Page 33 of Tempting Wyatt (Triple Creek Ranch #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

ivy

AFTER MY WEEK OF WORKING AS a ranch hand, I’m excited to do something that involves dressing up—or really anything that doesn’t involve mucking stalls.

Though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed that Wyatt wasn’t coming tonight.

Isaac said “a few friends” were going to see a band full of guys they knew from high school.

From my suitcase, I pull out a short black lacy dress. I never hung it up because I didn’t expect to need it. I only packed it because I grabbed my things in a hurry. If I pair it with the cowboy boots Wyatt bought me and my leather jacket, it might pass for acceptable honky tonk attire.

Once I’ve showered the day off, shaved, and wrangled my curls the best I can, I slip on the dress with the boots and am pleasantly surprised that I’m pulling off the look.

It feels nice to get dressed up. But it would feel a lot nicer if Wyatt was coming tonight—in every sense of the word. My mind drifts to memories of his hand between my thighs, his lips on mine, and I nearly have a heart attack when there’s a knock at the door.

I compose myself and open it, hoping Wyatt has changed his mind. But Isaac is alone when I step onto the porch.

He gives me a low wolf whistle of approval. “Ready?”

“Just need to grab my purse.” I turn and grab it from the end table quickly, then re-join him outside.

“You sure do clean up nice,” he says with a grin.

“You too,” I offer before gesturing down at my outfit. “You sure this is okay? I didn’t want to look like a tourist, but now I’m feeling weird about the boots. Maybe I should just change into my wedges.”

I turn to go back into the cabin, but he tugs me toward him by my elbow.

“Come on, darlin’. No time for all that. Place will be packed as it is. We gotta hit the road.”

He helps me into his truck and heads down a path I’m not familiar with.

I glance around, trying to figure out why I’ve never gone this way before. “What road are we on?”

Isaac appears confused. “Uh, the only road that leads to the main one from the cabins.”

“I thought there wasn’t a road to the cabins? That’s why Wyatt always takes me down on the ATV thingy.”

Isaac snorts out something like a laugh. “Uh, I think he just likes having you wrapped around him.”

My heartbeat speeds in my chest. We hit a rut, and the truck jolts my entire body.

“Truthfully, this road might damage that fancy car of yours.”

My heartbeat slows a bit.

I hope Isaac doesn’t notice the dejected look on my face. But the next words out of his mouth cause me to suspect that he does.

“Funny thing about that actually. I’ve been wondering why my brother, who hates the four-wheelers, didn’t drive you down on one of the UTVs, like I did. But it’s a side-by-side, not as cozy of a ride.”

As in I’d be sitting beside Wyatt, not behind him. My body wouldn’t be spread and pressed against his muscular back.

Before I can ask any follow-up questions, he smirks in my direction.

“I’ve also been wondering why my typically grumpy-as-fuck brother has been smiling so much lately.

And recently I caught him whistling. I haven’t heard him whistle in years.

But since you arrived, seems he’s whistling while he works, like he’s auditioning to become one of Snow White’s diamond-mining dwarves. ”

I contemplate what Isaac is hinting at and the many complexities of Wyatt Logan.

He greeted me with an axe, but then he bought me boots.

He’s been patient while showing me the ranch even though I know he has a million more important things to do.

He took care of me when I was sore, made me come, selflessly, without even hinting that he hopes I’ll return the favor. He’s gruff, and he sometimes barely says five words to me, but then he gets this look. . . like a starving man heading to death row and I’m his last meal.

Some part of him must enjoy my company.

It’s confusing.

He’s confusing.

I’m confused.

“Your brother is a mystery to me,” I admit quietly.

“To us all. Trust me.” Isaac surprises me by remaining serious for more than five minutes. “I’ll tell you this much,” he begins just as we turn into a parking lot off Main Street. “Wyatt is not about the drama or playing games. He’s a straight shooter.”

Unease tightens my chest. I’m typically a very honest person. To a fault sometimes. “But you still don’t think I should tell him what I do for a living?”

Isaac regards me carefully for a moment before shutting the truck off.

“I’m not sure, to be honest. When I told you not to mention it, I didn’t realize the two of you would be spending so much time together.

Tell him if you want to, just prepare for him to be a dick about it at first. Now that he’s gotten to know you, I’m sure he’ll come around eventually. ”

I’m leaving in a matter of days. I’m not sure I have time for eventually.

Isaac gets out, moving around the front of the truck quickly to open my door.

These Logan brothers and their manners. A girl could get used to this.

I’ll probably get a broken nose when I get back to LA and the men there let the doors slam in my face.

“With Wyatt,” he begins, taking my hand and helping me down to the pavement. “What you see is what you get.”

“Willow said pretty much the same thing,” I tell him.

“Makes sense.” Isaac grins wryly. “Can’t believe I’m starting this date off by giving you advice on my brother.”

I can’t help but laugh. “This is not a date. You said a few friends were coming.”

“Okay, so it’s date adjacent. And, I don’t know if any of my friends are actually coming.

I just assumed they’d be here because they typically are.

” He steps to the right as we reach the sidewalk, moving around me smoothly so that he’s on the traffic side and I’m closer to the row of connected buildings.

“Did you mean for this to be a date or did you ask me here to see if it would aggravate your brother?”

His grin deepens. “Maybe a little of both.”

We stop a few feet from the entrance to what appears to be a bar named The Stillery.

I arch a brow at him. “I thought you said no games with Wyatt?”

Isaac nods to some exiting patrons before returning his attention to me. “That’s advice for you. I’m his brother, so I don’t mind if he gets pissed off at me if the ends justify the means.”

I inhale deeply, trying to process what’s happening. “And what is the end goal of this exactly?”

“I’ve never seen him the way he is with you.” Isaac shrugs. “Sometimes, my brother needs a nudge. Or a heavy shove.”

I’m a little lost. “Meaning?”

“I’m fairly certain he’s interested in you, but he’s so tied up in the ranch that he forgets to have a life.

And he’s stubborn as fuck. Thought maybe me taking you out would help him see sense.

Actually, I thought he’d tell me not to ask you out if I wanted to keep all my teeth.

” Isaac sighs. “But he chickened out and gave me his blessing. Too bad for him, but I get to spend the evening with a beautiful and interesting woman, so I’m not complaining. ”

There’s no spark between Isaac and me. And he seems to realize this with his easy-come, easy-go attitude. He’s undeniably handsome, but he seems young at heart—high-spirited and sweet but untamable.

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. They don’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 expression all hat, no cattle when 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 and settle 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. ”