Rox, you’re toast.” Ingrid buckled her seatbelt.

“I admit that didn’t go as planned.” Roxanne started her truck and drove out of the GG’s parking lot.

“No kidding. You were ready to climb over the bar and tackle him.”

“It’s partly that black logo shirt. I wish he’d worn something else. He must have washed it first thing this morning so he could wear it again tonight. I didn’t expect that.”

“The shirt is powerful medicine. I’m not even hot for the guy and I felt a twist in my knickers when I saw him wearing it. He fills it out real nice.”

“Yeah.” Roxanne sighed.

“Brakes, girl, brakes. Light’s red.”

“Oh. Thanks.” She jammed her foot down on the pedal. The intersection was deserted but running red lights wasn’t her thing any more than having sex on a first date.

“So Plan A was a bust. Got a Plan B?”

“I do. My work.” The light changed and she stepped on the gas. “I’ll throw myself totally into the current project. I didn’t get much done today because I was thinking about Michael. That put me behind. Tomorrow I’ll be motivated like you wouldn’t believe. I might even knock out some of it tonight.”

“I suppose that could do the trick. You’d know better than me.”

“It’s the answer. When I’m invested, I can lose myself in a project.”

“I know that’s true. Sometimes you forget to eat.”

“Exactly! It’s logical that I’ll be able to ignore other physical urges.”

“Maybe you can, at that. You’re probably more disciplined than I am.” She pulled out her phone. “I sneaked a picture of Michael when he wasn’t looking. I want to show Abigail what you’re up against. Or not up against, if you win this battle with yourself.”

“He does look good in that shirt. If I hadn’t created the logo, that shirt wouldn’t exist. I sort of did this to myself.”

“And contributed to a great marketing scheme for the GG. You can’t regret that.”

“No, of course not. I’m glad the shirts exist. I’m glad he looks so damned good in one because that will be great for business. If it creates a personal challenge for me, so be it.” She pulled into her parking spot behind the bakery.

“I can text you the picture I took if you want to have one.”

“Thanks, but I already have some from yesterday. We took a bunch for potential use on the website.” She’d forgotten about the pictures until now. She didn’t need to be looking at them. One more temptation to resist. She should send the good ones to Michael and delete them all from her phone.

She turned off the motor and flopped back against the headrest. “Thanks for leaving with me.”

“It was the right thing to do. But I’m glad I got to taste that drink. It was yummy.”

“It looked good.” She sighed. “You know what? If I hadn’t invited him upstairs last night, you and I could have had a great time at the bar and he wouldn’t have been flustered. The mood would have been fun and flirty.”

“At the risk of irritating you with another cliché, you’re crying over spilled milk.”

She groaned. “I know. My dad would tell me the same thing. I just hate that I’ve messed up what could have been special.”

“What if you didn’t mess it up? Why assume that?”

She turned her head to look at Ingrid. “Don’t you see? Now we’re obsessed with each other. We can’t build a solid relationship when all we can think about is getting naked. I jumped the gun and now we’re both paying for it.”

“Maybe losing yourself in your work will be the answer. As for Michael, if he’s like most men, he won’t obsess for long. Guys usually don’t brood about things the way we do.”

“I sincerely hope you’re right. Otherwise what could have been a great relationship is doomed.”

* * *

Michael regretted the impulse that had made him schedule a Sunday morning riding lesson with Kendra. Usually he chose weekday mornings, but he’d made the appointment yesterday after leaving Roxanne. Physical exercise was usually a great distraction. Then she’d shown up at the bar.

He might have been plagued with erotic dreams of her anyway, given the circumstances. But her sudden appearance at the GG guaranteed she’d prance around in his subconscious the whole damned night. He woke up cranky and frustrated. Not a good mindset for a riding lesson.

Too late to cancel it, so he grabbed some coffee and drove out to Wild Creek Ranch. The overcast sky suited his mood. What had she been up to, waltzing into the bar like that? Did she believe that BS about desensitizing herself?

If that had been the plan, it hadn’t worked for her or she wouldn’t have lit out of there so fast. Or left the one-word apology on a napkin. It sure hadn’t worked for him. He’d been worse off than before.

When he pulled up near the barn, Luke and Abigail were saddling up for a ride. Kendra was there, too, loving on Delilah, Luke’s border collie.

Normally seeing them all gathered here would be a happy occasion, a chance to say hello, pet the adorable doggie and exchange news. But Abigail was good friends with Roxanne. No telling how much she knew about the turn of events.

No help for it. He climbed down from his truck and dredged up a smile. “Hey, guys! Great day for a ride, huh?”

“Sure is.” Luke came over, hand outstretched, Delilah prancing by his side. “Kendra said you were coming over for a lesson. Glad we were still here.”

Michael shook his hand. “Me, too.” It wasn’t a lie. He liked them both. But the deal with Roxanne added an awkward note that hadn’t been there before.

“Congrats on those shirts, buddy. Excellent business decision.”

“Thanks. Seems to be working out great.” He crouched down to pet Delilah. “Hey, pup! Haven’t seen you in a while.” He fingered the red heart-shaped dog tag with her name on it. “Nice jewelry you’ve got, there, girl.”

“Abby bought it for her.” The warmth in Luke’s voice left no doubt that he was head-over-heels for his lady love.

Abigail was all smiles as she walked over with Kendra, but then, that was her nature. “Hey, Michael! Those logo shirts are brilliant.”

He stood. “Thank you. Once Roxanne created that cute bear image, the shirts were a logical next step.”

“I love that bear. She’s a talented woman.”

He nodded. “Very.” Maddening, but incredibly talented.

“All the Whine and Cheese ladies are dying to have a shirt,” Kendra said. “I told them I’d handle the ordering. I was going to ask Bryce but then decided not to. He was really busy getting ready for Jackson Hole.”

“I’ll take care of it. Just text me the sizes. I padded the order I sent out yesterday, anticipating more sales, so I might be able to give them to you next week.”

“Thanks! They’ll be excited.”

Luke glanced at Michael. “Knowing you, you’ll put up an order link on the GG site.”

“That’s the plan. Then we can direct customers there. I should have the page set up sometime Monday. Would you have time to look it over, see if it’s eye-catching?”

“I was about to offer.”

“Great. Listen, have a good ride. See you soon.”

“You bet.” Luke gave him a wave and took Abigail’s hand as they started back toward the horses with Delilah trotting along beside them.

“Nice to see you, Michael!” Abigail called over her shoulder. “I wish you the best on this project.”

“Thanks!” He turned to Kendra. “Ready to saddle up?”

“Absolutely. What do you want to work on today?”

“Think the ground’s dry enough to canter the horses?”

“Feeling the need for speed?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Jake would probably like that, too.” She started toward the barn. “Are you doing okay?”

“Sure, why?”

“Your face looks a little pinched, especially around your eyes. I just wondered if you’re feeling the responsibility of Bryce being out of town.”

“No, that part’s going well.” He winced. You didn’t use phrases like that part with a perceptive woman like Kendra.

“Are you worried about the initial outlay for the shirts?”

“No, ma’am. We’ll make money, no problem.”

“Maybe I’m imagining things, then.”

“I appreciate you thinking about me.” She was nothing like his urban professional mom, except sometimes her loving concern reminded him of his mom. Made him a little homesick.

“Have you considered doing a special promo, like any customer who comes in wearing one gets a benefit of some kind?”

“That could work. Maybe once a week on a typically slow day, like T-shirt Tuesday. Wear your shirt for Happy Hour and get ten percent off your bill.”

“Exactly.”

“I’ll run it past Bryce.” He followed her into the barn and took the lead rope she handed him. “I’ve been meaning to thank you, by the way.”

“For what?”

“You get the credit for sending Roxanne and her dad into the GG last month. That was the first time I’d met her.”

“No kidding? I didn’t know that.”

“When I found out she was a graphic designer, I asked her to come up with a logo.”

“Well, how lucky is that? I had no idea. I just happened to be in there that day when her dad arrived. He seemed like a nice guy.”

“I thought so, too.” Although he’d been so focused on Roxanne he hadn’t paid much attention to her father. “Did you know she has three older brothers?”

“Hadn’t heard that, either.” She gazed at him. “Are you two becoming friends?”

“You could say that.” Damn. Heat climbed up from his collar. The barn wasn’t dim enough to hide the fact, either.

She smiled. “How nice for both of you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He hoped to God it would be. Eventually.