Page 79 of Tempting Wyatt

Isaac is probably a lot of fun for one night. Whereas Wyatt is an old soul with a warrior’s heart. I suspect the woman he settles down with will have a mate for life. A loyal one who will protect her at all costs, honor his commitments, and spend his nights pleasing her endlessly.

I’m jealous of her already. He’s the last of his kind. Theydon’t make men like him anymore—or at least, I’ve never met any if they do.

Sure, it’s fun to flirt with Isaac, but when I imagine one of them kissing me or making love to me—or, okay, fucking me senseless—it’s only Wyatt I see.

Fearing that I’ve already played some type of game by agreeing to come here with Isaac after everything that’s happened with Wyatt, I start to have second thoughts.

“Maybe we should head back to the ranch,” I offer.

He opens the door to the bar, and we’re hit with a wave of live music crashing over us.

“Not yet. Let’s give him a little time to sweat.”

AN HOUR LATER,I’m the one sweating.

Isaac is trouble on the dance floor—that’s for sure. The bar is exactly what I hoped for in a small-town honky-tonk. Wooden floors and tables, live band, weathered bar with an equally weathered bartender who looks old enough to be my grandfather. Though there is a beautiful female one at the other end of the bar, who barely looks old enough to drink.

I’m half listening to Isaac explain the expressionall hat, no cattlewhen it comes to what he calls wannabe and poser cowboys, and I’m half cataloging every sight, sound, and scent in my mind so I can use it for future scenes in my screenplay.

Try as we might to keep the conversation light, the topic continually shifts back to Wyatt and the ranch.

When a slow song comes on, he attempts to teach me how to two-step. After I step on his toes twice, we give up andsettle for swaying back and forth like kids at a middle school dance.

“Has he ever been in a serious relationship?”

Isaac appears deep in thought for a moment. “Not really, not since Steph in high school.”

“Steph?” I can’t help but ask.

In my head, she’s already a flawless supermodel.

“Stephanie Bowman,” Isaac explains. “Blonde. Cheerleader. Homecoming queen. You know the type.”

I do. Just like I know I’m definitely not it. It shouldn’t sting, but it does. I shake off the pain in pursuit of more information on the closed off man I can’t seem to quite figure out.

“So what happened with them?”

“Senior year, they were inseparable, and then she up and left after graduation. Said Wyatt was tied to this town because of the ranch. And she wanted to see the world.” Isaac removes his hand from my waist to scratch his chin. “Far as I know, he never spoke to her again. He’s a clean-break kind of guy.”

I frown, inexplicably wounded on Wyatt’s behalf. “She knew where he lived, right?” I doubt the eighteen-thousand-acre ranch was a secret. “And it wasn’t a problem until school ended and she wanted to move away?”

Isaac shrugs as we resume our swaying. “I think she ended up marrying a farmer in, like, Idaho or Nebraska or something, so who knows? We all suspected she just wanted Wy to chase her down. Show her that he cared. But he doesn’t operate that way. He’s not romantic, like me.”

He winks and I shake my head.

“High school was a while ago. That was his last serious relationship? He’s, what, in his early thirties now?”

I can’t help but wonder if he is still carrying a torch for this girl if he’s avoided relationships for over a decade.

“Yeah. Thirty-two unless I missed his last birthday.” Isaac pulls another contemplative face.

“So he doesn’t date at all? What about the Nina thing?”

I’m prying, and I know it, but Wyatt is locked up like a vault. Isaac and Laurel are probably the only ways I’m ever going to find out anything about the mysterious man.

“Maybe you should ask him,” Isaac says, turning me gently in his arms to face the entrance of the bar.

My eyes widen when they land on my rugged rancher in the doorway, looking as angry as the day we met. Like a bull about to charge, he heads our way with intent in his darkened gaze. No axe this time at least.