The Rancher's Surrender

She went wild, leaping at him, tackling him down to the hard ground-which happened to be wet, dammit- clawing and reaching to get the paper he perversely held just out of reach.

'Gee, I guess it has something to do with this,' he drawled from flat on his back. She was straddling him, leaning over his body so that her breasts just grazed his chest. Rather than groan and crush her to him, which he nearly did on instinct, he grinned up into her face. 'You sure like to be on top.'

'Give it back.'

At her pale, drawn, panicked expression he lost all ability to tease her. Holding her firmly to him, he sat up and handed back the folded paper.

Startled at his compliance, she took it. Her legs were around his hips, her bottom snugged to his crotch. An erotically shattering position, and yet it was suddenly so much more than that. Gently he put his hands to her hips, lightly squeezing. 'What is it, Slim? Can't you tell me?'

Her eyes filled but the tears didn't spill. She hesitated, then shoved the letter at him. Staring at her, he slowly took it, opened it, then scanned the letter.

It was a short note from Cade, and it had been faxed to the new machine they'd bought to make guest reservations easier.

Dear Zoe,

So sorry, I know all this waiting and wondering is difficult for you. I have some news, small as it is. Your mother was indeed allowed to come and get you for visitation as you thought. Why she never did is a mystery to all involved. She never called, as you'd suspected. And she never wrote. In fact, from the day you were dropped off, she never checked in. Not once.

I'll keep searching for her, Zoe, and I know I'll find something soon.

Your friend, Cade.

Ty read the words, his throat tightening on each word. Here it was in black and white for Zoe to see and deal with for the first time.

She'd indeed been orphaned, purposely and cruelly. And apparently, without the least bit of regret.

'Zoe, I'm sorry-'

She jerked off of him and to her feet. Crossing her arms over herself, she shrugged, refusing to look at him. 'Don't be.'

'But I am-'

'It doesn't matter.'

'Yes, of course it does-'

'I already knew all that stuff, anyway. She dumped me. No big deal.'

If he touched her, she was going to break. Normally he'd be running-hell, he'd be flying-as far from a crying female as he could get. His mother had used tears a lot; he'd long ago become immune to such things.

Yet Zoe's tears were different-she didn't do it to manipulate or twist or hurt. She hated crying, he knew she did. Watching her struggle now, trying to hide them from him as she swiped at her eyes, did something to him, made him want to slay beasts and hold back entire armies. But the only dragon was Zoe's mental block wall and he had no means to tear it down.

He reached out, needing to fix this for her somehow. 'Zoe, sweetheart-'

'No.' She held up a hand, backed another step and shook her head violently. 'No. I'm fine. I… am just fine. I don't want to talk about it.'

'Is there anything we can talk about?'

'Look, it's over, okay? My mother dumped me, and I know that. It was dumb to want to find her. Now, can we work?'

And for the rest of the day, she refused to speak about it. About anything that made her feel.

Chapter 16

'Hurry up, would you?' Ty knew he was being a jerk but he couldn't help himself. He had docked his jet boat in Lewiston and was waiting for Zoe.

Normally driving the high-powered aluminum-hulled craft gave him great pleasure. It was practical as well as fun, for in this rough territory he could ascend and maneuver the river safer and faster than the roads, and in a fraction of the time.

But today was different. He and Zoe were standing in town, just the two of them, ostensibly ordering tack and supplies for their prospective guests.

Ty could have done it alone. It certainly would have been easier, for Zoe hadn't wanted to come. But he'd insisted, saying that she hadn't been pulling her weight

A lie.

One that even Delia had pointed out to him, reminding him that Zoe did indeed work desperately hard. But not even for Delia and Maddie could he relax about their troubled sister. God only knew how she continued to ignore what was between them, but she did. She had for an entire week now, and he was so full of explosive energy and longing he was going to burst.

It wasn't just that he wanted her in his bed, though he did desperately need to hold her. But he was so certain she was going to be able to walk away from what was between them.

Zoe walked next to him on the sidewalk, doing her best to ignore him. She was giving him the silent treatment now, which quite honestly, he probably deserved.

'If I said I'm sorry, will you speak to me?' he asked. He sighed when she didn't answer, and as annoying as that was, he could still remember how shattered and abandoned she'd looked when she'd read Cade's last note. Picturing it now, he thought maybe he could find the words to apologize after all. 'Zoe-'

She came to such an abrupt stop, he nearly plowed her over. 'What the-'

She pressed her nose to the display in the window.

Ty glanced up at the jewelry store. A jewelry store? Zoe never even wore earrings.

'Oh, it's beautiful,' she breathed, her eyes glued to a small delicate gold bracelet. Then, catching him gaping at her moment of whimsy, she straightened and walked past him.

Ty stared at the bracelet in surprise. She'd never even hinted at a yearning for anything material before. Her longing to belong to the ranch was an entirely different thing. He watched her move on, chin tilted at a defiant angle.

If he thought she would accept it, he'd have bought the pretty chain for her in an instant, but all she wanted from him was his distance.

Sighing with frustration, he followed her. 'Soon enough you'll be able to buy yourself whatever you want,' he said quietly as he walked next to her.

She let out a little smile and shook her head. 'I hope the guest ranch is that successful, but I don't need anything.'

'We all need something once in a while, Zoe.'

'Really?' She met his gaze. 'What do you need, Ty?'

'You,' he said simply, stopping, putting a hand on her arm to stop her, too. 'I need you.'

There on the sidewalk, with the hot Idaho sun bearing down on them, Zoe closed her eyes.

He stepped closer, leaned in enough so that he could smell her soap, her shampoo, both far sexier than any perfume. 'I need you so much I ache with it,' he told her.

Her eyes flew open, and her gaze slowly ran over him, down to where his need was usually quite apparent.

He let out a laugh that held little mirth. 'I'm not talking about that kind of need, Zoe. The need I'm talking about is greater than anything physical.'

'Oh.'

'You don't believe that.'