Page 54 of Fastlander Fealty

“On one condition.”

“Name it,” he said.

“I buy your outfit too, so it’s fair.”

The smile that took his masculine lips dredged up the flutters in her middle again. Handsome man. “Deal.”

She couldn’t keep the silly grin at bay as they paid out. The cashier said they were really cute together, and she didn’t miss how much Owen touched the small of her back. Maybe boars were affectionate shifters, like the big cat shifters were. She loved it. His touch settled her, and the animal inside of her was practically purring under his attention.

With the declaration that she needed to break her boots in a little before tomorrow night, Silver asked the cashier if she could wear the clothes out.

“Girl, you look awesome,” the cashier told her as she handed her a pair of scissors to cut the tags after she’d returned from the dressing room wearing all of her new stuff. “If y’all are looking for a fun place to go all dressed up, there’s a cowboy bar two blocks over. Easily walkable. You’ll get hit on, sure, but that one is a big ol’ brute. He’ll keep them boys at bay.”

It did sound kind of fun. She looked up at Owen to ask, but he was already watching her face. He grinned and nodded. “We’re going to a cowboy bar. What’s it called?” he asked the cashier.

“Haulers,” the cashier answered. “I’ll be there right after work. I’m meeting my boyfriend, so maybe I’ll see y’all there.”

“Yes!” Silver said. “Thank you!”

They said their goodbyes and jogged across the street to drop her discarded clothes in the hotel room. Her phone sat on the bed, face down.

“Do you need to check it?” Owen asked, noticing her stare.

“Nope. It’ll be a bunch of messages from Rook probably.”

A low rumbling sound emanated from Owen, and the smile slipped off his face, transformed to something more terrifying for a moment before he assured her, “He won’t hurt you. I won’t let him.” Truth. She was safe with Owen.

As she set the pile of her clothes down and handed him back his flannel, he admitted, “I saw his text messages earlier.”

“I know,” she said softly. “I’m sorry. You can read them all if you want.”

A frown tugged at his blond brows. “What?”

She shrugged. “You can read our messages if it makes you feel better.”

“That’s your phone, Silver. You have a right to privacy.”

“I know, but it doesn’t bother me if you want to see the dynamic. I don’t know why he was staying that stuff, like he missed me and he was proud of me. It sounds like Katrina, his new Queen in his phone. Not him. He just calls me names. He’s never said that stuff before.” She scrunched up her face. “It was weird.”

Owen shifted his weight and canted his head. “Sure, I’ll look.” His somber tone stole some of the happiness she felt. She unlocked the phone and handed it to him, but he surprised her and opened up the text thread, opened Rook’s information, looked at his phone number, and then handed her back the phone without going through their messages.

“Did you just memorize his number?” she asked.

Owen lifted his chin higher into the air, and the humor was back in his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His grin said he didn’t care if he was busted in a lie.

She should be worried, right? She should worry over what Owen would start if he texted the King of the Holland Pride. But she’d seen his boar, and she knew how strong he was, and a part of her loved how protective he was toward her.

She made her way to him and looked up into his eyes, waiting.

He was slow and calculated as he pushed her cowgirl hat back off her head, and held it at his side. He leaned down slow and kissed her. This one, they both expected. This one was slow and built up. This one was arms sliding around each other, hands exploring, and tasting each other. This one was building a connection. This was was tethering her heart to him.

It was building hope inside of her.

It was happiness.

It was absolute comfort with another person.

It was a fire growing in her belly with every soft smack of his lips against hers.

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