“I don’t know. I just…” Her body shook. “Jack. We’re gonna kill each other if we keep this up.”
That was putting it mildly. “I know.”
“It freaks me the hell out.”
“Me too. Come on, let’s go home.”
Chapter Fifteen
Keely gazed at the vast nothingness. Dirt in shades of orange, tan and dusty gray. Scraggly trees. An endless horizon with mountains too far away to trust the vista would improve.
And people thought Wyoming was ugly? Had they ever been outside Milford, Utah?
“I heard that sigh.” Jack rubbed his rough thumb across her knuckle. “You okay?”
No. As strange as it was to be heading into Jack’s territory, so to speak, convincing his clients they were madly in love, it was stranger yet to be holding Jack’s hand. Just because they both wanted to. Or maybe they needed to.
After the “bathroom incident” Jack had started acting proprietary all the times, not just in public. Part of her believed his response was in preparation for this event. Another part understood Jack had staked an invisible claim on her. A claim he wasn’t ready to verbally own up to even when he’d physically left his mark on her.
Keely had no clue how to feel about that.
After she’d returned home from the bar that night, Jack whisked her off to bed. His solicitous caresses lulled her to sleep.
Then last night, he’d picked up dinner and they’d detailed the Milford trip. Afterward, he coaxed her into wearing a hat as she rode him cowgirl style on the couch. The sexy, fun romp had shown a playful side of Jack. When they’d tucked themselves in for the night, Jack insisted on twining his body around hers.
It was enough to make a girl think he loved her.
It was enough to make a girl fall completely in love with him.
Only a foolish girl would believe this situation is more than a business arrangement. Once you both have what you want, the Jack and Keely show will be over forever.
Keely didn’t consider herself a foolish girl, but she’d never been so confused about love before, mainly because she’d never been in love like this. It scared her to death.
“We’re about twenty miles out,” Jack said.
“Please tell me the topography improves.”
“Not even slightly. They set a town in the middle of this because there’s water nearby and the railroad goes through.”
“I know why my great-great grandfather landed in Wyoming territory. Being tied to the land for generations is an incentive to stay. But what would make someone move to Milford now?”
“Why do people move to Sundance?” he countered.
“Not many do. They’ve got more money than God and can afford the outrageous land prices, and don’t have to rely on earning a living locally.”
“That’s a harsh assessment for your beloved hometown.”
She shrugged. “It’s true. We are reverse snobs. Any of those ‘new-age’ types who try and gain a foothold in the community have a hard time. Most don’t stick around long. We don’t like change. We like our guns, we like our beef, we like the money from coal and oil. We like to challenge anyone who tries to take it away from us. If you don’t embrace all that is our western way of life…well, we ain’t got time for ya.”
Jack tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “So when Henry asks where we’re going to live after we’re married, you’ll say…?”
“We’ll split our time between Colorado and Wyoming for now, but after we start having babies, we’ll settle in Sundance because it’s a good place to raise kids and I have lots of family around the area.”
He shot her a sideways glance. “That sounded a little rote.”
“That’s because it’s what you want me to say.”
“It’s not what you’d say?”
“Nope.”
“What would you say?”
“I’d say it didn’t matter where we lived because anywhere you are is my home.”
Jack sent her another look, a softer one. “Keely—”
“Don’t worry, I won’t be morbidly sappy and embarrass you.” She pulled her hand from his, needing to distance herself. “Thanks for not making me listen to that jazz crap for the last two hours.”
“Same might be said for you saving my ears from the noise pollution that passes for country music.”
You didn’t seem to mind it the other night when you gave me an orgasm on the dance floor during
“You Look So Good In Love”.
Yeah, she wasn’t bringing up that reminder.
Jack pointed. “Here we are.”
They crested a rise. The town spread looked like any ordinary small town. But as soon as they hit the city limits, Keely could see the difference. It was…clean. The houses were well maintained. No rusted swing sets or broken down bicycles. Once they passed into the commercial area, there was more diversity.
No regular billboards, say nothing of flashing billboards.
“Whoa. It’s like…the flashback to the town’s past in the movie Back to the Future.”
“Exactly!” Jack grinned at her. “You’ll freak when you see the clock in the town square. It’s right outside our hotel.”
Keely gawked at everything. Jack pointed out the architectural details he liked and loathed. He waxed poetic about the potential, meshing visions with reality, style with modern amenities. Happy as she was to hear his excitement about his work, he lost her a couple times. She half-feared Jack would blame her if he wasn’t awarded this job. But he wouldn’t have a shot at the project at all if it wasn’t for their fake engagement. Yet, she had an uneasy feeling.
“Keely?”
Her attention returned to him. “What? Sorry.”
“Was I boring you?”
A dutiful fiancée would lie and make him feel good. “Maybe some.” Shit. She waited for him to toss an insult back at her.
But Jack released a resigned sigh. “I’m told I ramble on sometimes. If it appears my client’s eyes are glazing over when I’m talking, could you give me a sign?”
“Sure. Got a sign in mind?”
“Tap on your chin with your index finger?”
She thrust out her chest in a sex kitten move. “Or I could just flash them my tits, baby.”
Smiling, Jack said, “I’m the only one who gets to read that sign, buttercup.” He kissed her. The quick peck morphed into something…more.