Chapter 3
When it was time to go into dinner, Tani was feeling more relaxed with Flynn, the tingling in her middle nothing more than a mere distraction. But when dinner was served and he put his hand on the small of her back to escort her to their seats, the tingle intensified to the point that she was forced to inhale a quick breath of air to calm herself. If Flynn noticed he didn’t show it, simply guided her through the crowd to the table where they would sit with the wedding party.
Tani had all but forgotten that she was with one of the wedding party until she realized that all eyes were on them. Normally that kind of attention wouldn’t have bothered her, but it didn’t escape her attention that several women in the room were shooting her dirty looks. Flynn didn’t seem to notice at first but when he did, he stared each woman down until they looked away embarrassed, but she could tell that they weren’t happy with the situation.
Once they were seated she asked, “Was that my imagination or did I just get a bunch of dirty looks?”
“I’m sorry about that, it won’t happen again.” Flynn said, “Single men are hard to come by up here and I guess I’m at the top of the list.”
“So, you could have come with any of those women.” Tani said, her voice quiet when she realized just what he’d given up coming with her. “You don’t have to do this, you know. I wouldn’t be offended if you wanted to call tonight good.”
“Why would I want to do that? I thought we were getting along fine.” Flynn said, confused.
“Well, I mean look at them.” Tani said, pointing to the room full of women who were all dressed up and many much better looking than her. “And look at me.”
“I am looking at you and I like what I see. Tani, you’re a very beautiful woman, I wanted to tell you that the first time we met.” Flynn said.
Tani wanted to believe his words, but long years of hearing differently had made that almost impossible. “I just think you’d rather be with one of them.”
Flynn looked at Tani and realized right then that some man in her past had wounded her badly and knew that his next words had to be just perfect. “When I came out on the deck and saw you tonight, I was happy for the first time that I’d agreed to this blind date. You’ve been on my mind ever since you covered me in snow up on the trail and now that we’ve spent some time together I know for sure that I’d like to get to know you better.”
“Oh, um okay.” She didn’t know what else to say, but what she did know was that Flynn had reached a place inside her that she’d thought was inaccessible.
By the time the main course was served, Flynn had managed to charm her back into her good mood and the stares from the other diners didn’t bother her so much. In fact, it thrilled her a little bit to know that she was with a man that all the other women wanted, that had certainly never happened to her before. But she cautioned herself not to get too wrapped up in the emotion of the night. They were simply two people who were enjoying each other’s company. The fact that with each passing moment she was becoming even more attracted to Flynn was her own problem.
When the dinner was over, she walked him to his truck since she was staying at the main house glad that Marissa had insisted that she get the boots she was wearing. She wasn’t sure what to expect when they got to his truck, but when he swept her into his arms and kissed her she knew that it wasn’t that. His lips were warm and firm on hers and she felt herself melting into his strong arms, allowing her to forget for just a minute all the pain she’d been through because of a man.
When she finally got control of herself, she pushed away from him, shocked that she’d let herself get so carried away. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have done that, but I just wanted to see what it would be like.” Flynn said, putting a little space between them, and hanging his head like a kid caught doing something wrong.
“It’s okay.” Tani said, unable to meet his eyes, her cheeks flaming with desire she didn’t want or need right then.
Flynn reached out and gently lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. “I can’t promise I won’t do it again.” He said, then closed the space between them and kissed her again. When the kiss ended this time, he added, “See I told you.”
Tani was speechless as he got into his truck, her entire body alive with feelings she didn’t know she was still capable of. She knew that she should say something but she was too confused to utter a word. All she managed was a wave as he pulled out of the yard and onto the snow-packed roads. She made her way slowly back into the house, all but oblivious to the snow that was falling gently around her turning the night to day. When she got to her room, she undressed and climbed into bed, not sure if she could believe what had happened that night, romantic adventures like tonight didn’t happen to people like her, that was reserved for the rest of the world.
She’d have to be very careful around Flynn Montgomery, a man like that could easily break her heart with his pretty words and rough good looks and she wasn’t strong enough for heartbreak yet. Maybe someday, she’d be ready to date again, but for now she was happy with her single life; she’d just have to remember that this week. Besides she and Flynn were destined for different lives, she in Colorado and him wherever he finally found his destiny.
For the next few days, Tani went with the flow of the wedding, attending dinner parties, lunches, and even a high tea one afternoon. By Thursday, she was ready for a break and more than happy that they had an entire day off to rest up for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. She’d had no idea how exhausting it was going to be attending all the functions they had. Equally exhausting was trying to keep herself from falling for Flynn who had turned out to be one of the nicest men she’d ever known, no matter how attracted to him she was, nothing could come of their romance.
Each time he dropped her off at Honey Hills, he kissed her just like he had that first night, leaving her wanting more. But as if sensing her fragility, he never pushed it past that kiss and for that she was thankful. Had he pushed, she probably would have given in to the desire that continued to build inside her. A desire that shocked her in its intensity and left her questioning whether her choice to stay as far away from men as possible was the right one, maybe she’d set herself up to fall for Flynn by being alone for so long.
She awoke early Thursday morning, her only thought of saddling Devil and riding off into the mountains to escape all the confusing thoughts that had been plaguing her since the first night that Flynn had kissed her. The sun was barely coming up over the mountains when she opened the barn door and called out to Devil. If he cooperated and let her saddle him easily, they could be well on the way to the upper meadows before the sun was fully up.
Devil whinnied when he heard her voice and stirred in his stall, although they hadn’t been riding again since the day she’d nearly collided with Flynn, she’d managed to sneak a few minutes every day in the barn with him. Sensing that today would be different, he was at the rail before she could reach him, stomping his feet in anticipation of what was to come. She stopped and gave him the carrots she’d hidden in her pocket before heading for the tack room and her saddle, stroking his nose and whispering calming words to him.
When she got to the tack room, she was surprised to see a light on inside, and even more surprised to see Flynn contemplating the rows of saddles. He turned when he heard her enter the room, “I thought I’d find you here this morning.” He said, giving her one of his boyish grins she’d come to love so much.
Tani wasn’t sure if she was happy or sad to see him, the lure of a day alone on the trail overpowered by the way her heart leapt when she saw Flynn. “I’m going to take Devil out for the day. I’m supposed to be evaluating him, but I seem to be spending all my time at parties.” She said, laughing.
“I thought maybe I could join you.” He said, pulling a saddle down off the wall.
Tani considered this for only a second, unable to fool herself into believing she didn’t want him there. “I guess that would be okay, but I don’t know if you’ll be able to keep up, I’m going to push him hard again today.” She said, with a teasing smile.
“Well, I’ll pick a fast horse and do my best.” Flynn said, then asked, “Which saddle do you want?”
Tani pointed to her saddle which was up against the wall in its traveling case. “That’s mine, but I can get it.”
In only a few minutes, they were riding out of the yard at Honey Hills, Devil pulling at his bit, his need to release some pent-up energy clear in his high steps. Tani held him back until they were in the pasture, then gave him his head, letting him leap into a gallop that left Flynn staring open mouthed at them as they went by. She waved her arm in the air to show him that she was in control and raced into the forest, barely finding the trail as Devil flew across the ground faster than any horse she’d ever ridden.
Tani barely managed to control Devil as they wound their way through the forest toward the main road, all the time thinking that this was an amazing animal who wasn’t allowed to live up to his potential. She knew then that her recommendation to Scott and Marissa would be to let her take him home with her where she could work him and train him until it was possible to control him. When they finally hit the main road, Tani gave Devil his head and he seemed to understand that she wouldn’t hold him back.
By the time Flynn caught up with them, they’d made several trips up and down the road and Devil was finally beginning to tire. When Tani reigned him in next to Flynn’s horse all he could say was, “You’re a little bit crazy.”
Tani laughed and said, “Yeah, maybe but he’s tired out enough that we can actually ride at a reasonable pace now.”
Flynn felt a huge stab of desire wash over him when he looked at Tani, as beautiful as she was all dressed up for the parties they’d been attending, she was even more beautiful sitting on the back of a horse. Her cheeks had taken on a glow from the cold and her eyes were sparkling with pleasure. It was shocking to him how much his desire for her had grown over the last few days and he was dreading the day she had to leave. But they had an entire day together, a day without a party or a dinner to distract them and he intended to make the most of it.
“I’d love to show you a special place in the canyon. I brought some food and I thought we could have a picnic.” Flynn said, taking a trail Tani hadn’t noticed before.
Tani had been looking forward to some time alone, but as she rode behind Flynn she realized that she was glad that he was here. Spending time with Flynn had turned into something she looked forward to, even when it included getting all dressed up and making a spectacle of herself, which is exactly what she felt like she had been doing for the last few days. But here it was just the two of them and it was just as good being alone, maybe even a little better. She’d found that Flynn was a good listener and although she hadn’t told him anything of her past, she knew that if she did he would listen patiently to her story.
“Can I ask where you’re taking me? This trail doesn’t look like it’s being used much.”
“This is a highly restricted area of the park; the only way people get to see it is with special permission.” Flynn said, a glint in his eyes. “Hope you’re not afraid of ghosts.”
Tani knew that there was an Indian burial ground in the canyon, she like everyone else in the country had watched the story of hidden treasure and Indian bones unfold on the news a few years ago. “Are we going where I think we’re going?” She said, a trill running through her, a little piece of her father emerging from where it had been buried since his death.
“Have you ever seen an Indian burial ground?” Flynn asked, as they emerged into a clearing.
“No. But I’ve seen Egyptian tombs. Is it anything like that?” She asked, dismounting when Flynn did.
“You’ve been to Egypt?” Flynn hadn’t pictured Tani as the type to travel much.
Tani was instantly sorry that she’d let that slip out, but instead of skirting around the truth like she usually did, she said, “I grew up in Egypt.” Hoping that Flynn would be happy with that much information.
Flynn could sense the hesitation in her voice so he dropped the subject, “It’s nothing like that, although I guess they did find some valuable artifacts in the cave.” Flynn said, pointing to the side of the mountain where an opening was visible through the undergrowth. “But we can’t go into the cave, it’s off limits, apparently it very unstable.”
Tani looked at the side of the cliff where Flynn was pointing and could see what he meant. It looked like the entire mountain could collapse at any second. “If I remember right, that’s where they found the treasure.”
“Yep, a small fortune in gold coins and jewels. If we climb up that trail, we’ll be in the burial ground? You want to see it?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Tani said, thinking how excited her father would have been to see something like this.
When they got to the top of the rise, at first it only looked like a clearing in the forest, but as she studied it closer, she could see the slight mounds that must represent graves. Flynn took her hand and they wandered around the clearing as he explained how Paige Montgomery was systematically exploring the burial ground with radar and sonar technology. When they reached the farthest side of the clearing and several new graves, he explained that not only had they had to rebury several bodies, but that they had begun to allow additional burials there as well.
Tani was speechless at what lay before her and felt closer to her father than she had in years. He would have happily spent hours here imagining what it looked like years ago when it was in full use. A few tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks which she quickly wiped away, but not quickly enough because Flynn noticed.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, pulling her into his arms.
Tani’s first instinct was to pull away from Flynn and the intimacy he was creating, but instead she blurted out, “I miss my father. He would have loved this.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” Flynn said, rubbing her back.
Tani took a deep breath, she was sad that her father wasn’t here, but for the first time since his death she didn’t feel the guilt she always did, in fact she felt a kind of peace. “It’s okay, you didn’t know. I don’t talk about it much.”
“Do you want to talk about it now?” Flynn asked, tipping her chin up to look into her eyes.
Tani thought about that for a second, but knew that now was not the time. “It’s a long story and I don’t want to ruin the day. I’m okay.”
Flynn was overcome by such an intense need to protect Tani from whatever was haunting her, and it came as no surprise to him that there was something haunting her from the past. He’d guessed as much when she’d always diverted the conversation away from her family and childhood when he’d asked, but now he knew that her father was gone, he’d have to be happy with that much for now.
“Just remember that I’m here to listen if you ever need to talk.” He said, then pulled her into his arms again and held her there for a long time.
Tani stood wrapped in Flynn’s arms feeling comforted and safe for the first time in a long time. As much as she hated to admit it, she’d fallen for this strong, intelligent, caring man. A man she’d have to leave in only a few days, but in that moment, she understood that not only was she powerless to stop herself, she didn’t want to. Unlike most women her age, she’d only ever been with David, and she now understood that what she’d felt for David was nothing compared to what she felt for Flynn.
When Flynn pulled back and looked into her eyes, she couldn’t stop herself from raising up on her toes and giving him a quick kiss. But Flynn was clearly not content with a quick kiss, without the slightest hesitation, he lowered his mouth to hers in a searing kiss that left her breathless. His tongue exploring her mouth started a fire inside her that had only been simmering for the last few days, now it was a full-fledged blaze, igniting a storm of pleasure that went straight to her core.
His hand roaming over her body brought her back to where they were and she finally managed to pull away from him. “Flynn, we shouldn’t be doing this here. It’s disrespectful.” She said, squirming away from him when he tried to kiss her again.
“Well then let’s go somewhere where it’s not so disrespectful.” He finally said, scowling.
“I guess that would be up to you unless you want to go back to Honey Hills.” Tani said, grinning because she just couldn’t help herself, he looked like a little boy pouting when he couldn’t get his way.
“No way. I have a better idea.” Flynn said, grabbing her hand and dragging her back across the burial ground so fast she had a hard time keeping up.
When they got back to the horses, he pulled her into his arms again and kissed her until she had to pull away from him to breathe. He was panting too, but managed to say. “There’s another cave farther up the mountain.” Then he swung her up on Devil who was clearly ready for some more exercise.
It took them several hours to reach the cave, even with the fast pace Devil set for them. By the time Flynn pointed it out, the horses were tired and they were frozen, but the cave looked inviting, as if it was just waiting for them to get there. After they tethered the horses and gave them some of the feed they’d brought, Flynn helped her up to the cave and inside. The first thing she noticed was that it was considerably warmer in the cave, then as her eyes adjusted she saw that the cave was filled with supplies.
In the middle of the cave was a fire pit that would provide a fire big enough to keep the cave warm. There was a little kitchen set up along one side and a make-shift couch on the other. In the back of the cave, she could see bedding and what looked like a bed frame that could be filled with something soft. Amazed she looked at Flynn, who shrugged his shoulders and bent to light the fire that was already set in the pit.
“You never know what you’re going to find in the canyon. I stumbled across this cave the first summer I was here. The rule is that you’re never allowed to tell anyone where it is, if someone finds it on their own then they’re welcome to use it.” Flynn finally explained.
“It’s amazing.” Tani said, walking around the cave exploring. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”