Rocky Mountain Hero (To Love Again Book 3) (6 page)

With Tray, it hadn’t been painful at all. Just a gentle reopening of her faith in man, her belief in good things, her hope for love. Jenny was right. She was probably falling in love with him, and she was scared. Scratch that, she was terrified.

Was she prepared to make room for someone in her life? To let someone scale the walls of her defenses? She sighed, looking out over the treetops of the river valley. He’d already had broken down her defenses. She was open and vulnerable.

Still, the timing wasn’t right. Her focus had to be on her practice. And he was still a student. What could he offer her for the long term?

Jenny was right about the sex, though. It had been fantastic and perhaps one more tryst, or two, wouldn’t hurt. As long as she made it clear that it was just for fun. No strings.

She would return his calls later this evening, but right now she needed to keep her focus on the Kelly’s. She rose and came out around her desk to greet them as Heidi announced them at the door.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tray nudged the Camaro into overdrive as he picked up speed on the freeway. Damn Isabel. She wouldn’t take his calls. He didn’t want to just show up on her doorstep, but what was he to do? He was determined to see her. He had to know if he had a chance. There was no denying the depth of his feelings. He’d spent too many of his recent hours trying to call them something else – lust, admiration, acceptance.

There was no question that her easy acceptance of him was like a soothing balm on an open wound – it had certainly contributed to his feelings.

But it was more than that. He knew he was falling for this woman. He need to know if there was a chance, even a remote one, that one day Isabel might be ‘his’ woman.

For the first time, he could see a future with a woman. He wanted with her what his father had shared with his mother - deep abiding friendship, born of respect and passion and mutual desire. Even when his father was dying, their relationship had been filled with romance and tenderness and caring.

He hadn’t thought that type of love could still exist, but there was something about her that made him believe it was still out there. No, he knew now, after meeting her, that it wasn’t out
there
. It was an inside job.

All the love he’d been carrying around for years now threatened to explode. Meeting Isabel had just unleashed it somehow. She was the catalyst for his rebirth.

He felt a deep angst that she may not have any of the same feelings for him. She’d seemed happy with him, and he felt that they’d bonded, but she was a professional. She was a sex therapist after all, so it wasn’t a stretch for her. She could probably turn it off and on at will.

The last two nights without her had been hell, tossing and turning, on fire with the memory of her lush body pressed against his. Sleepless nights, raging with hormones, roller-coaster emotions and the terrible fear of unrequited love.

How could she possibly care for him? In her eyes, he was only a college boy. Worse, a silly boy that she had to teach love-making to.

He longed for a strong woman, a partner, an equal, but he also wanted to be seen as strong. To gain Isabel’s confidence and trust so she could be secure in the knowledge that he could take care of her in any situation. He wanted to be able to sweep her off her feet.

He needed her to see him, not as an inexperienced college boy, but as a man – with real, hot-blooded needs and desires. Someone she could look up to.

Tray realized the only way was for him to take the lead. If he couldn’t convince her of his intentions, then he would have to show her.

He sat impatiently through the funeral procession blocking the intersection. He was unable to distinguish the racing of his heart from the pounding of the Camaro’s engine. Risk nothing, gain nothing. His father’s words came back to him and he gained new resolve. No more words. He’d tried to contact her, but she’d refused to take his calls. He was afraid she might be too hard-headed to listen to reason. It was time for action.

Pulling onto her street, he sighed with relief when he saw the light in the front window. At least he hadn’t come this far for nothing.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Isabel paced down the hallway, back into the living room, past the kitchen and back again. On her third swing through the kitchen, she threw her head back and cried out in frustration.

Grabbing the receiver from the counter, she punched in Jenny’s cell number.

“I can’t do it,” she said.

“Can’t do what?”

“Go to him.”

“You can, Isabel. Just go.”

“What if he doesn’t want me? What if I look ridiculous?”

“Issy, you’re the bravest, most courageous woman that I know. You’ve been dragged through more emotional swamps than most of us and you always stand up again. You can do this. Just go see him.”

“I don’t know where he lives,” Isabel said miserably.

“Call.”

“I don’t even have his number.”

“Look it up.”

Isabel flipped through the phone book sitting on the counter and ran her finger down the column of Taylors. “There must be 40 Taylors here.”

“How many Tray Taylors?”

“None. But there are five T. Taylors.”

“Start there.”

“Jenny, none of the addresses seem to fit. They’re all in pretty nice neighborhoods - and none of them are close to the university.”

“How many times did you walk around your house before you called me?”

Isabel laughed. “Three, I think. You know me that well?”

“You’re worth knowing, Issy. Pick up the phone and call the man.”

“Boy.”

“No, my dear one, in your heart Tray is all man.”

“I’m just calling to continue my research, Jenny.”

“Whatever lies you need to tell yourself, woman. I need to go, I’m pulling into the restaurant. I’m hanging up now – you start dialing those numbers.”

Isabel hung up and slid her finger down the shortlist. Should she choose the most likely address or just start at the top and work down?

At the top she decided and started punching numbers into the key pad.

When the doorbell rang, she was in the middle of the first call, She walked to the door and swung it open just as she said, “I’m calling for Tray Taylor.”

Tray Taylor stood in front of her on the steps, so she realized before she even heard the response that she had the wrong number.

“Looking for me, Isabel?”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled into the phone. “I seem to have a wrong number.” She tried to brace herself against the tidal wave of emotions racing through her, allowing herself time to adjust to him standing on her front steps. Here he was - now what?

“Are you going to invite me in, Isabel?”

“Of course. I’m sorry, come in.” She swung the door wider and moved out of the doorway. “I’m just surprised to see you.”

“But it sounds like you were looking for me? I’m pleased, of course, but it doesn’t fit – I’ve tried calling your office several times.”

“I forgot your number at the office. I was swamped…”

“All day?”

“Yes, it was really busy.”

“Yesterday, too? You forgot my number last night?”

“Let’s not go there, okay? You’re here now, I think we need to talk. Want a beer?”

“Sounds good.”

Isabel admired his easy gait as he joined her in the kitchen. The man was drop dead gorgeous, how could she be thinking of turning him away.

She flipped the caps off two long-neck beers and handed one to Tray. He leaned against the counter, one long leg crossed loosely over the other at the ankle. Without taking his eyes off her, he took a long drink from the bottle and smiled.

Isabel felt the pull of his closeness and rushed in. She had to control this conversation, this situation. “I’ll go first,” she said. “The thing is, I, well. Look, I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. I thought, after our weekend away, that our
lessons
were ended.”

“We never talked about that.”

“No, but we did talk about it being for a short time.”

“Is it because of what happened on the mountain?”

“I don’t hold you responsible for that. It could’ve happened to anyone. Frankly, if I’d been there alone I couldn’t have managed. You were amazing. I don’t know what I would have done without you. Finding the cave, having all the food…saving me from the bear.”

“Aw, shucks, ma’am…”

Isabel grinned and punched him on the arm. “It wasn’t the weekend. The weekend was fabulous.”

“Then the sex?”

“No! The sex was fabulous, too. No, it wasn’t that.”

“It’s just that, in the past…”

“No, really, Tray. You’re an amazing lover. I just thought that we’d fulfilled our commitment to each other.”

“And now?”

“Now...” Isabel let her eyes roam across the room while she scrounged up her courage. “I was feeling badly that we didn’t end it more cleanly. Plus, I was thinking that maybe it didn’t need to end right now.”

Tray reached for her hand. “I don’t want it to end.”

“Don’t misunderstand me,” Isabel’s words tumbled out. “I still think we need to keep our agreement - nothing emotional. But a little more love-making isn’t going to hurt us.”

Tray placed his bottle on the counter, moved in front of her and leaned his hands on the counter behind her. “It was driving me crazy that you wouldn’t talk to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I just felt so badly about putting you in danger. I was sure you’d never talk to me again.”

“I didn’t mean for you to get that impression.”

She gazed into his blue eyes and breathed in the closeness of him. He hovered over her and then leaned in for a kiss. Tender, moist - she felt his heart flow into her.

“So, you’ll be my Mrs. Robinson then?”

Isabel laughed and playfully pushed him away. “Yes.”

“You’re sure about that Isabel? You want me? No more hot, cold?”

“I’m sure,” she sighed as Tray nuzzled into her neck and started teasing his tongue over her earlobes.

He reached behind his back and grasped both her hands in his, then bit her neck. His excitement was obvious, and her body responded instantly. She felt the last shreds of her resistance melting away.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Tray, I haven’t given you instructions yet,” purred Isabel as he pressed more insistently into her.

“Instructions be damned,” he growled, his voice low in his chest. “You want me as much as I want you, teach.” He pinned her against the counter, parting her mouth with his tongue – his hands everywhere. Squeezing her breast, his knee pushing up into her crotch. He’d never been this forceful, never taken the lead. Her back arched, as her body found a response before her head did.

She drew deeply on the tongue inside her mouth, while he half-ripped her blouse open, grabbing her breasts roughly as she moaned softly. He reached behind and cupped her ass in his hand. She couldn’t believe his strength as lifted her onto the edge of the counter, so she was better lined up with his hips.

Isabel fought for breath as he ground his hardness against her.

“Take me Tray,” she gasped, as her desire mounted and pulsed between her legs.

“Get out of that skirt, Isabel,” Tray ordered, his blue eyes grey with lust. Isabel turned for the bedroom, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back. “Right here, babe. Get naked.”

She tingled with the authority in his voice. Had the student become the teacher? She was loving this. Unbuttoning the skirt, she stepped sideways out of it as it puddled to the floor.

“Panties, too … before I tear them off.”

She started to giggle, then stopped short with the look in his eyes. Hey, she was supposed to be in charge here.

She realized this presented a good teaching opportunity. Not only did she want him to take control, but it was a great way for him to build more confidence.

She pouted her bottom lip out and teasingly stepped out of his reach. “Make me, big boy,” she grinned wickedly.

Tray grabbed her right shoulder and hooked his right hand into her panties. The black lace gave way with one quick tug and he cupped her mound before he pushed them to the floor.

Working his hand back to her copper triangle, he crushed her mouth with his, his other hand tangled in her locks, gently forcing her head back. Hot liquid seared her skin as he trailed his tongue down her neck, toward her heaving breasts. She’d never been so excited. Every nerve screamed for release and her nipples pushed for escape against the lacy fabric of her bra.

Tray’s fingers plucked her slender nipples beneath the fabric, then he covered her breasts completely with his large hands, squeezing and pushing them together and staring into her eyes he squeezed a little more tightly until she opened her mouth in a sharp intake of breath.

“No more talking, Isabel,” he warned her sternly.