Page 103 of The Rogue

I glower at the uneasy horse as if he could read my warning.

I should settle him before he upsets the others, but I can’t let go of her. She trembles in my arms, gasps against my shirt, catching her breath. And I don’t know if it’s from the scare or my words.

Either way, it's my fault.

Anton paws in the stall, settling himself.

I hold Tessa, stroking the back of her head. When her breathing comes back to normal. I move my hands to the sides of her tear-stained face.

“It’s okay. He’s calm now.” Her eyes are glassy, distant. Like she’s not with me. “Tessa?”

“It was so loud," she whimpers. "And…behind me…” She shakes her head vigorously. “I don’t. Like it.”

Fuck.

I pull her against me. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is PTSD and I’m fucking responsible for the setback. For the tears I put in her eyes.

I lift her face and kiss my woman. Deep and soft.

Anger quickly replaced with gratitude for what she tried to do. “What am I going to do with you?” I ask softly.

She swipes her red eyes against my shirt and glares up. That stubborn fire calming me. “Yell at me some more? Call me a liar? Throw me out?”

I pull her tight against my chest. “Keep you. I’m keeping you.”

“Levi.” My name almost comes out as a warning. But I’m not ready to hear it.

She bought my horse. Mine and Jackson’s.

“Tess, we don’t have to talk right now—but you have to know I’m not letting you go. Not without a fight.”

She smirks up at me. “Like the one we just had?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

She swallows, then drops her eyes to my mouth and smiles weakly. “Looking forward to it, Cowboy.”

25

“Can you help mewith this?” I ask Levi as he adjusts a bolo tie with a blue stone over a black button-down shirt. I smile over my shoulder, liking the way it brings out his eyes. He’s in dark blue jeans and opted for no cowboy hat tonight.

He scans me in my barely-on black mini dress like he’s ready to devour me.

“The door is open,” I remind him as he steps behind me, kissing my neck and zipping me up.

He smirks. “That’s why I’m zipping it up, not down.” He tugs my hair from over my shoulder and drops the waves loosely over my back. Hooking an arm around my waist, he spins me. “I want to take you dancing.”

“We’re a little busy with Charlie’s opening tonight.”

“Next weekend then?”

My smile fades and I know he notices. I don’t know how much longer I can dodge Frank’s calls.

His warnings.

Or how much longer I can keep lying to Levi. Hell, his whole family. Because these past few weeks, they’ve made me a part of it.

“Hi.” Jackson hops into the bedroom.

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