Page 69 of The Cowboy’s Reckoning

“Breaking the lease is not out of the question.”

His eyes narrowed. Where was this coming from? “It’s expensive to move.”

“Someone offered me a generous buyout that would cover costs.”

“I don’t want you to move,” he said flatly.

She pushed her hair over her shoulder. “That would apply even if we weren’t …”

He was curious as to how she’d describe their relationship, but she gestured instead of using words. “Yes, it would apply even if we weren’t. It’s a matter of principle.”

The fact that he was falling for her wasn’t a factor. Oh no, not at all.

“Well, truthfully,” she said, “I don’t want to move.”

“And truthfully”—he wrapped his arms around her—“I don’t want you to go.” He leaned down to kiss her, taking her lips in a way that was a touch more possessive than he’d intended, but he found he couldn’t help himself.

“Don’t want to lose a good tenant?” she asked with an arch of her eyebrows.

“Don’t want to lose you.” The ring of gut-level truth to his words startled both of them.

Lil’s lips parted, then she closed her mouth, pressing her lips flat, as if afraid of what she might say.

“Hey,” he said gently, leaning back to give her space, and tilting his head so he could meet her eyes. “I’m not making any demands or declarations. It’s just that you’re important to me.”

She smiled a little, but it wasn’t the genuine smile he’d had moments ago. “You’re important to me too. Obviously.” The words were stilted and, maybe in an effort to soften their effect, Lil moved closer, resting her cheek against his chest.

But something had changed. The melt-into-him aspect was gone. Jordan wrapped his arms around her, more loosely this time, so she wouldn’t feel trapped, then closed his eyes and drew in the comfort of her scent, as he fought the idea that she was going to slip away.

Crazy how things could change in a heartbeat.

“It’s been a night,” she murmured against his chest.

“Yes.” There were so many things he wanted to say in the way of damage control, but he knew Lil well enough to realize that this wasn’t the time to either make excuses or to press his case.

So instead, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and stepped back, setting her free.

Chapter Fourteen

Jordan wasn’t wild about the location of his meeting with Libby Weston, but locale hadn’t been a battle he wanted to fight. The only caveat other than the meeting itself being private was on Connery’s part; Burke was not allowed on the property. He wasn’t even allowed to sit in the truck and wait.

Despite his being shut out of the meeting, Connery was gracious about the use of his conference room on a Sunday morning. It didn’t do to piss off the woman who might end up buying more property before all was said and done. If that was in the cards, Jordan figured that Connery wanted to be the go-to brokerage over Lexington.

After they were seated on opposite sides of the conference table, and had waved away Connery’s offer of coffee, Jordan and Libby Weston took a moment to study one another. She was a striking woman in her late forties, fit and stylishly dressed, with steel in her eyes. A little too much steel. Jordan broke the silence, before she bored a hole through him.

“You tried to buy the Willow Creek.”

Her expression shifted. “Yes.”

“And you own the wildlife conservancy that abuts the ranch. The original R. F. Weston once owned the Willow Creek. He was your father?”

She acknowledged the facts with a nod. “Why won’t you sell?”

“Why do you want it so badly?” he replied.

A ghost of a smile curved her lips. For the first time since they’d sat she seemed to relax.

This was a woman comfortable in negotiations. “What makes you think I want it so badly?”