Once with a Cowboy: Loving Day Collection (One Night Only Book 1) by Selena Illyria Page A
Authors: Selena Illyria
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stomach. Please let this day get better after she leaves. With a sigh, he headed to the door, unlocked it and threw it open, a smile on his face. “Aunt Patsy!”
Aunt Patsy’s coral red painted lips curved into a shining smile. “Tyler, Tess told me that you were at the ranch this weekend with your new girlfriend. Child, put on a shirt. This is no way to greet your favorite aunt.”
She brushed past him into the foyer, head swiveling this way and that, gaze roving over the empty living room and sitting room.
“Where is she? I brought some biscuits, fresh from the oven and thought I’d make you both breakfast while I get to know her.”
Before his aunt got the bright idea of searching the house for Nessa, he decided to head her off at the pass. “I’ll go get her. Why don’t you go on into the kitchen and get started? We can’t wait to have breakfast with you.” The lie came out rushed, but if his aunt noticed she didn’t say anything. Instead, she shuffled on her way, taking in every piece of furniture.
“You should really get a new decorator, dear, everything looks so generic,” she sniffled.
Ty rolled his eyes. “I’ll think about it, Aunty Patsy.”
“Good, maybe I could do it. You should also think about opening this place up, make it a bed and breakfast. My friend…”
Her voice trailed off as he tiptoed upstairs and back into the room to find Vanessa dressing, her phone on the nightstand. She glanced up at him, her features unemotional, guarded. His heart stuttered as he took in that look. It was the same one she’d worn when she’d applied for the job at his bar. She’d been so low, hesitant, like a person who'd been brought down and feared never seeing the light again. His heart had ached at the sight. When Candi had asked him for a favor; to interview her friend for the bartender gig—even though her friend had no experience—he’d done it because he remembered what it was like to have someone take a chance on him when he'd been at his lowest point. When she’d walked through the door, looking so nervous and downtrodden he’d wanted to protect her, lift her up and worship her, all at first glance. After the interview, he’d wanted to fuck her sideways. Despite their chemistry she’d kept a wall between them, keeping things both friendly and sexy but making no further commitment to a relationship. He’d accepted it to give her time to recover from what life had handed before she’d entered his world.
Without a word he went to her, enfolded her in his arms. She hugged him back, holding onto him as if she were gripping the edge of a cliff, expecting to slip off at any moment. “Whatever is going on, I’m here for you and whatever you need is yours. I’m here for you.”
She let out a sob that racked her body but he felt no moisture on his shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered. She sniffed and stepped back far too soon for his liking and continued to dress. “Who was at the door?”
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, ripping his heart up into little pieces. Below them he could hear Aunt Patsy banging around the kitchen. Each clang and thud reminded him that he’d have to deal with whatever was going on later. He cursed his nosy relative and kissed Nessa on the tip of her nose. “We’ll talk later. My Aunt Patsy is here to make us breakfast. She’s on a health kick to lose weight, and her version of healthy is light on flavor. I promise, once she’s gone to make you a proper breakfast but for now just smile and nod. In the meantime you can watch me dress or allow yourself to be used like a pump handle by my aunt.”
He waited for her to turn, rush
Aunt Patsy’s coral red painted lips curved into a shining smile. “Tyler, Tess told me that you were at the ranch this weekend with your new girlfriend. Child, put on a shirt. This is no way to greet your favorite aunt.”
She brushed past him into the foyer, head swiveling this way and that, gaze roving over the empty living room and sitting room.
“Where is she? I brought some biscuits, fresh from the oven and thought I’d make you both breakfast while I get to know her.”
Before his aunt got the bright idea of searching the house for Nessa, he decided to head her off at the pass. “I’ll go get her. Why don’t you go on into the kitchen and get started? We can’t wait to have breakfast with you.” The lie came out rushed, but if his aunt noticed she didn’t say anything. Instead, she shuffled on her way, taking in every piece of furniture.
“You should really get a new decorator, dear, everything looks so generic,” she sniffled.
Ty rolled his eyes. “I’ll think about it, Aunty Patsy.”
“Good, maybe I could do it. You should also think about opening this place up, make it a bed and breakfast. My friend…”
Her voice trailed off as he tiptoed upstairs and back into the room to find Vanessa dressing, her phone on the nightstand. She glanced up at him, her features unemotional, guarded. His heart stuttered as he took in that look. It was the same one she’d worn when she’d applied for the job at his bar. She’d been so low, hesitant, like a person who'd been brought down and feared never seeing the light again. His heart had ached at the sight. When Candi had asked him for a favor; to interview her friend for the bartender gig—even though her friend had no experience—he’d done it because he remembered what it was like to have someone take a chance on him when he'd been at his lowest point. When she’d walked through the door, looking so nervous and downtrodden he’d wanted to protect her, lift her up and worship her, all at first glance. After the interview, he’d wanted to fuck her sideways. Despite their chemistry she’d kept a wall between them, keeping things both friendly and sexy but making no further commitment to a relationship. He’d accepted it to give her time to recover from what life had handed before she’d entered his world.
Without a word he went to her, enfolded her in his arms. She hugged him back, holding onto him as if she were gripping the edge of a cliff, expecting to slip off at any moment. “Whatever is going on, I’m here for you and whatever you need is yours. I’m here for you.”
She let out a sob that racked her body but he felt no moisture on his shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered. She sniffed and stepped back far too soon for his liking and continued to dress. “Who was at the door?”
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, ripping his heart up into little pieces. Below them he could hear Aunt Patsy banging around the kitchen. Each clang and thud reminded him that he’d have to deal with whatever was going on later. He cursed his nosy relative and kissed Nessa on the tip of her nose. “We’ll talk later. My Aunt Patsy is here to make us breakfast. She’s on a health kick to lose weight, and her version of healthy is light on flavor. I promise, once she’s gone to make you a proper breakfast but for now just smile and nod. In the meantime you can watch me dress or allow yourself to be used like a pump handle by my aunt.”
He waited for her to turn, rush
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