I laughed. “Fuck, no! But it just makes my decision so much easier. I was so worried I was about to hurt you. And here you’ve been cheating on me for ten months.”

Her lower lip jutted out and she stumbled on her words. “Wh…what decision?”

“I came here to break it off with you.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Why?” It must have all clicked in that brief moment our eyes locked. “It’s because of her isn’t it? You’ve never stopped loving her have you?”

I shook my head. “No, I never did. In a way, I guess that doesn’t make me any better than you.”

I turned and began walking out into the hallway. I felt her grab my arm.

“Wait, Walker. We can work this out. Maybe you could move to Austin and work for Daddy. I know we can work this out.”

I pushed her off of me. “No. I don’t love you, Jessica. I thought I did, but I realize now that I never loved you. I settled for you.”

Her jaw dropped and she went to slap me but I stepped back. Mitchell was standing in the doorway, watching. I turned to him and said, “Good luck dude, you’re gonna need it.”

As I made my way out of the house, I tossed the spare key on the table by the front door. It felt like the weight of a hundred elephants had been lifted from my shoulders.

On my drive back to Llano, I tried to figure out what to do next. I wasn’t sure if I should tell Liza I loved her or not. I wasn’t sure what she’d do about Keith. I knew she didn’t love him enough to leave her family. I knew that, deep in her heart, there were so many reasons she wanted to stay in Llano. I prayed to God I was one of those reasons.

A MONTH HAD passed since I’d talked to Walker. I’d seen him plenty of times, but he didn’t know I was there. It was a bit pathetic on my part, really—sneaking around to get a glimpse of him. My father kept asking me if I’d talked to Walker about my true feelings. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I knew he was with Jessica. And I had Keith.

Leaning against the barn stall, I sighed. Keith hadn’t texted or called in almost a week. I wasn’t worried but, then again, I was. I knew he’d be back next week, and I’d have to give him an answer. I wasn’t ready. I needed more time to think. To understand my feelings. I stood up and walked back to the tack room. What I needed was a ride.

I WAS WALKING Tiny out of the barn when I stopped suddenly. Walker was headed straight for me. Shit. Shit. Shit. I turned Tiny and began walking him the opposite way.

“Liza!”

“No,” I said under my breath as I walked faster. “I’m not ready to see you.”

“Liza!” Walker called out. He whistled and Tiny stopped on a dime, about pulling my arm out of its socket. “Traitor,” I whispered as Tiny jerked his head.

Walker ran up. “Hey! Long time, no see.”

I smiled politely and nodded. “I was about to go for a ride, so…”

“Want some company?”

I stepped back and said, “No.” What I wanted to tell him was that I couldn’t think straight when I was around him.

His eyes filled with hurt. “Oh, um, okay. We just haven’t seen each other and—”

“I can’t…I can’t keep doing this.”

His eyes became something I’d never seen before. “Doing what?”

I pointed to the space between us. “This. Us, I mean. Keith deserves more than this. I’m…I’m…well, I’m going to be moving to Dallas with him.”

I watched as Walker’s face dropped. “Why?”

I laughed. “Why? Well, because we’re going to get married. Maybe. And that’s what couples do. I need you stay away because when we’re together I...”

I watched as the muscles in his neck flexed. He took a step closer to me, making me take a step back, smacking into Tiny’s side.

“I need to stay away from you…why?”

I swallowed hard. “You know why.” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

Walker took another step toward me. “No, Liza, I don’t know why.”

He was inches away and I could feel the heat between us. “I can’t do this, Walker. Please don’t make me do this.”

“Do what, Liza?”

“Walk away from us again.”

He took another step closer and put his lips to my ear. “Don’t walk away, then. Stay.”

Stay.

I closed my eyes and put my hands on his chest. His warmth raced through my body.

“Walker, I—”

The moment his lips smashed against mine, something happened. I lost all sense of reality and let my heart take the lead. My hands moved up and around his neck. He lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around him as our tongues explored each other. It had been forever since I’d been kissed like this—since the last time Walker kissed me.

“Oh, God,” I whispered as we broke for air.

My hands were in his hair as I pulled him to my lips. Walker walked us to the barn and into an empty stall. He pushed me up against the wood and the pain both excited and scared me. He reached a side of me that I didn’t understand. He slipped his hand into my shirt, pushing up my bra. He twisted and pulled my nipple as I moaned into his mouth.

“Liza, I need you,” Walker whispered behind my ear. “Please, stay.”

The engagement ring caught my eye. Oh. God. What was I doing?

Walker set me down and began pushing his hand into my riding pants. Stop this Liza. Keith. Think about Keith.

But maybe I could have just one touch. I only needed one touch to sooth the ache.

His hand slipped into my panties and I let out whimper. I needed him to touch me just once more. His fingers moved across my sensitive skin until they finally found where I needed relief. I lifted my leg as Walker pushed two fingers inside of me and let out a moan. Then he stopped. He pulled his hand out and took a step back. I shook my head.

“Wait…what are you doing? Don’t stop!” I said.

“I need to know what you’re going to do, Liza, before we continue this.”

My head was spinning and I longed for his touch. My head slowly started to take control back from my heart.

I reached under my shirt and adjusted my bra. “This is what I mean. I lose all control when you’re around. I can’t tell you no.” I pushed him.

He was stunned. “What are you saying, Liza?”

I felt tears building in my eyes. “I’ve made a promise to someone, Walker. I’m wearing the ring he gave me.”