Page 16 of Some Cowboys Fight for Love

Finally, Sophia spoke. “It’s going as well as can be expected, I guess.” She seemed to hesitate for a moment. “There’s something you might want to know, though.”

Aria’s hair lifted on her arms as if in anticipation of some very bad news. Already she knew she didn’t want to hear what her cousin was about to say.

“Cayden is the new character witness.”

The phone slipped from her fingers, and she had to scramble to pick it up. “What?” she hissed.

“I don’t know. I guess he’s been visiting your dad in prison? I think he was expecting you to be here.”

“Of course he was,” Aria snapped. Not for the first time, she was grateful she’d come to Copper Creek. “Keep me informed, okay?”

“Of course.”

Aria pulled the phone away, but Sophia’s voice stopped her from hanging up.

“Oh, and Aria?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t kill him.”

She knew who Sophia was talking about without asking.

“He’s really a decent guy,” Sophia added.

Yeah, she was beginning to see that.

7

Daniel

Daniel couldn’t explain why he felt so on edge.

Perhaps it had something to do with the events of last night and how he’d come between Aria and Brett without a second thought. Or maybe it was the fact that she’d come to thank him earlier today.

He watched her from across the small table before he took another bite of the pasta she’d brought for dinner. She really was a good cook. She was also beautiful—no mistaking that. Intelligence and a willingness to help were also ideal qualities in a potential partner. He couldn’t help but wonder if the real Aria had yet to reveal herself. Maybe her flirtatiousness was just a cover. Something told him she didn’t trust easily, and for some reason he could appreciate that, too.

Unfortunately, she talked too much. Since his arrival, that was all she did during the dinners they shared.

Talk, talk, talk.

She couldn’t seem to stop herself. It was the most irritating thing when all he wanted was some peace and quiet.

Except now, he had it.

She hadn’t taken her eyes off her food since she’d dished up their plates.

The silence between them was deafening, and it was putting him on edge. A couple days ago, the quiet would have been a welcome addition to their meals together. Now, he couldn’t help but feel this was the calm before the storm.

Earlier when she’d thanked him for helping her, he’d figured she was trying to get a rise out of him—to get him talking about how she’d made several mistakes. Well, she had. But that didn’t mean he was the kind of guy to point them out. She didn’t belong to him. He had no reason to lecture her on a situation where she might have become a true victim.

The situation still had his blood boiling. He almost wished Brett had gone a little further so he would have had the excuse to break the man’s nose.

Aria looked up at that moment. Her brows lifted before her features smoothed, and she arched a single brow. “Are youangrywith me? Is that what this is?”

His own brows shot up at the realization he’d been scowling at her. He shook his head and dropped his focus to his food. “I’m not angry.”

“Those lines between your brows beg to differ.”

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