Page 78 of Sheltered by the Lawman

“You just said it was the best thing for her.”

“That’s when I had no clue you loved her, Cull. Never let a woman walk away when you have feelings for her. Did you not learn anything from my situation with Tyler? I wasted ten fucking years lonely and broken-hearted. Don’t do what I did, man. Don’t take the chance that she’ll never know.”

Even after hearing Kace’s suggestion, Cull didn’t move. Although he loved her, he couldn’t waltz into her life until she knew what she wanted. She was promised to another man and Cull didn’t have a right to cause problems.

Ten minutes of silence passed until Kace finally asked, “What do you really think of this Burke?”

“That he isn’t Sally’s type. He’s a metrosexual, goody two shoes that doesn’t look like he’s worked a hard day in his life.”

A loud crack of thunder made the windows rattle.

Kace took a long swig of his beer. “That might be the type she likes.”

“I don’t think so.” Not with the way she’d responded to his touch. How they’d made love and he’d had her squirming under his body. He didn’t even want to think that she could experience that with another man. It angered him so much that he couldn’t sit still. He jumped up and went into the kitchen to clear his head.

“Grab me some pretzels while you’re in there,” Kace yelled.

“We don’t have pretzels,” Cull muttered, not really caring about the food.

“I’m almost out of cheese doodles.”

“So go home where there’s plenty.”

Kace got up. “You know what, I think I will. I miss my wife and I’d rather watch the game from the comfort of my own chair. You can stay here and brood.”

Cull didn’t even watch his brother leave. He instead grabbed his full beer and downed it. He was going to feel like he’d been run over by a truck in the morning, but it beat feeling heartbroken.

His cell rang and he thought about ignoring it, but he knew it could be Sally. “Hi,” he said into the phone.

“Hi, Cull. How are you?”

It was her!

Her voice sounded like heaven to his ears. It had been two days since she’d left and he missed her voice, her laughter, her face, her body...everything. “I’m fine.” He wouldn’t fill her in on the truth that he hadn’t left the house and was busy getting drunk. “And yourself?”

There was a short hesitation. “I still don’t remember a lot and I feel like I’m living in a stranger’s house. Quite good, huh?” She laughed and his heart kicked up in speed.

“You were living in a stranger’s house here too.”

“But it was comfortable. I won’t keep you long, but I guess I wanted…”

“What Sally?” He needed to hear her voice a little longer.

“I don’t know…I just miss everyone at the ranch. And you. Maybe we can talk again soon?”

“I’d enjoy that.”

“I better go. See you soon.”

****

“So, you miss him, huh?”

Sally turned around and spotted Burke standing a few feet away. She hadn’t heard him come in. “Huh?”

“That was the lawman, wasn’t it?” His lip curled.

“Yes, but I said I miss everyone. They were kind to me. I made friends with all of them,” she said. She and Burke hadn’t said more than five words to each other since she’d declined sleeping in the same bed with him. She understood he must want things back fast, but she wasn’t ready. She did, however, have a few memories come back of him, but she couldn’t understand why they were of them arguing. She planned on speaking to him about her feelings soon.

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