AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, no.” She relaxed her grip on his shirt, her hands going flat on the muscles of his chest. His defined, rounded muscles were glorious. Touching him distracted her, but she had to reassure him. “You were protecting your cattle. That is who you are. The protective, tough cowboy. It’s not your fault that seeing the death of the cow and the coyote triggered that reaction.”
He studied her, his heart racing under her palm. “And it’s not your fault that you have that reaction or those awful memories. You didn’t create them.”
She wanted to believe that.
“Wait.” He cocked his head to the side. “Do you have memories of death and … other things?”
“Not solid memories, just snippets of impressions, smells, sights… It’s like vapor.” How could she explain her mind right now when she failed to understand it herself?
“Okay.” He smiled softly, but then he released her face and eased back a step. “Let’s get you back to the house. I think you’ve overdone it for today.”
“No, please.” She caught his hand before he could escape. “Let’s ride longer. I feel free and happy on Annie.”
“I like that.” He rubbed Annie’s neck. “She’s a beautiful girl, isn’t she?”
“And a very well-behaved one. I adore her.”
“We train ‘em up right around here.”
“You trained these horses?” She was surprised. That was a high-level skill in her mind.
“’Course. My dad and I trained Jack, Annie, and dozens of other horses for our ranches and other people. That’s my dad’s profession.”
“And you didn’t think this was pertinent information to share?”
He chuckled. “Forgive me. I’ll try to spill all my information for you next time.”
“You plan on that.” She smiled, but she didn’t believe he would. There was some woman in his past she needed to know about.
“All right. We’ll keep riding for a bit, then we’ll clean up, eat dinner, and either stare at the walls or watch a movie tonight. You need rest.”
She would rather stare into his eyes. “A movie. You have a plethora of them, I take it.”
“Yes, ma’am. I think we need to go for something light. A chick flick. Definitely.”
“Are you telling me that my ultra-tough and impressive cowboy watches chick flicks?” She should not claim him like that, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Not without some coercion, but I’ve seen a few.” He gave her his slow grin.
Her stomach tumbled. The woman. He had watched chick flicks for her. Jacey didn’t love that. But Clint had said she was gone in the rant she’d overheard. The lady who hurt two good men better never return.
Jacey sensed she would not be able to stay with Cade and protect him emotionally from this woman, even if she wanted to. The one thing she was learning about her life … it was not her own.
Chapter
Twelve
Cade had never been so concerned for or drawn to anyone. The protectiveness and pull he felt to Jacey were almost impossible to resist. He kept trying to talk himself into keeping some emotional distance so he didn’t benefit from her vulnerable state and it wouldn’t be hard on both of them when she had to leave, but then she’d have something slam into her like a fifteen-hundred pound Brahman bull and need him.
He felt like a superhero and the most tender man on the planet during those times. He’d been the hero but not very tender. Except for with her.
He rubbed at his jaw as he sat on the couch watching her sift through his movie collection. She’d changed into a soft blue T-shirt and white cotton shorts after they returned home and did the nightly feeding. He tried not to focus on her long, lean legs, studying her profile instead.
The curve of her jaw and neck … enthralling. Just one kiss on each spot?
No. He had to keep boundaries in place. It had been a long day. They’d finished dinner and cleaned it up and now it was darkening outside and she’d declared adorably that it was ‘movie time,’ but of course she got to choose, with a sassy look daring him to tell her no. He couldn’t imagine ever telling her no to any request.
It couldn’t compute in his mind that he’d only met Jacey this morning. She was the missing piece of his life. She could be his entire life. If miracles came true.
