Page 16 of A Rogue Cowboy's Kiss

“That you ran here. I went after you to tell you it was all right for you to crash on my couch, but you’d disappeared.” She smiled. “I had no idea you were going to run the beach and meet me here. My bad. Totally missed that.”

Stunned relief shot through him.Hell, yeah.He shrugged. “Yeah, don’t know how we didn’t have clear communication on that one.”

“Where’s your overnight bag?”

“In my truck. I was going to run here, run back there, get my truck, and then drive here. It seemed like the simplest way to do it.”

“Absolutely.” She waved. “All right. I’m going in. I’ll see you when you’re back.” Then she turned, walked back into the cottage, and shut the door.

Falcon stood there staring after her, then he broke into a grin.Hell, yeah.He sent up a quick thanks to the stars, and then turned and began to jog back down the beach.

Bella snuck back onto the deck, watching as Falcon jogged down the beach again.

She chuckled as she watched him. He was literally going to run back and get his truck. He could have asked for a ride, but he hadn’t.

Because the man never asked for help on anything.

She leaned on the railing, watching him go.

He was so athletic. He was leaner, she realized, just like Piper had said. But as he ran, there was something lighter about him. Something…different.

Maybe it wasn’t that he was thinking of her naked.

Maybe it was something else.

Did she want him thinking of her naked? No. Yes. No. Yes.

Dammit.

She smacked her hands on the railing.

She was definitely going to have to be asleep before he got back. She’d leave the door open, put the sheets out for him, and then be asleep.

But as she headed inside, she couldn’t help but smile.

She was glad he was crashing on her couch. Why was she glad?

Because he felt like home. Nothing else.

With Falcon on her couch, she could get a touch of home while still being free to figure out who she was.

That was it.

Nothing else.

He was home in a non-pressure way.

He definitely wasn’t six-pack abs, corded thighs, and broad shoulders.

Definitely not.

EIGHT

The next morning,Falcon was halfway through cooking the pancakes when Bella’s door opened. His stomach tightened at the sight of her standing there in sweatpants and a tee shirt, bare feet, and tousled hair. God, she was beautiful.

Not that he was going to make the mistake of saying that again.

She rubbed her eyes. “You made breakfast?”

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