Wyatt (17 page)

“You were the one who left, Wyatt.”

“I went for a ride to cool off. You knew I’d be back.”

“How was I supposed to know you didn’t want me to go?”

“How were you supposed to know? Because I didn’t say I
wanted you to go,” he shouted.

“I…” She shook her head.

“I need to know what you want to do.”

“I’m not walking away,” she whispered.

Wyatt stared at her then nodded. “All right then. I still
don’t understand why you left or why you were upset but if you’d rather not
say, that’s fine. Just know that I’m not going to put up with these tantrums of
yours. We do this or we don’t. I’m not going to chase after you the next time.”

“One of us is going to end up hurt, Wyatt.”

“It’s not going to be me, and if you think you’ll be hurt
then maybe you
should
walk away.”

“I can’t. Not yet.” Olivia sighed and moved to take a seat
on the sofa. She patted the spot beside her. Wyatt sat in the chair opposite
her instead, stretched his long legs out, and clasped his hands across his flat
stomach. When she didn’t say anything, he raised an eyebrow at her.

“I’m sorry, Wyatt.”

He leaned forward. “Sorry?” She nodded. “Sorry for what?
What exactly are you apologizing for?” He leaned back in the chair when she
waved her hand at him.

“I, uh…” She cleared her throat. “I thought that was the
most amazing sex ever.”

He frowned at her. “Then why…?”

“It was just so mind-blowing. It just…”

Wyatt came to his feet. “Do you plan on getting this out
some time tonight? I have things I need to do.”

Olivia got to her feet and glared at him. “I didn’t know how
to react to it. It was fantastic and I wanted to tell you how great it was but
I was afraid that if I did, it would scare you away. How do I tell you
something like that without making you bolt and run?”

Wyatt glanced away, exhaled in a huff, and then looked at
her. “You just did. Am I running?”

“No.”

“I thought it was amazing too, darlin’. I don’t have a
problem with you saying you thought so too.”

“You thought it was amazing too?”

“Yes. Now go pack and come home with me. I’ll make us
dinner.”

“I am hungry.”

He burst out laughing. “Why am I not surprised?”

She stuck her tongue out at him, and his eyes dropped to
stare at her mouth.

Olivia groaned. “You keep looking at me like that, cowboy,
and dinner will be very late.”

Wyatt grinned, kissed her quickly, and headed for the door.
As he passed through, he glanced over his shoulder. “You’d better hurry up
then.”

Chapter Fifteen

The next evening, Olivia sat in the living room watching
television while waiting for Wyatt to come in from the arena. She knew he was
out there with a client but she needed to talk to him, and had grown tired of
waiting for him. Impatient, she got up and after putting her coat on, she
headed over to the arena. Snow pelted her in the face and it was cold so she
pulled her hood up and stuck her hands in her pockets.

She opened the door to the metal building and gratefully
entered the warmth. She saw Wyatt talking with an older man. He grinned at her
when he saw her and put his hand out toward her. She practically skipped to him
she was so giddy. Wyatt pulled her tight against his side and kissed her
temple. She shivered and put her arm around his waist. She smiled at the other
man, only he didn’t smile back.

“Olivia, this is Blake Taylor. Blake, Olivia Roberts,” Wyatt
said, introducing them.

She stuck her out hand. Blake shook it but dropped it almost
immediately, and told Wyatt he needed to go. Olivia frowned watching the man
leave.

“He wasn’t very friendly,” she said to Wyatt after they were
alone.

Wyatt laughed.
“Not to you, anyway.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to
mean?”

“He’s Stephanie’s father.”

Olivia gasped. “Oops.” She laughed then sobered. “Does he
want you and Stephanie to get back together?”

Wyatt nodded. “I told him it wasn’t going to happen. It was
over and I’ve moved on, and she should too, but he thinks we can work it out.”

“What about you? Do you think you can get back together?”
Olivia asked.

Wyatt’s eyes widened. “Are you out of your mind?” he
practically shouted.

Olivia burst out laughing. “That was the right answer,
cowboy.”

“Let’s go inside, darlin’.”
He put
his lips to her neck.

She pulled back from him. “Um, I have to make a trip back to
the B and B.”

“Now?
It’s snowing.”

“I need to get some…uh, personal items.” She pulled her lip
between her teeth feeling embarrassed.

“What personal items?”

“I’m on my period, okay? I need to get some…things.” She was
sure her face was beet red. Wyatt stepped away from her and Olivia laughed.
“It’s not contagious.”

Wyatt chuckled. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right, cowboy. I’ll just run over there and be
right back.” She started to move toward the door, and then stopped when a
sudden thought came to mind. “Unless, you’d rather I stay there?”

Wyatt’s brows shot up and he closed the distance between
them.

“Do you want to stay there?” She glanced away from him, but
Wyatt turned her face back toward him. “Olivia? I’d love for you to stay here
but if you think you’d be more comfortable there, I totally understand.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “I want to stay with you.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. Do you want me to take you?”

“No. I’ll be right back. I’m sure you want to shower.” She
wrinkled her nose at him as a hint.

Wyatt laughed. “Yeah, I know. I smell like a horse.” He
kissed her. “Be careful. This light snow can make the roads slick.”

Olivia kissed him. “I won’t be long.”

Not wanting to be gone too long, she hurried to her car and
made the trip to the B and B in good time despite the snow. She retrieved the
items she needed, and began the trip back to Wyatt.

As she drove along, the snow started coming down heavier.
She slowed down in case any animals jumped out in front of her. Reaching into
her pocket, she pulled her cell phone out to call Wyatt to let him know she was
on her way back when suddenly another vehicle, most likely a truck, pulled up
behind her. The headlights were reflecting in her rearview mirror almost
blinding her, and it was obvious the driver was following too close. She tapped
her brakes lightly to get him to back off. If anything, he moved closer.

Feeling nervous, Olivia slowed down and pulled off the road,
hoping the truck would go around her. It didn’t. It pulled off the road behind
her. She started trembling as a bad feeling descended on her. She pulled out onto
the road again, and for a minute, the truck didn’t follow her. Sighing in
relief, she drove on but she hadn’t gone too far before the truck came
barreling up behind her, and then pulled alongside her. Again, she slowed down,
but the truck slowed down too. Olivia sped up and the other vehicle did too.

Suddenly, the truck raced around her. Olivia stopped her
car, and watched as the truck’s brake lights came on, water from the road
spraying up from the tires when it spun around, and faced in her direction.

Olivia nervously dialed Wyatt.

“Hey, sweetheart, are you on your way back?”

“Wyatt,” her voice trembled uncontrollably.

“Olivia. What is it? Where are you?”

She started to tell him what was happening when the truck
suddenly started toward her. Olivia screamed instead.

* * * *

Wyatt yelled into the phone, but she didn’t answer him. He
could hear her car radio playing. He ran out of the house and got into his
truck, dialing Jake as he drove down the drive. Turning toward the B and B, he
pushed the accelerator to the floor. Not seeing her SUV anywhere in sight along
the route, he drove on to where he knew she’d been. When he pulled up to the
back of the B and B, he could see it was dark except for the small lamp burning
in the foyer. He jumped out of the truck, ran to the back door, but found it
locked—just as it should be with no one there.

He wasn’t taking any chances though, so he took out his
spare key and opened the door. Entering the kitchen, he strode back to Olivia’s
apartment and pounded on the door. As he figured, there was no answer. She
wasn’t here.

Wyatt swore. Where in the hell was she? He ran back to his
truck and glanced around. Her vehicle was nowhere around. Driving back toward
his place, he traveled the road slowly and scanned the road ahead looking for
any sign of her. Then headlights came toward him, he slowed down and then
stopped when he saw it was Jake’s truck. They stopped beside each other and put
their windows down.

“Did you find her?” Jake asked.

“No. I checked the B and B and it’s locked up tight.” Wyatt
noticed Becca sitting beside Jake with tears on her cheeks. “I’m going to check
along this side…you check your side, Jake. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t
check that side real well.”

Wyatt glanced down the road and saw flashing red and blue
lights heading toward them.

“I called Sam,” Jake told him. Wyatt nodded.

The Sheriff’s SUV cruiser came to a stop behind Jake. A
pickup truck stopped behind it. It was Gabe. Wyatt watched as both men strolled
forward. He explained what he’d heard. Sam slowly walked along the road,
shining his flashlight in search of clues.

“There are skid marks over here,” Sam yelled out.

Wyatt ran to where he stood. He saw them too. Then he ran to
the side of the road calling out for Olivia. She couldn’t have just
disappeared. Jake walked beside him.

“I shouldn’t have let her go alone,” Wyatt muttered. “I
offered to take her but she said she wouldn’t be long.
Damn it.
”

“We’ll find her, Wyatt,” Gabe told him.

Wyatt nodded absently and walked along the road. He spotted
tracks in the freshly fallen snow and followed them, calling her name. He
stopped and listened. That was when he heard her. Her voice was faint but he
heard her. Running along the tracks with his flashlight shining, he saw her
SUV. He made his way down the bank to her and opened her door. She was sitting
inside with her hands clenched around the steering wheel. Wyatt touched her
shoulder.

“Olivia? Sweetheart, are you all right?” Wyatt asked. Her
face was wet with tears when she turned her head and stared at him. Her bottom
lip trembled. He reached in and unhooked her seatbelt. He barely had time to
react before she threw herself at him. Catching her in his arms, he held her
tightly against him. He kissed her forehead. “What happened, sweetheart?”

“Do I need to get an ambulance out here for her, Wyatt?” Sam
called down to him.

Wyatt pulled back to gaze into her eyes. “Are you all right?
Are you hurt anywhere?”

Olivia shook her head. “I’m not hurt. I drove my truck down
here to avoid being hit.” She stared at him with glossy eyes. “He ran me off
the road, Wyatt.” Her voice ended in a sob.

“Who did?” Wyatt growled. He was more than pissed.

“I don’t know who it was. It was a big, dark pickup truck.”
She shivered.

“I’m bringing her up,” he called out. “No ambulance, Sam.”

Wyatt held her hand as they walked up the bank. Once at the
top, Becca reached for Olivia and held onto her as they comforted each other.
The men stood off to the side until finally, Sam stepped forward.

“Olivia? Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”
he asked in a worried tone.

“I’m fine, Sam.
Just scared.”

Sam nodded. “Tell me what happened.”

Olivia told them what had transpired. Becca kept her arm
around her. Wyatt got angrier and angrier as Olivia went into detail.

“He spun around in the middle of the road and sat there
pointing right at me for about a minute, then he gunned it and came straight at
me. I sat there frozen, until for some reason, I looked to the right and saw
the embankment. I drove over the side and went down the hill.” Trembling, she
hugged Becca.

“I doubt he would’ve hit you, but you did the right thing,”
Sam told her.

Wyatt stepped close to Sam. “Why do you
doubt
he would’ve hit her? Obviously, he wanted to hurt her,” he
said through clenched teeth.

“Back off, Wyatt,” Sam growled. “Think about it. If whoever
it was actually hit her, they could’ve been injured too, and even if not, they
would certainly be easy to find due to the damage on the truck. No, this was to
scare her, not kill or hurt her.”

The two men stared at each other until Wyatt gave a terse
nod of agreement, and stepped back.

“Look, I know you’re pissed, we all are, but someone wants
to scare Olivia for some reason, and I’ll find them,” Sam said.

“Try looking at Dalton’s Motel. That’s where Sharon’s
staying,” Gabe added.

Olivia and Sam both shook their heads.

“It’s too obvious to be her,” Sam said.

“She wouldn’t have the balls,” Olivia said at the same time.

Sam smiled at Olivia. “Nonetheless, I will check her out,
and find out where she was when this happened.” He started toward his SUV then
stopped and glanced back. “She may not have been driving but she could still be
behind it.”

“Sam…” Wyatt called to him. Sam turned in response raising
an eyebrow. “Thanks.”

Sam nodded and began calling in for his deputies to get to
the scene, take pictures, and get measurements. Wyatt huffed and put his arm
around Olivia moving her toward his truck.

“Sit in here where it’s warm.”

Olivia latched onto his arm. “Please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not leaving you. I’m just going to look around. You can
see me.” Wyatt tried to console her so when he saw Becca heading toward them,
he relaxed a bit.

“I’m going to get in the truck with her,” Becca told him
when she reached the truck.

“Thanks. She’s a mess right now,” Wyatt said.

Becca smiled up at him. “I’ll hold her hand until you can.”

Wyatt smiled. “I’d appreciate it.”

He leaned down when she crooked her finger at him. She
kissed his cheek. Wyatt grinned, glanced up at Olivia, who nodded. He stepped
aside to allow Becca to get into the truck then walked down the road to where
Sam stood.

* * * *

Olivia sat in the truck staring out the windshield. A small
smile lifted her lips when she saw Becca kiss Wyatt on his cheek. She scooted
over in the seat so Becca could get in with her. Olivia reached for her best
friend’s hand. Becca squeezed it. Olivia watched Wyatt walk to stand next to
Sam. She kept her eyes on him. She released a shuddering breath.

“The only time I’ve been more scared was when Steve took
you, Becs,” Olivia whispered. She felt Becca squeeze her hand. “I don’t know
who would do this. But like Sam said, Sharon may be behind it, only it doesn’t
seem like her style. Scaring me won’t get her the money any faster.”

“She needs to leave this town,” Becca muttered.

“Yes, but she’s determined to get money from me and she says
she won’t leave until she gets it.”

“I hope Sam finds something on her. He’ll take care of
things,” Becca said with conviction.

Olivia sighed. “I know he will.”

Wyatt strode toward the truck and opened the driver side
door, dropping her bag of essentials she’d needed, which had started this scary
night, behind the seat. Olivia moved over to give him room to climb in too. He
wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, making her feel a bit better.
Neither paid much attention to Becca getting out of the truck. Olivia shivered
against him and he hugged her tighter.

“Let’s go home, darlin’. You need to get some rest. Sam
called a tow truck to bring your SUV up. They’ll tow it to my place.”

“All right, Wyatt. I want to take a long bath in that
wonderful Jacuzzi of yours.”

He chuckled. “I think I can arrange that.”

Olivia grinned and stayed close to his side as he drove them
home.

* * * *

The day of Thanksgiving was cold with snow falling. Olivia
had slid into a funk and she knew Wyatt had no idea what to do to get her out
of it. She lay on the couch waiting for him to come in from working, and
eventually, drifted off. A little while later, she felt someone touching her
hair. She opened her eyes to see Wyatt squatting in front of her. He made her
smile.