Page 76 of Sheltered by the Lawman

“I assure you I won’t let anything happen to her,” Burke said.

Cull didn’t want to be rude, but the man’s statement didn’t do anything but make him angry.

Sally started to touch his hand, but she pulled back as if it might hurt Burke’s feelings. “I must do this. I’ll be okay.”

Meeting her gaze, he couldn’t have argued with her. What choice did he have? She was free to leave.

****

Sally wasn’t sure how long she had stood in the bathroom.

She didn’t remember one thing about the apartment. Not. One. Single. Thing. It was nicely decorated, clean, but lacked the homey feeling of Cull’s apartment back on the ranch. The bathroom was stone and tile, and the vanity had a few make up items, brush and perfume, but it just didn’t…well, feel like her. Not in the slightest.

On the drive to Cheyenne he’d filled her in on everything from what she did for a living, a physical therapist, to their plans for the future. As he talked and talked, and talked more, she listened halfheartedly. Her mind kept conjuring up an image of Cull walking away from the bed and breakfast. She’d known all it would have taken was one word and he would have stayed with her, probably even came to Cheyenne with her if she’d asked.

Truth was, she missed him. Then why had she asked him to leave?

She had to do this on her own. She’d depended upon Cull for everything since he’d saved her. It was time she figured out the missing pieces to the puzzle. Burke was the only one who could answer the questions.

At the window that looked down onto the busy street, she fought back tears. What if she smashed the window and climbed down to the street, caught a cab and went back to the Cade ranch? How fair would that be to Burke? Or Cull?

Nothing was right about this scenario. Her feelings. Her desires. She was here hoping to find answers, and so far, the only thing she’d found was more confusion.

Her future felt like it had been ripped from her.

There was a soft knock on the door. “Sally?”

She stayed quiet. If she didn’t answer, what would he do? If it was Cull he’d break down the door to make sure she hadn’t drowned in the tub, but she didn’t know Burke and how he’d respond.

She guessed it was safer to answer. “Yes?”

It was quiet enough that she thought he might not have heard, but then it came. “Are you okay? Are you hungry?”

She closed her eyes and swallowed her feelings. “No thank you.”

“Then you must be ready for bed.”

Her eyes came open wide. “No, on the other hand, I am a bit hungry.”

Could she do this? Did she have it in her? She was supposedly engaged to the stranger outside of the door. She was bound to him by promise, and yet she felt linked to Cull. She’d accepted a proposal to a man she couldn’t remember.

He’s a stranger to me.

She felt like she was betraying Cull by even being here.

Her heart began to race and she felt weak. “This can’t happen,” she whispered. She had to be honest with Burke. That would be the fair thing to do for everyone. How would he take the fact that she’d made love to Cull and she cared for him? She loved him.

A warm, flush spread over her.

“Chinese okay?” His voice was gravely. Did he sense her worry?

Grabbing a towel from the hook, she covered herself and opened the door, watching his eyes rake over her. She understood that look. He thought they’d take up where they left off, wherever that was. It was imperative she told him the truth soon.

“Chinese is fine. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” That should suffice him for a while.

Twenty minutes later she was sitting at the table with an order of sweet and sour chicken and rice. He watched her carefully and since he’d gone to the trouble of ordering for her, she ate a couple of small bites. “Delicious.”

“It’s your favorite.”

She nodded. He’d poured her some red wine and she drank thirstily.

“Are you nervous,” he asked.

Her mind screamed “Yes!” But instead she said, “I was thirsty.”

“I’m so glad you’re back, honey. I’ll take tomorrow off and we can get to know each other again. We can catch up.”

Rolling her finger around the wine glass, she tried to think of the ways to tell him about what she’d done with Cull, but the words wouldn’t come to her. All she could do was stuff her mouth with bad tasting chicken.

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