Yellowstone: Love and Cowboys

Temptation

"No, I'm not divorcing my wife, not even thinking about it." Bill looked at her, as if he was surprised by her remark, but did not remove his hand.

"Then why did you say that about Travis," she said and pulled away from him, it was the only thing she could think of to say. "I don't want anyone to see us together, Bill."

"You mean you're afraid Travis will find out what happened—don't be. Come on, come have a drink with me."

"You know I can't, those days are over. I came back to the hotel because I was tired, not to have a drink with you or anyone. What if he left the bar early and saw me with you?"

"It's just a drink. Are you going to let him control you, Coralee, you don't strike me as a girl who'd put up with that." He smiled at her, the man was too good-looking and it made her uncomfortable.

"He knows better," she said but inwardly doubted her words, "He controls the business and takes care of me, but that's not the same." I've got to get out of here, she was thinking, and she didn't like the skeptical look on Bill's face. She did not want to remember how his hands felt when he touched her.

"I've got to go now," she said out loud, "All I want right now is to go to sleep." She turned and left him, not daring to turn around because she didn't want to see the look on his face. If she could have run into the Holiday Inn to escape him, she would have.

She didn't feel safe until she got into the elevator and punched her floor button. She should have stayed with Travis, she told herself, she would have been safe then. What was Bill doing here anyway? Was it the show or the dispersal sale?

She shucked off her clothes and left them in a pile beside her bed, she'd put them away in the morning. She climbed into the bed, feeling the slick hotel sheets against her skin. Hotel sheets always felt worn and old.

She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She slept a dreamless sleep and did not wake up until she heard someone fumbling at the door.

Travis came in, a little unsteady on his feet, surprised that she was not asleep. "Did I wake you?" he asked, slurring his words.

"Yes, but it was more like I was dreaming you were there. Sit down, how much did you have to drink?"

"Enough," he answered, and smiled, "Maybe more than enough, I think."

"Let me help you," she said and for the first time, he seemed to notice she was not wearing anything.

"You're naked," he said, and she answered, "It's not the first time you've seen me without clothes, Travis."

She helped remove his boots, then his shirt and his jeans. "Stay there, I'll be back." When she returned, she was holding a glass and something in her other hand. "Here, I don't know if you get hangovers, but this will help if you do." He looked at her blankly. "It's vitamin B complex and grapefruit juice. Don't argue with me, just take it, and drink all the juice. You'll feel better in the morning. Listen to your wife, she's a very smart person."

He didn't argue, just did as he was told and let her help him to bed. He passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. She lay next to him and watched him. It wasn't that she minded the condition he was in, if it was an occasional thing she could live with it. Part of it was almost funny, especially the look on his face when he saw she wasn't wearing any clothes.

The light was coming in at the edges of the blackout curtain when she heard him getting sick in the bathroom. When he was done, he brushed his teeth and when he returned to bed, he'd removed the last of his clothes.

He lay down and put his arm around her waist, drawing her to him. "Whatever that was, it helped," he said before he fell asleep again.

When he woke a second time, they made love. When they finished, he turned over and looked at the clock and groaned, "We need to get up," he said, "We've got horses to look at."