Page 27 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

Aiden paid her generously. There wasn’t a bonus for this job, but Jarom didn’t need to know that.

The look in his blue eyes said he knew she was lying.

Standing quickly, she looked around and hugged herself, trying to calm her trembling limbs. “How far did that horse go?”

“Autumn.” Jarom stood, staring down at her. He looked incredibly handsome in the T-shirt, flannel jacket, jeans, and boots. The jacket was dirty, his jeans ripped. Even with his hair mussed, his model-gorgeous face and bearing were too distinguished to ever be a true, rugged cowboy, but he wore the look well. Too well.

She glanced away, sliding her pistol back into her pocket.

Jarom stepped around in front of her, gently tilting her chin up with his fingers. The skin of her neck warmed.

“Autumn,” he said softly, no teasing in his voice or his eyes. “I’m all right.”

She focused on him and then she shuddered. She’d seen and inflicted pain and death. What was wrong with her? Flipping out over Jarom being thrownfrom a horse and a snake almost biting him?

“You’re sure?” she managed. “You landed hard.”

“Yes, Athena.” His voice was low and husky. He gently gathered her in his arms and simply held her.

Autumn kept her arms clenched tight around her own body, didn’t allow herself to release them and hug him fiercely like she wanted to. She did, however, let herself lean into him, rest her head in the crook of his neck, and simply feel him. Jarom surrounding her. Jarom all right after a traumatic event. Jarom wanting to hold her and comfort her.

Horses approached through the trees.

She straightened away from him and muttered, “You don’t smell like yourself.”

“Oh?” His lips quirked but his eyes were still too serious, blue as a summer’s sky. “Forgive me. A beautiful angel rescued me from my house and didn’t allow me to grab a bottle of my Confident Man Cologne. She did save my life though, twice. Thank you, love. I’m forever in your debt.”

Easton was upon them. She luckily didn’t have to say anything, but she could certainly feel, and all she felt and saw was Jarom. Confident man. Appealing man. Jarom was so many things she’d known but some unexpected and intriguing surprises as well. She wanted him to be her man and get to know even more about him.

They loaded back up and the rest of the ride was uneventful. They went back to the house and helped Millie get dinner ready. Autumn was grateful to Millie and Jarom for how comfortable she felt. Millie was feisty, but she was also kind and as mother-like as Autumn thought she would be.

As they put dinner on the table, Jared walked in with Walker and Marci.

“Autumn,” Marci exclaimed, rushing forward for a hug.

Marci was an author and as exuberant, delightful, and guileless as anyone Autumn had ever known. She hugged her back.

“It’s great to see you,” Autumn said. “Are you staying here for a bit?”

“Yes. Walker needs to work on his roping so we can make the PRCA finals in Vegas in December. What am I saying? Of course he’ll make it and Abuelita is doing well and I can write from anywhere and I just adore my mountains and my family and …” she trailed off.

Jarom had come to stand beside Autumn. “Hello,” he said in his deep, inspiring voice.

“Ah … ah … you had me athola,” Marci cried out, clapping a hand to her chest. “You’re Jarom Love.Oy, oy!Walker, come hold me, lover. I am going to pass out.” She startled rattling off more Spanish.

Walker rushed to her side.

Jarom quirked an eyebrow at Autumn.

“Do you get this fan-girling a lot?” she asked drily, remembering Millie’s reaction to him and the dozens upon dozens of texts that kept spilling from his phone to hers.

“Would you hate me if I said yes?”

“Yes, I would.”

He chuckled and then slid his arm around her waist, cupped her hip with his large palm, and pulled her in tight. Autumn wanted to melt against him. She should elbow him hard instead. She stayed rigid until he leaned in close and whispered, “You’re the only fan girl I want, Autumn Cardon.”

She gazed up and met his blue, blue eyes, and then she did something so un-Autumn-like it would’ve shocked everyone who knew her. She melted. She leaned into him, brought her hand up to rest on his lovely chest, and blinked up at him likeany besotted female would do with this perfect and charming gentleman. But Jarom wasn’t just any charming gentleman. He wasn’t just some hot, famous billionaire bachelor. He was the man she’d been longing for. It didn’t matter at the moment that she had an impenetrable heart of iron and no future with any man, especially a man like Jarom.

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