Page 26 of Dusty Spur Ranch Cowboys

Not because anybody asks it to, but because that’s what music does. People stop talking. They listen.

Sadie practically melts against me, pleased with herself.

Across the fire, Emmett watches his daughter with a look that catches me off guard. There’s a softness in his expression that wasn’t there when I met him at the rodeo grounds earlier.

The awkward, blushing cowboy is still there, but now I can see the dad too. The man who notices when Sadie’s getting tired. The man who automatically reaches over to tuck a blanket around her legs without interrupting the conversation he’s having with Willy.

It’s sweet.

Dangerously sweet.

When the song ends, Sadie twists around. “Another one.”

I laugh. “You don’t believe in easing people into requests, do you?”

“Nope.”

“Fair enough.”

The second song earns a yawn halfway through the chorus.

By the third, she’s fighting sleep so hard it’s almost painful to watch. Her eyes keep drifting closed before snapping open again every time she remembers she’s supposed to be awake.

Eventually she abandons the battle altogether and crawls into Emmett’s lap.

Victory.

Emmett settles an arm around her automatically. “Thanks. I’ll get her to bed now.”

I rise to my feet, taking the hint. “I should probably get going.”

“Or,” Willy starts, “you could stay.”

“I have to get some sleep tonight.”

“I’ll… sing another song.”

Emmett groans. “That’s not helping your argument.”

“It’s actively making it worse,” I tell him.

Willy looks personally offended by this feedback.

I laugh as I collect my guitar and sling the strap over my shoulder.

Around the fire, everyone starts offering goodnights and promises that they’ll see me around town. Before I can escape, Red rises from his spot near the fence and brushes dust from his jeans.

“I’ll walk you out.”

My stomach decides to become a problem.

The walk to my truck isn’t far. Unfortunately, awareness has a way of stretching distances.

Neither of us says much at first, which is ridiculous.

We’ve already slept together. People who have seen each other naked shouldn’t suddenly struggle through a thirty yard walk.

And yet here we are.