Page 46 of Some Cowboys Fight for Love

Her quiet footsteps approached, and she picked up the packet of papers. He lifted his head, watching her with curiosity more than anything. Maybe he was seeing things, but he could tell there was a degree of wariness still in her countenance. Aria didn’t meet his gaze at all when she murmured, “I’m sorry?—”

“Don’t,” he murmured, defeated.

She gave him a startled look.

“Don’t apologize. It’s not a big deal—at least not as big as I was making it out to be. I got worked up and all I could think about was how things could go wrong.”

“Meaning…”

He met her eyes and grimaced. “The biggest one was if they found out I didn’t write that essay.”

Her expression mirrored his own. “Right. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.”

Aria’s face heated and she looked away. “I guess I wanted you to see how good you were—that you could be something other than a cowboy if you really wanted to.” Her words hung in the tension-filled air. He’d never thought about being anything but a cowboy with his brothers. To use his interests and do something else with his life? It was unfathomable.

He wasn’t sure he liked it.

Daniel couldn’t see himself anywhere but here—working the land—with her. His hand reached out, and he took one of hers within it. She gasped, but she didn’t pull away. Slowly, she met his eyes, and her blush deepened. Daniel rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand and let out a sigh. “I don’t know if I’ll take it. I can’t afford to leave this place. Copper Creek is as much a part of me as my interest in architecture.”

She nodded, then lifted the paperwork. “Did you read all of it?”

He shrugged. “Don’t need to. I’m not going all the way to New York so I can live out some dream that might not even work for me.”

Aria moved closer so her legs brushed up against his where he sat. Then she placed the packet in front of him before flipping over a few pages. Pointing, she offered him a shy smile. “Online courses are an option—at least for most of the degree. You might have to take a handful of them in person… but…” Her words trailed off, and his eyes darted down to what she was pointing at.

She was right.

And he’d made a fool of himself by getting so upset.

Daniel’s hand tightened around hers, and he squeezed. “I’m sorry I lost my temper.”

Aria snorted, but he didn’t give her a chance to brush him off.

“I’ll never lose my temper with you like that again.” It could have been worse. He knew that deep down. She wasn’t aware of how bad it could have gotten. Daniel shut his eyes tight andbrought her hand to his lips, kissing her fingertips as he did. “What you did… it was sweet—more than anyone has ever done for me.”

“Does this mean you’re going to accept it?” she asked in a small voice.

He shook his head. “I’llconsiderit. Let me think it over. I need to make sure it’s the right path to take.”

20

Aria

Lying in bed later that night, Aria couldn’t help comparing Daniel to the other men who had been in her life. More specifically, her father and Cayden. She could almost laugh at how ludicrous it was that he’d apologized. She’d snapped at him like that before.

Maybe it was the way she’d flinched when he spoke to her in those harsh tones that got him worried.

She closed her eyes against the memory.

His sharp words had been a stark contrast to the quiet moodiness she’d grown accustomed to when he wasn’t happy. It was easier than ever to see what the people in town meant when they said Daniel Keagan wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

But all she saw when she looked at him was the battered little boy who had to stick up for himself or get ground into the earth.

Aria rolled over onto her side and stared at the wall in the darkness of her room. When Cayden got upset with her, he’d yell. But he’d also throw things. Then he’d put her down andblame her for things that she had no control over. He made sure she knew just how small she was.

Once again, she squeezed her eyes shut at the memories and a solitary tear slipped out from beneath her lashes. After their fights, he would apologize with flowers or sweets. He’d tell her he’d lost his temper and that she made him go crazy sometimes. That their love was a passionate love, even in anger.

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