How long would she hurt; how long would it be before she stopped loving the man who’d broken her heart?
Bean nudged her again, demanding her attention.
“Sorry, baby.” Rubbing the mare’s head, she contemplated the foal. She’d need a strong name, something that would resonate on the rodeo circuit. Kenzie grinned. “Baby, you just got named. Lyssa Bean’s Domino Effect.”
“I like it.”
Kenzie physically jumped even as her heart stalled.
Startled, Bean moved between the stranger and her baby, laying her ears back and flicking her tail in agitation.
“Kenzie, please. At least face me.”
That voice. Heaven save me, thatvoice.
She shook her head.
Strong but gentle hands rested on her shoulders and encouraged her toward him anyway.
Her shoulders twitched.
His grip tightened.
She drew as deep a breath as her leaden lungs would hold and forced herself to meet the gaze of the man who’d broken her heart.
Tyson Covington.
He ran a hand down her arm and wrapped his fingers around hers. “I need to talk to you.”
“I, uh...” She cleared her throat, furious at herself for being so soft. “No.” She pulled her hand free and sidestepped him, heading for the safety of the office—and her father. “You were pretty clear, Tyson. I got it—get it. There’s nothing left to say.”
He caught up and stepped in front of her. “Yeah, actually there is.”
She tried to step around him again but he kept darting in front of her until she finally stopped, glaring at him. “Get out of my way. Or better yet, why don’t you try this on for size. It should be familiar enough. Get off my ranch.”
He winced.
The urge to comfort him made her want to scream. Shoving past him, she focused on her dad’s office door and picked up the pace, certain Ty wouldn’t dare move fast enough to catch her. He’d be too worried about reinjury.
That was the only excuse she had for squealing when his hot hand gripped her biceps and pulled her around to face him.
“Stop running.” The command was harsh and low.
“Oh, that’s rich coming from you,” she snapped, pulling free of his grasp. “You, who holds the record for the fastest bed-to-door sprint in the history of lovers worldwide. Go on, Tyson. Show me how it’s done.”
“In case you missed it, Malone, I rantoyou, not away.”
Her retort stalled, tripping off the end of her tongue in something that sounded suspiciously like “Whumah-ah-ah.”
“I have no idea what that means, but I’m going to interpret it as, ‘Go ahead, Ty. You have my undivided attention.’” He pulled an envelope from his back pocket and used it to gesture to a short stack of straw bales. “Have a seat. There are a few things I need to say to you.”
She sat, not because he ordered her to but because her legs simply gave out.
He dragged a hand down his face. “Thanks.”
If she hadn’t been so hyperfocused on the surreal moment, she wouldn’t have seen the way his hands shook. But she did. Part of her softened toward him at the sight, and she hated herself a little more.
He suddenly broke away from her, then surprised her by walking back and thrusting the envelope at her. “My stamina sucks so I’m on a bit of a timetable here. I had this whole speech worked out, knew exactly what I was going to say, but it never comes out that way, does it? I think it would be easiest to let the paperwork speak for itself.”