Page 64 of Cautious Love

“I was thinking about coming up there for Thanksgiving. What do you think?” he asks.

“I don’t know. I haven’t even thought about tomorrow. Maybe I’ll come down there.”

“That would be fine too,” he says, and my heart twists. I didn’t get to see him last year for Thanksgiving or Christmas because Grey wanted me to stay with him.

I’ll forever wish I went to my dad’s because I’ll never get that party out of my head, it lives in my mind no matter how much I’ve tried to move on.

We talk a little more, he tells me about a lady friend he met at the bar, and some buddies he works with. I tell him little things because that’s all I have to offer and we eventually hang up.

Wrapping myself in my robe I carefully peek out my door but the lights are off and Ledger’s bedroom door is shut.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I get myself into bed and fall asleep thinking of Ledger.

Chapter 16

Ledger

It’sbeentwoweekssince I kissed her sassy mouth and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. And what makes it worse is that she didn’t want to talk about it. I couldn’t figure out if it was embarrassment, or she simply isn’t into me and I need to leave it alone. Which is going to be hard for me to do. Once I set my sights on something I want, I’ll go after it, but this is the one thing I can’t have.

But what I can’t reconcile is she always seems to be around … I don’t know if it’s because I’m hyper aware of her or shewantsto be around me, which is in total contradiction to telling me to buzz off two weeks ago. A part of me wonders if she’s scared, if she needs some encouragement from me, and I’m happy to give it, but I don’t know what she wants, and my patience is wearing thin. It’s not because she doesn’t know how to load the dishwasher, plays her music too loud, or does her laundry in an infuriatingly unorganized way.

It’s because every time I look at her, I see something I admire. Every time we speak, I like the way she talks to me. Hell, I like the way she simplyblinksat me. I want to grab her hips and pullher into me, feel her soft to my hard. I want to taste those lips, and every other inch of skin I can get to.

It’s bad. I know we’re married, but I didn’t go into this with any intention other than to protect her and cover both of our asses. I never considered that feelings might develop. Shiloh has become a constant in my mind, and is slowly making herself permanent.

I get back from the station early and luckily she’s not here. Fletcher called and asked for some help this afternoon, so I came home to change. Before I leave, I write Shiloh a note to let her know where I am. I’m aware I could text her, but this feels better.

Leaving the note on the counter, I head out and roll the windows down.

I park by the barn and hop out, setting my hat on my head. No one seems to be around, and I don’t know where Fletch needs me.

Pulling my phone out to call him, Cooper grabs my attention.

“Howdy, Sheriff,” my cousin says.

“Hey Coop, where’s Fletch? He said he needed help with something.”

“I’m headed out there myself, just had to check on my girls,” he says.

I nod and follow him into the barn. We get the horses saddled and I follow Cooper’s lead.

“So, are we going to talk about yourwife?” Coop asks me.

I groan silently and focus on the ground in front of me.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he says.

“That’s the thing about you, Coop, you’ve never been great at reading a room.”

He huffs. “Tell that to my wife.”

“She doesn’t count,” I mumble and glance at him. He’s grinning from ear to ear, and I can’t help but smile back.

My cousin struck gold finding a good woman like Mae. He’s had a rough few years. Being a single dad isn’t easy. We’ve all been there to help him, but ultimately the brunt was on him. After he and Mae got together, he’s a better man because of it.

It makes me wonder if there’s a woman out there who could be my other half.

My mind flashes to Shiloh, and I shake my head. It can’t be her.