Chapter 33

Zach watched Maddie walk back up to the house, then reached for his jacket and snapped it closed. He couldn't believe how the temperature kept dropping. At this rate they'd have snow by nightfall, almost unheard of in the Hill Country. He'd best make sure everything in the barn and stable was buttoned up tight and that the heat was properly set in the calving barn.
He'd sent three of the hands out riding the fence line, checking for strays just in case and making sure there weren't any breaks in the wiring. There was plenty of hay in all the buildings and they'd just picked up the new order of feed. As soon as the two men he had out checking the cattle in the winter pasture came back he'd set them to making sure all the stalls had plenty of hay in them.
The other important thing he wanted to check was the backup generator. Just in case the temperature took a nose dive, he didn't want anyone freezing to death, people or animals.
While he worked he replayed every moment of the scene with Maddie in his mind. God, she was more beautiful than ever and it seemed all she had to do was look at him and his cock hardened like an oak tree. He smiled as he remembered the feel of that cock in her tight little pussy, inner muscles gripping like a vise, his flesh bathed in her liquid heat. And her mouth. Oh, God, like the sweetest candy. Lips like fine velvet. He wanted to feel them wrapped around his shaft, sucking on him, licking and drawing his essence from him.
Ty had told him Liza and Maddie were coming home for Christmas. Their last one together at the ranch. Buying the Flying W and hanging onto it had been more than the realization of a dream. It meant one last chance to hold onto a piece of what he and Maddie had so long ago. A place to bury his damaged heart.
Maybe he should have given her an explanation instead of hurting her the way he did but they needed a clean break. He knew Maddie. She'd latch onto the situation like a barnacle and give up her own dreams to help him. And that just wasn't going to happen.
Now her visit to the cabin had him second guessing himself. He'd hoped for a chance to talk to her. Maybe at least put aside the hard feelings she had. The last thing he'd expected was what happened this morning.
But maybe it was a sign. Tonight he'd lay all his cards on the table and hope for the biggest Christmas present of all.
* * * * *
By late afternoon Maddie had changed her mind about the meeting with Zach so many times it felt like it was in the spin cycle on the washer. She couldn't believe what she'd done, falling into bed with him the way she had. And of course loving every minute of it.
If the sex between them had been good ten years ago, it was off the charts now. What they had this morning was a maturing of their younger years. Something deeper. And something that scared the living hell out of her.
She wanted to be angry with him, as angry as she'd been for every one of these past ten years. She wanted to call him all the names she'd thought up on the nights she couldn't sleep, tell him how badly he'd hurt her and ask him why. But Liza had managed to hit her common sense button, so her full intent when she'd left the house was to confront him like a reasonable adult, tell him how he felt and see if they could work out something where the Flying W was concerned.
The last thing she'd expected was to wind up stark naked in his bed having the hottest sex she could imagine.
And dying for more!
Now she'd agreed to have dinner with him tonight. Even invited him up to the house. And that could be a good or bad thing. She'd be smart not to leave herself alone with him. But every time she picked up the phone to call down to him something stopped her. Almost as if an invisible hand clamped over hers. And then invisible arms picked her up and shook her so her brains rattled and she couldn't find a sensible thought.
Liza was still in town, having called to say she had some things to do. Jenna had mentioned taking some pictures of the area, maybe making one last photo album for them to have as a keepsake. She'd gulped down a glass of juice and run out the door saying she'd be back later. She had errands to run.
Yeah, Maddie wanted to say. Mitch type errands.
But that was a very sore subject with Jenna so she kept her mouth shut.
But that left her alone in the house with not much to do and too much time on her hands.
She cleaned the kitchen even though it wasn't dirty. Lugged in more wood for the fireplace. Brought in everything from her car and put it away in her room. Finally she did what she always did when she was restless and unsettled. She baked. Sugar cookies covered with red and green Christmas sprinkles that she'd picked up from the store.
She was munching on one from the last batch, drinking coffee and pouring over her old cookbook, looking for inspiration for dinner, when Liza breezed into the house, Jenna behind her.
And breezed was definitely the word for it. Liza looked as if a gust of wind had picked her up and tossed her down the road from Melbourne. Her hair usually so carefully arranged was flying loose about her face, every smidgen of makeup she'd applied so carefully was gone and when she took off her jacket she looked as if she'd dressed in the dark.
Maddie burst out laughing. "Your sweater's on backwards," she pointed out, gesturing with a half-eaten cookie.
Liza's already rosy face flushed an even darker red. Averting her gaze from Maddie's, she pulled her arms out of the sleeves and rotated the sweater.
"So I guess you had a good meeting with Ty," Maddie teased.
Liza poured coffee into a mug and scooped up a handful of cookies before sitting down at the table. "Yeah, you could say that." And then she blushed again.
"Liza Lou Woodward. You did it, didn't you?"
Liza glanced up at her sister. "Did what?"
"Made mad passionate love with the man you swore you'd never even kiss again."
Liza chuckled self-consciously. "Yeah, I guess I did." Then she looked up, her eyes flashing, "and mad passionate doesn't even begin to describe it."
Maddie reach out a hand and squeezed Liza's arm. "Maybe it's time you stopped running from the man, sweetie."
Liza shoved her fingers through her hair. "Oh, Maddie. He turns my life upside down. My life isn't here. It's in Dallas. With the law firm where I just made partner."
"And George or whatever his name is just dumped you because of it."
"Don't remind me," she groaned.
"I got some great shots," Jenna enthused. "I can hardly wait to print them out." She stopped where she was and looked at Liza. "You doing okay, big sis?"
Liza just nodded. "Thanks for listening to me before." She looked at Maddie. "We hit the steps at the same time. I guess I should tell you the awful truth too."
Little by little she repeated the painful story of why she'd run away from Ty all those years ago. Of showing up at his room and Solange Whatshername opening the door in her bra. Of leaving without giving Ty a chance to explain and burying herself in her career after that.
Jenna cocked an eyebrow at her. "And you're going back tonight?"
"Yup. Just call me a glutton for punishment. But I'm not as naïve as I used to be. And I have goals, now. And plans."
"Uh-huh," Maddie said. "I don't suppose y'all got any business done, did you? Like about the ranch."
Liza looked down at her coffee. "I told him to finish the probate on the will and the three of us will figure out what to do about the Flying W. Meanwhile the sale is on hold."
Maggie let out a long sigh. "I guess I'll just have to lay it on the table for Zach tonight."
Both sisters looked at her. "Tonight?" they asked in unison.
Now it was Maddie's turn to blush and she felt the heat creeping up her face. "He's, ah, coming up here for dinner tonight."
"Oh, goodie," Jenna's face had an impish grin. "Liza's taken care of but I'll be happy to join the two of you."
"Oh." Maddie stared at her sister. "Well, sure. Okay. That would be nice." She picked up another cookie. "Fun, even."
Jenna burst out laughing. "No, honey, it would be neither nice nor fun. I think it's time you and Zach had some face time and not with anyone else around."
Maddie felt her blush deepened and Jenna laughed again, pointing at her. "You already had time, didn't you. 'Fess up, big sister. You've already been down to see Zach."
"Oh my lord." Liza rested her head in her hands. "There's no hope for any of us." She looked up at Jenna. "And what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Nothing." Jenna grabbed two more cookies and fled the kitchen. "I think I'll go into town for dinner," she called over her shoulder. "Try not to miss me."
"Very funny," Maddie muttered under her breath.
"I need to get dressed too." Liza popped the last of her cookie in her mouth and took her mug to the sink. "And Maddie?"
"Yes?" Maddie looked up from the cookbook.
"You make him explain to you what happened. And tell him we plan to fight him for the ranch."
Maddie jumped up and gave her sister a tight hug.
"I love you. Both of you." Sniffing, she pushed Liza away. "Now go get ready for your own big evening."