Page 54 of Waiting for the Rancher
“Because he’s still trying to keep his word.”
Maybe that second kiss a few days ago had scared him, made him realize how difficult it would be to resist being together. Maybe that was also why he’d refused to let her live at High C Ranch and take care of him. He wanted to do the right thing and honor his friendship with Sterling.
She could respect Maverick’s integrity and his desire to remain true to Sterling. But what about her? What about what she wanted? Did it matter to him at all? At the very least, he could have discussed the situation with her and shared his conflict. Maybe they could have gone to Sterling together and tried to talk sense into him.
But Maverick had made up his mind that his friendship with Sterling was more important than her. And he’d left her without a single look back.
“This is all my fault, Hazel.” Sterling sat up and met her gaze, his eyes filled with regret. “I never should have told Maverick to stay away from you. It was unfair to both of you.”
“It doesn’t matter now.”
“Yes, it matters.” Sterling clambered to his feet and combed his fingers through his messy hair. “I’m going over to see Maverick tonight and make the matter right.”
“You can’t.”
“It’s the least I can do.” He started toward the door.
Panic bubbled up inside—a panic she didn’t understand, except that she knew she couldn’t let Sterling ride over to the High C Ranch and talk to Maverick. “No.” She shoved off the covers, ready to jump out of bed and physically stop Sterling if she had to. “Please, Sterling.”
He halted, one hand on the doorknob.
Had he heard the desperate plea in her tone? “I don’t want to be with a man who chooses his best friend over me.”
Sterling didn’t move, didn’t even turn around.
“I want a man who wants to be with me so badly he’ll defy everyone and everything so that he can have me. And clearly that’s not Maverick.”
Sterling shifted enough that she could see the haggardness in his handsome features. “I’ll talk to Mav, and he’ll see reason.”
“Please don’t.” The panic was still roiling through her stomach. “I especially don’t want a man who will only pursue me when he gets permission.”
“It’s more complicated than that. With everything that happened at the wedding, he was just trying to repair our friendship.”
She slipped off the bed, ready to tie Sterling up and hold him back if he persisted. “I’ve already made up my mind. I don’t want Maverick any longer.”
“Fine.” His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I won’t go. At least, not today.”
She dropped back to the bed, her legs suddenly weak. If only she could take away her desire for Maverick. But the truth was, she would probably always want him. The only thing she could do was stay away from him until she could convince her heart that he wasn’t the right man for her.
20
Hazel hadn’t come to work again.
From the way the sun was slanting through the high, open barn window, Maverick could tell that midmorning had come and gone. And that meant another day would pass without being near her. A total of six days.
He couldn’t remember ever going so long without seeing her in all the years he’d known her. And the plain truth was that he wasn’t sure he could make it through another day, maybe not even another hour, without her.
He gave Candy a final pat, then backed out of the stall and latched the gate behind the mare and foal. Even though he tired easily and still had to use the cane for balance, he’d pushed himself hard and was walking and riding again—at least short distances.
Even so, during the past week, he’d been restless and unable to focus long on anything. Especially yesterday and today. He hadn’t been able to eat or sleep or work well. He hadn’t even been able to think about much else except Hazel—wondering how she was getting along and what she was doing now that she wasn’t working with the mares.
She’d rarely skipped work over the years. Now to miss all week? He must have hurt her more than he’d realized when he left her.
He’d thought he was being noble by putting space between them and preventing temptation. He hadn’t wanted to keepkissing her and spending time with her and getting closer. Especially not after finally making things right with Sterling.
Sterling had not only rescued him from the river embankment but also brought him back to his house, placed him in his bed, and helped him through the first couple of rough days of recovery. In addition, he’d humbly apologized for how he’d reacted at the wedding and for so easily pushing aside their friendship.
With Sterling willing to be friends again, Maverick hadn’t wanted to jeopardize that in any way, including going back on his word to stay far away from Hazel. Except that every time Hazel had entered the bedroom, his attraction to her had flared so that he’d felt like he’d combust if he stayed another day with her sitting beside his bed when all he wanted to do was pull her into the bed with him.
