Page 51 of Cowboy and the Convict

The conversation with Mariah took her already lifting hopes and sent them soaring. Had her thinking she’d finally found someone different. Someone who wanted her the way she wanted him.

But was that really true? Or was she once again seeing what she wanted to see?

It was what she needed to figure out, but thinking when Devon was around could be damn near impossible.

Like it was now.

He bumped the door shut, keeping her close as he kicked off his work boots. “I wanted to make sure you were feeling okay. See if you needed my magical cramp cure.” He dug into one pocket, pulling out a bag of M&Ms. “And I thought you might need some chocolate.”

She nearly groaned at the thoughtfulness he brought with him. “You really know the way to a girl’s heart.”

“Not true.” A smile curved his lips as he brushed them across hers in an almost kiss. “I know the way to your heart.” His big hands slid to rest against her lower back, their heat sinking through her clothes, warming the ice-chilled skin beneath it. “Hmmm. Feels like you’ve been implementing part of my cramp cure already.”

“I will grudgingly admit the ice and heat combination helps quite a bit.” She looped one arm around his neck, letting herself relax into his embrace. “The chocolate won’t hurt either.”

She wanted this to be real. Wanted Devon to be all he appeared. More than that, she wanted to be who she was when he was around. He made her feel less like a failure. Less like the mess she’d done her best to embrace. Like maybe she was done fucking up. Like maybe she was done ruining everything she touched. Like maybe she was worth his time. Worth his effort.

Worth being loved.

20

Devon

DEVON WALKED THROUGH his front door, ready to change clothes and tackle the garage Janie had been on him about clearing out before the weather turned. He’d barely made it off the welcome mat before Riley was there, brows lifted. “Where’s Janie?”

He knew his girls liked Janie and expected them to notice she wasn’t there for her Sunday cleaning. What he didn’t expect was the way his daughter glared at him, arms crossed over her chest, as if he’d done something wrong.

After closing the door, he bent to unlace his boots. “She’s at home. Taking a day to relax.”

Riley studied him with a wary gaze. “Are you sure that’s why she’s not here?”

He was very sure that’s why she wasn’t there. In fact, he was the one who told her to stay home and rest when he stopped by her place that morning on his way into work. Luckily this period hadn’t been as bad as the last one—the one that first brought him into her home—but she still looked tired and drained. Cleaning his house was the last thing she needed to be doing when she felt bad.

It was the last thing she needed to be doing regardless. And that was a conversation they’d be having just as soon as he figured out how to negotiate the situation without ruffling her feathers.

“I’m positive that’s why she’s not here.” He wasn’t about to tell Riley Janie’s personal medical business, so he left it at that, passing his oldest daughter on his way into the kitchen.

She followed, staying right on his heels. “Are you sure you didn’t upset her?”

That stopped him short and had him turning to face her. “What are you talking about?”

Riley lifted her chin. “I just want to be sure you didn’t do something that hurt her feelings.” Her lips pursed, the skin around them turning white from the pressure before she continued. “I know you have a habit of doing that.”

That sent his brows climbing his forehead. “I have a habit of doing things that hurt people’s feelings?” He shifted on his feet, bringing himself face to face with the young girl who was more adult than he might have given her credit for. “Have I hurt your feelings?”

Riley’s expression changed, turning almost sad. “I’m not talking about me.” Her voice grew softer. “I’m talking about mom.”

That almost sent him stepping back. “About me doing things that hurt your mom?”

She nodded, the movement jerky.

Where was this coming from? Could his daughters have figured out something was going on between Janie and him and mistakenly thought Maggie would be upset over him being with someone else? “What did I do that hurt your mom?”

Riley shifted on her feet, eyes dropping his. “Before she died, I heard her talking on the phone sometimes.” She paused, the fingers of one hand picking at the pointer on the other. “About how she wasn’t happy. How you didn’t even notice.”

Shit.

He scrubbed one hand down his face, bringing it to rub the back of his neck as he tried to find the right words for his daughter. “Riley honey, I…” That was it. That was all he had.

---