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The thought pinches something in my chest. I don’t want her to leave. I don’t want her and Audra to go, even when she has the funds to replace her camper. I want to watch what’s between us grow.
And that’s a scary fucking thought.
I’ve gotten to my age without getting attached to a woman. Being the sheriff means that I’m more circumspect in my relationships, but none of the ones I’ve ever had come close to what I feel for Maisie.
“Hey, you ready?”
I turn toward the back door and there she is.
Short, tousled waves sit just above her shoulders, she did something different with her makeup to make those silver eyes look smokier — darker and mesmerizing. She’s got Audra propped on her hip, one arm strap of the baby carrier looped over her forearm and every ounce of me tightens in want.
“Yeah,” I grunt, my voice deeper, gruffer. Tension tweaking my tone as the early afternoon sun paints her in a rosy glow.
I step toward her, drawn to every bit of her and drop my lips to hers in a light kiss — wanting to deepen it, to take us both for a dive into deep dark waters until this incessant ache for her gets out of my blood.
If it ever leaves my blood, though I’m starting to have my doubts.
“Mmm.” Maisie blinks her eyes open, the silvery blue like a gunshot to the gut.
I run my hand over Audra’s head and drop a kiss to her forehead. “She gonna be okay in the sling most of the day?”
Maisie nods. “I usually wear her as much as I can. So she’s used to it. That and her car seat. I got really lucky, and she doesn’t mind either.”
I nod and go back to the backpack, zipping it closed, though I have to squish the sides together to make that happen.
“What’s that?” she asks.
“I figure this would be easier than the cross-body diaper bag. I’ve got diapers, wipes, snacks, sunscreen, one of those travel changing tables, and this little floppy hat I found at the store the other day.”
“A floppy hat? The other day?”
My cheeks heat as I pull the hat out of the front pocket and hold it up. I saw it at the baby store near the big box stores a few towns over and thought I should grab it just in case, but now I wonder.
I scratch a hand through my beard. “Yeah. I figured we’d get roped into something outdoors, and I don’t want Audra to get overheated or burned by the sun.”
Something in Maisie’s eyes soften and she wraps her hand around my waist. “Thank you.” There’s a million meanings to the words. Gratitude. Affection. Relief. Safety.
“You know I packed almost all of the same things into her diaper bag and put it in the car, right?” Maisie asks with a squeeze to my midsection.
“That’s fine, we can use that for backup, but this will be easier to carry around.”
“Is it allowed in the venue? Don’t they usually have clear bag policies for concerts?”
“I know most of the security team, I don’t think they’ll stop us.”
Maisie smirks. “VIP treatment?”
I shrug. “Guess so. Come on. Boone and Jem are already there, and the others have left, we’re meeting in the parking lot.”
We load into the SUV, and I opt to take the back roads to the venue.
Sunlight spills over Maisie’s shoulders, the light just as drawn to her as I am. Her arm hangs out the window, fingers playing in the wind, and I rub circles into the silky skin of her thighs, bared in her denim shorts. This softer side of Maisie is like my own addiction. Seeing the tension leave her shoulders and the guarded skepticism gone from her gaze the best of highs.
Maisie’s hand drops over mine and her fingers twist between my own. It’s not the first time she’s initiated contact, but it still packs a punch when she does.
Before I’m ready for the car ride to end, we’re pulling into the venue. The parking lot is busy, but not as packed as it was earlier this week. I grumble as Maisie pulls her hand from mine, not wanting to share her or Audra. Wishing I could keep the bubble around us a little longer, I relent and resign myself to sharing her with my family for the next little while.
Maisie pops out of the car and waves to my family who are busy getting their own bags from their cars.
