent couch, Kade raised the bent arm that was covering his eyes. He peered at Tyler with a smug smile. “I knew it. You’ve got the hots for Kinsey.”
Tyler glared at his youngest brother, feeling like he was back in high school and Kade was still in elementary school. Beingnine years younger, Kade had been a pest when it’d come to the girls Tyler had brought around to the ranch, always teasing and making a big deal out of Tyler’s dating life. Obviously Kade was still a pest.
“I don’t have thehots, Kade.” Tyler didn’t care that his tone was slightly superior or irritated. “I like and respect Kinsey. There’s a difference.”
Kade rested his arm on his forehead and continued to peer at Tyler with a growing grin. “I could see the sparks flying between the two of you from day one.”
Tyler rolled his eyes as he picked up one of the to-go boxes Kinsey had given him.
“It’s just a matter of time before you kiss her.” Kade’s voice was much too confident.
In the process of opening his box, Tyler paused. He hadn’t had much time to think about the kiss he’d shared with her in the hot spring. Now, at just the brief remembrance of it, heat shot through his gut, and his muscles tightened with need.
Eyes widening, Kade pushed up to his elbows. “You already kissed her.”
“It’s none of your business.” Tyler hastily continued unpacking the contents of the to-go box.
“And it was more than just a kiss.” Kade’s voice took on a note of excitement. “It was the knowing kiss.”
“What do you mean ‘the knowing kiss’?”
“It was the kiss that confirmed she’s your one woman, the love of your life.”
“I didn’t need a kiss to figure it out.”
“So she is your one.” Kade said it with so much confidence that Tyler could almost believe his brother was right, that Kinsey Wingrove was his one.
The desire for her swelled so swiftly and keenly that Tyler pressed a hand to his heart. It wasn’t physical desire as much asit was the need to be with her, sit beside her, talk with her, look into her eyes, see her smile, and hear her laugh. It was all he wanted to do. In fact, if he did that forever, he’d be satisfied.
Tyler sat back in his seat and nearly rolled his eyes at his own sappy self.
Shoot. He had it bad for Kinsey. He was helplessly and hopelessly in love with her.
19
She was leaving the ranch and taking a new job tomorrow.
Only one more day to avoid Tyler. Only one more day to keep up her façade that everything was okay when it was anything but okay. Only one more day until she left and could start mending her aching heart.
With the early-morning sunshine slipping through the slits in the curtains, the June day promised to be sunny and warm and as beautiful as so many of the other days she’d experienced over the past month.
Kinsey gave T.W. another sip of ice water, then started lowering the head of his bed. “There you are. Why don’t you see if you can go back to sleep for a little while.”
He nodded wearily, his eyes already closed.
After two days in the hospital in Colorado Springs, he’d returned yesterday afternoon by ambulance. She’d ridden by his side the entire way while Leah and Tyler flew back in the helicopter.
Even though T.W was weak and tired after the pain and the surgery, he was in good spirits as always. Since getting home, Leah had been inseparable from him and had only just left the bedroom to take a shower and get ready for the day.
And Tyler…
Kinsey’s chest squeezed at the thought of how much she liked him. He’d proven again, over the last few days, to be a man of faithfulness, loyalty, and devotion with how much he caredabout his dad and his family. His love for them was deep and solid.
He’d been sweet to her too. He’d watched over her and worried about her during the couple of days that they’d been at the hospital. He’d tried to get her to rest, had encouraged her to eat, had brought her more cups of coffee than she could keep count of.
She’d felt his concern and had nearly melted under his tenderness. Yet every time she was with T.W. and saw how rapidly his condition had deteriorated, she knew she had to resist Tyler so that she wasn’t distracted from her work again.
She loathed having to avoid him, loathed seeing the disappointment in his eyes when she turned down his offer to play games, when she said she couldn’t take a break to eat with him, or when she didn’t linger to talk to him.
