âLet me ask you something,â Mitch said. âIf youâd known what Iâd been through that night, would you have still pushed me into the pool?â
âYes,â Taylor said without hesitation. âBecause you deserved it. You were so mean to me, you made a hornet look cuddly.â
He laughed, but stopped quickly as memories washed over him. He met Taylorâs gaze. âYouâre right. I wasnât fit company that night. But, as I recall, I tried to warn you off.â
She shrugged and the movement reminded him that she was still pressed against him. Her soft, sweet breath fanned his face. The close proximity sent what felt like all the blood in his body to points south. That acute awareness made him think of things he had no right to, especially about Taylor.
She tightened her hold around his neck. âWould you mind putting me down?â
Mitch decided he would mind very muchâ¦.
is a native Californian who has moved to Texas. Living with her husband of twenty-five years and two handsome sons, she has been surrounded by heroes. Reading has been her passion since she was a girl. She couldnât be more delighted that her dream of writing full-time has come true. Her favorite things include: holding a baby, the fragrance of jasmine, walks on the beach, the patter of rain on the roof and, above all, happy endings.
Teresa has also written historical romance novels under the same name.
âGo âway, kid.â
âBut, Mitchââ
âI donât want to see or talk to anyone named Stevens.â
Taylor Stevens stared at the dark expression on Mitch Raffertyâs face and wondered what had happened and how fast she could change her name. Her sister must have done something. Only Jen could put Mitchâs nose out of joint like this.
If only he would notice her instead, Taylor thought dejectedly. She might be younger than he, but she was more mature than he thought. Certainly old enough to notice his sandy-brown hair, his broad shoulders that made all the girls sit up and take notice, and those bad-boy blue eyes. Especially his eyes. Whenever he looked at her, her heart beat so hard she got a little scared.
The Texas state high school rodeo championships in Abilene had just ended. Tomorrow they would go home to Destiny. It was their last night at the Lamplighter Motel and sheâd found Mitch by the pool. She took a deep breath and a heaping dose of courage as she sat down on the lounge chair next to his.
Other teenagers sat nearby, but didnât seem to be paying any attention to her and Mitch. He looked like a volcano about to erupt and she was afraid for him. Afraid of what he might do. She just couldnât leave him alone. The feelings she had for him were so deep, so big she felt she might burst any second.
Taylor touched his arm, then started when he flinched away. âOkay. Donât look at me. Just tell me whatâs wrong, then listen while I talk.â
âGet lost, kid,â he growled. âDonât you get it? I donât want you here. I want to be alone.â
Kid? She wanted to grab his shirtfront and show him she was no kid. In fact, she would pit her fourteen years against his nineteen any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
She took a deep breath. âYouâre acting like someone took away your favorite toy. At least tell me why. Whatâs wrong? I thought we were friends.â
âJen and I are through.â The smoldering look in his eyes hinted that there was more. But all he said was, âI could never be friends with anyone related to her.â
Taylorâs first thought was stunned disbelief that her sister was dumb enough to let a guy like Mitch go. Her second: she was going to hell for being so happy that he was no longer spoken for.
âIâm sorry,â she said lamely, not meeting his gaze in the dim light surrounding the pool. If he looked at her he would know she wasnât sorry at all.
Silence stretched between them. It was late and everyone else who was at the motel had turned in. Or almost everyone. Behind her, she could hear the kids around the pool talking, and muffled voices and giggles beyond the shrubs that shielded her and Mitch. On the far sidewalk, a guy with a square competition number attached to his long-sleeved Western shirt walked hand in hand with a girl Taylor recognized from the rodeo week queenâs court. Crickets chirped and the muted sound of television drifted to them from nearby rooms.
âIâm really sorry,â she said again. And she truly did feel bad that he was hurting so. When he remained silent, she added, âBut sheâs not the only girl on the planet, Mitch.â
âShe is for me.â
Taylor cared about him more than her sister ever could. Why couldnât he see that? How could he not know that he was the first person she thought about in the morning and the last one to cross her mind before sleep took her at night? Every waking second in between she wished she were with him, just to be in his presence, just to look at him.