“They couldn’t get any worse.”

  She lost her grip on the quilt and it tumbled down to pool at her feet. She didn’t bother to pick it up.

  His hot gaze swept over her naked body. With a groan, he pulled her into his arms, his kiss searing her mouth, her throat, her breasts. Panting, they sank to the bunched folds of the quilt.

  He cushioned her head with one hand as he laid her down and plundered her mouth. When he slipped his other hand between her thighs, she arched upward, craving his touch.

  Easing away from the kiss, he trailed his moist fingers up her body and brushed them over her parted lips. “You drive me crazy.” He ran his tongue over her mouth before plunging it deep inside.

  The rasp of a zipper melded with the sound of their labored breathing. He bunched the quilt to temporarily support her head so he could rip open a condom and put it on. Then he cradled her head once again as he entered her with one firm thrust.

  Planting her bare feet on the hardwood floor, she grasped his hips and matched his rhythm, rising to meet each rapid stroke. Her climax hovered, then swept her up, swirling her in a sparkling vortex that took her breath away.

  Zane’s hoarse cry came soon after and his big body shuddered against hers. She held him tight and absorbed the lingering aftershocks.

  Gradually the deafening thunder of her heartbeat gave way to the soft pinging of a phone alarm. Such an ordinary sound. So at odds with the emotions crowding her chest. This was the last moment she’d hold him in her arms.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Zane dressed without speaking because there was nothing to say. The drive to her house was made in silence, too. But when he pulled his truck up near her front door, he remembered that he’d invited her to watch the release. He turned off the engine. “You probably don’t want to come over this morning, after all.”

  She glanced at him. “Actually, I’d like to if I’m still welcome.”

  “Of course you’re welcome.” He met her gaze. “You always will be. Please don’t shut me out like last time. I’m still your friend.”

  “I’m still yours, too.”

  His throat tightened. “Stay put. I’ll help you down.” He thought she might protest but she hadn’t moved when he came around and opened her door. He offered his hand and she took it. Her fingers were icy even though he’d had the truck’s heater going full blast.

  She stepped cautiously onto the running board. She was shaking. Lifting her down, he drew her into his arms. “It’ll be okay, Buttercup.”

  “Will it?” Her words were muffled against his chest.

  “Yes. We’re both strong people. We’ll adjust.” He had no clue how, but he’d find a way. “Come on, let’s get you inside.” With an arm around her waist, he tucked her against his hip as they walked toward the front steps.

  “Could my mom come to the release, too?”

  “Absolutely.” The more people, the better.

  “Then put her on Eeyore. You can give me one of the others.”

  “You can have Jake.”

  “But he’s your –”

  “You can have Jake.”

  “Okay. Thank you.”

  They’d reached the steps and he had no more excuse to keep his arm around her. He let her go. Damn, that was tough to do.

  She turned to face him. “I’m not going to kiss you.”

  “Yeah, don’t.”

  “See you at ten.”

  “See you then.” He gave the brim of his hat a little tug and started back toward his truck.

  “Thank you,” she called out softly.

  He turned around. “For what?”

  Her voice trembled. “Everything.” Then she raced up the steps. She fumbled with the key but eventually opened the door. She didn’t look back as she slipped inside.

  And that was that. He got into his truck and somehow magically made it home, although he didn’t remember the drive at all. Instead he saw Mandy – the way her face lit up when she was happy and how she looked at him when she craved his body.

  But his last image, when he’d gazed into her beautiful eyes and watched them fill with pain…that was liable to haunt him the most. He wished he could do something. Well, he could. He could leave her the hell alone.

  After parking his truck up by his cabin, he went straight down to the barn. The cabin was too full of Mandy memories. He’d have to face them when he showered and changed for the eagle release, but avoiding the place for another hour or two might soften the blow.

  He beat Cody down there, too, which gave him a chance to talk with Winston as he loaded up the wheelbarrow and began distributing hay flakes. “Hey, Winston,” he called out. “If you think kissing her was a mistake, I can’t imagine what you think of my recent activities.”

  The Paint’s answering whinny was loud and drawn out. It ended with what Zane could only describe as a chuckle.

  “I’m sure I’ll laugh about it one day, too, buddy. This isn’t the day.”

  “Isn’t the day for what?” Cody came through the barn door pulling on his work gloves. “Have you changed your mind about the release?”

  “No. She’s ready. We’re still heading out around ten.”

  “Excellent.” Cody picked up a flake of hay and carried it into a stall. “Is Mandy going with us?”

  “Yep.” He ignored the sharp pain in his heart. “She wants to bring her mom, after all, so I’ll put Mandy on Jake and let Aunt Jo have Eeyore.”

  “Do you want Winston, then? I’m okay with one of the others.”

  “Nah, you love that flashy horse and you don’t get to ride him much. I’ll take Strawberry.” He moved the wheelbarrow a little further down the aisle. “FYI, it’s definite. Aunt Jo’s relocating to New York. She’ll leave soon, maybe in a couple of weeks.”

  Cody stopped in mid-motion and stared at the hay flake he held. “Damn.”

  “Yeah.”

  Glancing up, Cody nodded. “That explains why you look like you were dragged through a knothole backwards.”

  “I’ll clean up before I see Mom.”

  Cody sighed and went back to work. “This won’t be good news for her. Wasn’t there some talk about Aunt Jo staying until Mom got on her feet?”

  “Mom told her not to do it on her account.”

  “Well, there you go. That’s our mother through and through. This morning she was talking about renting a wheelchair, so she can wheel herself down here and help with the feeding.”

  Zane responded with a few pithy swear words.

  “I know, but she’s going to be miserable if she has to sit around all day. She went online last night to research how handicapped people work with horses. She’s already decided lessons are doable. She can teach from a wheelchair.”

  “I suppose she can if she’ll keep the hell out of the arena.” He finished up one side of the barn and started down the other. “I could build ramps so she could get down here, but going back would be a challenge.”

  “She plans to develop Wonder Woman biceps to handle that part. She claims by fall she’ll be strong enough to beat you at arm wrestling.”

  He smiled. “She can beat me, now. I’m not going to smash my mother’s fist into the table.”

  Cody carried the last flake of hay into Licorice’s stall. “You gonna send this mare packing?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “If she responds better to women, then you could consider hiring a woman to help out around here instead of looking for a guy.”

  “I don’t like the odds of someone else getting hurt.”

  “I don’t like the odds of this mare’s future if you give her the boot. From what Mom says, her owners are clueless.”

  Zane blew out a breath. “Okay, I promise not to do anything yet. I’ll admit I’m not in a good frame of mind to make that decision.”

  “It’s like a double whammy, huh? Mom’s accident and Aunt Jo leaving.”

  “Triple whammy.”

  “Oh?” Cody gazed at him. “Oh. Yeah. That bites, too.”

  “Sure does.” He grabbed the wheelbarrow handles and rolled it down the barn aisle. “Listen, I really do need a shave and shower before I go talk to Mom. If you want to tell her about Aunt Jo before I get there, go right ahead.”

  “Sure, I can do that. You’ve got enough on your plate, big brother.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Just remember, it’s not over ‘til it’s over.”

  “That’s the thing. It’s over.” He stowed the wheelbarrow, gave Cody a quick tip of the hat and walked up to his cabin, dreading it every step of the way. He hadn’t straightened up before he’d left with Mandy, hadn’t wanted to take the time and prolong the agony.

  Sure, he’d see her this morning, but they wouldn’t be alone. He wouldn’t touch her unless by accident. Nothing would be the same. Ever.

  He took care of the birds before going inside. A male golden circled overhead and Zane gazed upward. “Today, my friend. Today.”

  Maybe if he focused on the eagles instead of his own sorry situation, he’d feel less like a wad of gum on the bottom of his boot. After he’d handled his bird-care chores, he took a deep breath, climbed the steps to the porch and opened the front door.

  Yeah, okay. He’d secretly hoped that she’d be there waiting for him. Like in some sappy movie, she would have decided to rearrange her life so they could be together and she’d have walked the path to sit in the cabin until he returned. Talk about delusional. The place was empty.

  Not really, though, because everywhere he looked she was there. The quilt lay crumpled on the floor exactly where it had been when he’d made love to her for the last time. The tangled sheets reminded him of the moment they’d connected with more intensity than he’d felt with any other woman. The pillow was dented where she’d laid her head as she’d drifted off to sleep nestled in his arms.

  He couldn’t leave everything like this or he’d go out of his mind. Grabbing the pillow off the bed, he walked to the open door and pitched it onto the porch. The quilt followed. Then he ripped the sheets off and tossed them out the door, too. He slammed it shut and heaved a sigh. Better.

  Shaving, showering and pulling on clean clothes didn’t take much time because he concentrated on each task and refused to think about Mandy. But he couldn’t leave his bedding on the front porch. Tortured by her sweet scent and the aroma of sex, he stuffed the sheets and pillowcases in a laundry bag and folded the quilt.

  For now, he’d put it in the closet. He left the cabin with a feeling of relief. By the time he got to the house, the aroma of coffee drew him to the kitchen where he found his mom and Cody.

  His mom was stationed at the kitchen table, her leg propped on the ottoman while she sliced potatoes. A carton of eggs sat nearby along with a bowl and a whisk.

  Cody arranged bacon in a frying pan. “Just in time, big brother. We could use another pot of coffee.”

  “I’m on it.” Before he tackled the coffee, he put his arm around his mom’s shoulders and leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. “How’s it going this morning?”

  She glanced up with a bright smile. “Fine.”

  He saw Ryker in her response. Her eyes told him she wasn’t fine, but she didn’t want to talk about either her broken leg or her best friend leaving.

  Worked for him. He wasn’t fond of those topics, either. “That’s great to hear.” He returned her smile and started making coffee.

  She finished with the potatoes and handed the cutting board to Cody. “I got an email from Deidre last night.” She started cracking eggs into the bowl. “She might have found us someone to help out.”

  “Oh?” Zane switched on the pot and turned around. “What sort of help?”

  “At the stable.”

  Zane had trouble believing Deidre had stumbled on an experienced stable hand right when they needed one, but stranger things had happened. “Is he buying a house from her?”

  “He’s buying the house, but his daughter’s the one looking for a job.”

  “Does she have experience working with horses?”

  “Deidre said she does. She liked her.”

  Cody glanced over from the stove. “I was just telling Zane he should hire a woman.” He grinned. “It could be the hand of Fate stepping in.”

  Despite his grim mood, Zane couldn’t help smiling back. Cody had come up with that expression when he was a kid, and it had turned into a family joke. “If you’re thinking about Licorice, we’re not hiring a woman to please that mare.”

  “I agree that would be ridiculous,” his mom said. She put the bowl in her lap so she could whisk the eggs. “But we need someone. What if it is the hand of Fate stepping in?”

  Zane leaned against the counter. “Regardless of whether we end up hiring this person or someone else, we should get Licorice out of here.”

  “No.” His mom stopped beating the eggs and looked at him.

  “Mom. She’s a proven liability.”

  “But she won’t make it if you send her somewhere else.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Yes, I do. She’s a tough case. I could see some progress, but it was slow. A man won’t have any luck with her and I can’t think of a single woman in the area who has the training and patience to deal with that mare. Do you know of one?”

  He did, but she’d be leaving the area on Tuesday. “No, I don’t.”

  “We’re keeping her here, Zane. We might have to suspend her training until I’m able to do it again, but –”

  “You would get back on her?” The thought chilled him to the bone.

  “Yes.” Her chin firmed. “I lost focus for a second and she knew it. I won’t let it happen again. Licorice is staying.”

  He sighed. “I can see that.” He knew better than to argue when she got that gleam of determination in her eyes.

  “Good.” She started whisking the eggs again. “If you have no objection, I’ll ask this woman to come over for an interview after lunch.”

  Zane shrugged. “Might as well.”

  “I’d like you both to be here when I talk with her and then you can take her down to the barn and evaluate her skill level. Even if she’s not the right person for the job, dealing with her will give us something else to think about.” She focused on Zane. “I think we could use a distraction, don’t you?”

  He took a deep breath. “Yes, ma’am, we sure could.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  An eagle release was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for someone who expected to spend the rest of her days in New York. Mandy had wanted to watch one in person ever since she’d seen a video and she’d hoped the anticipation would ease her heartache whenever she interacted with Zane. So much for that theory. She’d been an emotional mess from the time they’d arrived at the ranch.

  True to his word, Zane had put her on Jake. Of the four horses moving single-file down the trail, the tall bay was the steadiest. Consequently, the eagle rode in a small carrier strapped behind her saddle. Jake was used to the routine after carrying several birds of prey out to their release locations.

  Mandy was honored to be the one taking the eagle, but that meant Zane had to stay close. He rode behind her most of the time but occasionally came alongside to check that the carrier was secure and the golden was quiet. Their interaction was stiff and formal, as if they were strangers.

  Up ahead, Cody led the way on Winston and Mandy’s mom followed on Eeyore. The two of them chatted and laughed as if oblivious to the tension between Mandy and Zane. She hoped they were. Her mother had turned into an excellent rider and looked relaxed and happy to be here.

  The weather had cooperated with a bright blue sky dotted with puffy clouds. Too bad they reminded Mandy of marshmallows. Shadowed sections of the forest still had snow on the ground, but the air was scented with the loamy, rich aroma of spring. She couldn’t help contrasting this landscape with her rides through Central Park, where skyscrapers and car exhaust replaced snow-capped mountains and clean air.

  Zane rode up beside her, interrupting one discouraging thought only to introduce another. This broad-shouldered, sexy cowboy would continue to take these rides on a regular basis, but she and her mother would not.

  She drew back on the reins so that Zane could get a better look at the carrier straps. “Everything okay?”

  “Perfect.” He met her gaze briefly. “Just perfect.”

  “You should have taken Jake.”

  “No, I’m glad you’re on him. I just didn’t think it through very well. Seems to be a habit recently.” Tilting his head back, he looked up at the golden circling above them. “Wonder if he knows.”

  “He might.” This was the most Zane had said to her all day, so she took a chance on continuing the conversation. “If they mate for life, they must have some kind of mental communication with each other.”

  “But she doesn’t know where she’s going.”

  “Are you sure? She’s out of her cage and on a horse, like she was when you rescued her. At the very least, I think she senses something big is about to happen.”

  “She’s right about that.” He glanced up ahead. “I’m glad you brought Aunt Jo.”

  “Me, too. She’s loving this.”

  “Yep.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Okay, let’s get ‘er done.” Touching the brim of his hat, he wheeled Strawberry around and dropped behind her as Jake moved into the ground-eating stride that had made Tennessee Walkers famous.

  Riding him after being on Eeyore was like cruising down a highway in a Benz after rattling along a dirt road in a Jeep. She appreciated the horse’s smooth gait, but she missed Eeyore. He’d miss her, too. He’d bumped his nose against her chest when she’d gone over to give him a hug before they’d mounted up. Cody had said he didn’t do it with anyone else.

  But Eeyore seemed to love her mom, too. He’d moaned with happiness when she’d scratched under his mane the way he liked it. Her mom and Eeyore were cute together and watching them had choked her up a little.

  They’d almost reached the forested canyon where Zane had found the female golden tangled in twine. Mandy hadn’t been on this trail in years, but she recognized the break in the trees that signaled they were nearing the edge. The drop-off was gradual, which might be a good thing for a raptor release. The eagle could soar on an updraft or fly down to the branches of a pine tree on the slope until she adjusted to being free again.