Page 33 of A Cowboy Takes A Chance

“Don’t you? Isn’t it obvious?” He stepped back from her, and she could feel him distancing himself from her.

“Yes. You have made it clear, and I’m a fool for agreeing to it, but…I care for you.”

“Don’t,” he snarled.

Presley clenched her teeth. “Fine. I’m done. I just can’t do this.”

“And I can’t do more.”

She was doing her best not to shout at him when just minutes ago they were holding each other.

“Then, why bother?” Clenching her fists so she wouldn’t hit him, she stared at his handsome face. “Whether you want to admit it or not, you need to move on. I didn’t know your wife—”

“You’re damn right you didn’t.” He stared at her for a minute, then spun away from her. “Get dressed. I’ll walk you back to your cabin.”

“I don’t need you—”

“And I sure as hell don’t need you,” he said as he left the room.

More tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched his retreating back. He worried about breaking her heart. He already had.

Chapter Nine

Jaxon stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, and winced when the front door slammed. Clenching his jaw, he flattened his lips.You should have known better than to get involved with her!

“Yeah, we’ve already established I’m an idiot,” he muttered. “Damn it.”

Pushing away from the counter, he strode angrily down the hallway to the bedroom, stripped, opened the patio doors, and dove into the pool. He started doing laps to take his mind off her. With each lap, she was there in his head. Under him. Above him. Screaming his name when her orgasm hit her. Her legs tightening around him as he could feel her clenching around his dick when she came.

Stopping at one end, he rested his arms on the top of the pool and put his head down on them. Son of a bitch. She didn’t understand how much he had loved Bethany. It didn’t matter that she told him to find someone new, she was the love of his life. How was it possible to want Presley so much?

“Christ, you’re an idiot.” Shaking his head to dispel the water, he put his hands on the top of the pool and hoisted himself out and walked back to the patio doors then entered the bedroom. Walking into the bathroom, he turned the shower on, then as the room filled with steam, he stepped into the stall.

After scrubbing the chlorine from his hair and skin, he stepped out of the stall and dried off then headed to bed. Crawling between the sheets, he closed his eyes wishing Presley was still here with him. After tossing and turning, he finally fell asleep…

“Bethany, hang on, baby. They’re coming,” he said as he pushed her hair out of her face.

“Jaxon? What happened?”

“A car hit us head-on then we slammed into a tree. It’s all right. Don’t talk. Save your strength. Please hold on,” he begged her.

When she reached her hand out to him, he took it in his and held it to his cheek. Tears rolled down his face.

“I love you, Jaxon,” she whispered.

“I love you too. Hold on. The ambulance is here.”

“Don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere, baby.” He clutched her hand like a lifeline.

“Sir, we need to get you out,” a paramedic said.

“No! Get her out first,” Jaxon yelled.

The paramedic moved around the car to the passenger side and Jaxon watched as he worked on Bethany. He checked her over and unbuckled her seatbelt, but her legs were pinned under the seat, and he looked at Jaxon.

“It’s going to take a few of us to get her out, so I’m afraid you’ll have to let go of her hand. We’ll have to get you out now, and we have to use the Jaws of Life for her. She hit her head on the side window pretty hard.” He waved to the men to come over and help him.

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