West of Forever (Heartstone Ranch #1)(37)

“And you know…helping me when I was literally fall-down drunk.”

“How was this morning? I’m sure you had a hell of a headache.”

I nod. “That and I wanted to cry when the sun so rudely rose before I was ready for it.”

“Next time when Mary Lou says to do a shot, fake it and toss it over your shoulder,” he suggests.

That probably would’ve been the wise choice. “I might just do that.”

We sit in comfortable silence for a bit. I guess now that we got that awkwardness out of the way, we can be normal. I lean back, arms straight, head turned to the sun. It’s still early enough that the sun isn’t blistering, but it won’t take long before I’m roasting.

As we don’t talk, my mind goes a million miles a minute, trying to decide whether I should bring up the almost kiss. Do I let it go? I mean, he’s not saying anything. Maybe he forgot about it.

Maybe that’s what I should do.

Just forget it even happened.

Like there’s a chance of that.

Still, we don’t have to talk about it. I can at least pretend like I haven’t replayed it over and over, changing a move or kissing him earlier—I’m so not doing that right now.

I push back up to sitting and sigh.

“What’s wrong?”

“Me? Nothing. I’m great,” I lie.

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“I have no idea.”

Tristan laughs once. “You know, I only come out here when I really need to think. To feel alone in a world that’s so crowded and noisy.”

“What has your mind so twisted?” I ask.

His deep brown eyes turn to me. “You.”









Chapter 13





Tristan




Isaid it.

I meant it.

I just wish it were a fucking lie.

Isn’t that the crux of this entire thing? That the one woman in the world I should want nothing to do with, I can’t get out of my head.

Lark’s green eyes widen for a heartbeat, and then she smiles softly. “That’s why I’m here.”

Fuck.

I look out toward the west, where the sky goes on forever, where there are possibilities and hope and a world where I could have her, if only there weren’t so many reasons I can’t.

There’s nothing to say, and maybe we both know it, which is why we’re quiet.

“Tristan,” Lark says my name like a whisper.

“Yeah?”

“This will pass. This…attraction we have. It’ll go away, right?”

I huff out a laugh. “I sure as hell hope so. Each time I see you, though, it doesn’t seem like that.”

“No, not for me either.”

The sadness in her tone makes my chest ache. “Maybe we should list all the reasons this can never work,” I suggest.

She nods. “That’s a good idea. I’ll go first. I don’t like you.”

I laugh, a deep one that goes through my entire body. One that I haven’t had in so fucking long. “I don’t like you either.”

“See, there’s a start. Okay.” She looks out at the view before looking back at me. “I think you’re an ass.”

“I am one, and I think you’re reckless.”

She purses those heart-shaped lips. “I am not reckless. I’m very mature and adultlike.”

“Are you? Because I’m not seeing it,” I joke, but I keep my voice even. I can’t wait to hear her rebuttal.

“I run a ranch, thank you very much.”

I lift my finger. “Ahh, I think your father and brothers do that.”

She gasps. “You ass. I work with the horses, I maintain the pastures, I can fix a fucking fence better than those three put together. I may not do all the things, but I’m a contributing member of it.”

“I never said you don’t contribute, but I run a ranch. I’m in charge of everything that happens.”

Lark huffs. “Well, Mister Responsibility, where are you now? Huh? Dereliction of duty if you need a term for what this little outing is.”

I fight back a grin. “I gave all the instructions I needed to before I came out here. What about you, Miss I-Run-a-Ranch-and-I’m-Doing-It-All? Did you make sure everyone was set before taking off on your horse?”

She glares at me.

I smile.

Then she laughs and slaps my arm playfully. “See, another reason. You like to push my buttons.”

I’d like to push her to the soft grass and kiss her breathless.

Yeah, I’m doing a bang-up job here.

“And you have an inflated ego.”

“I do not!” Lark says with frustration in her voice. “I swear, you’re trying to make me hate you.”

If only it were that easy. “Is it working?”

She slumps her shoulders a little. “No. Okay, back to the list. I would never want to date a man my family hates.”

“I would never want to be around your family,” I tell her.

“You know they’re very lovely people. Everyone likes them—except you Stones.”

I let that go. I’m not about to tell her what fucking pricks her brothers are. I know how that’ll go. One time Maverick, her brother they don’t even seem to acknowledge, tried to talk shit about me and Fallon decked him. I was very proud. It’s one thing to talk about your own family, pointing out all their many, many flaws, but it’s completely different when someone on the outside does.