P ip forced herself not to panic. It was just dancing. And the guy holding her wasn’t some scary drunk .

It wasn't like dancing with Matt. The men were close to the same size; Matt was a little bigger, a little tougher. A little stronger .

This man's hands didn't burn her through her clothes, like Matt’s had. She wasn't intensely aware of how he was breathing against her .

No, all she could think about was ending the dance, and putting space between them. He hadn't done anything to threaten her. His hands weren’t too tight, he wasn't brushing too close against her, and there was plenty of room between them .

But he wasn't Matt .

Dancing with Matt had been entirely different. She'd actually enjoyed that. Had wanted to cuddle up against that broad chest and just let the music float around them .

She knew that was ridiculous. She and Matt were just friends, and even if she was willing to get involved with someone, it was highly unlikely that he would be involved with her .

But then again, he had held her hand. Ask her specifically to ride with him. Sat next to her at Jasper's. It had been her that he had danced with, no one else. He'd ask for the first dance, and she'd given it to him. But at least three other dances had played since then. And until five minutes ago, Matt hadn't left her side once. What did that mean? Or did it mean anything at all ?

She was so consumed with thoughts of Matt that she missed what the man holding her had asked. " Excuse me ?"

"I said, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow evening ?"

Pip almost stumbled in the dance. She looked into the man's brown eyes .

He meant it .

Why? Did he think by going through her he could convince Perci to do whatever it was he wanted? He wouldn't be the first man to try. Or even the second. Or third .

No, the third man to try that had been Jay Gunderson, hadn't it? That had a chill running down her back. Pip forced herself to remain calm .

"Why?" Honesty and directness was the Tyler way. Better than wasting someone's time. "What do you want from me ?"

"Besides an evening with a beautiful woman ?"

Now she knew he wanted something from her. There was a woman who looked just like her walking around not that far away. One who had had his attention first .

This man wanted something. From her .

Did he think she was the easiest mark, or something? She was tired of people thinking that. "I don't like to be charmed, or manipulated, Mr. Bowles. None of us Tylers do. You'll find there's a lot of Tylers in this county. And we talk ."

"I'm not lying. You have to know that you're beautiful. And there's something about your eyes that are very intriguing." He smiled, an expression that had no doubt won him tons of feminine attention in Hollywood, or wherever else it was he came from. “Have you ever considered being an actress ?"

"No. I haven't. I'm a rancher, Mr. Bowles, that's the only thing I've ever considered. Why do you ask ?"

"What if I told you I have a character in my upcoming film that you would be perfect for ."

"I’d tell you I thought you were crazy." She didn't know where the confidence was coming from, but she wasn't going to take any of this man's lines. She knew that was exactly what he was doing—feeding her lines. "I've been in one play my entire life. I'm not interested in repeating that experience for millions of people to watch ."

The dance started to end and she pulled away. Pip immediately looked for Matt, and found him clear across the room. How had they ended up there ?

Rowland Bowles was good, very good. But there was a tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed man watching her. Waiting for her .

It was Matt Pip wanted to be with .

And not just because of safety .

But because of him. He drew her, didn’t he? It was why she always looked for him when with the Mastersons. Why hadn’t she realized that before ?

As she stepped away from Bowles, Matt stepped toward her. And kept coming .

Was he rescuing her? Protecting her for some reason? Had his brother asked him to? She had no doubt that Phoebe had told Joel what had happened to her years ago. They had certainly discussed the former sheriff, Clive Gunderson. Maybe that was it; maybe Joel had asked Matt to keep an eye on her tonight ?

Like a babysitter .

Pip was tired of being the vulnerable one. Wasn't it time that she learned to take care of herself, even in a crowd? Normal women, twenty-three-year-old women, did not cower because of one bad experience .

She was a Tyler, and Tylers just dealt. It was time she learned to deal .

Pip stepped away from Bowles, and turned from the man intent on rescuing her. It was time she made a decision for herself, wasn’t it? To do that, she needed time to think .