Page 42 of The Cowboy Complication

Isla pursed her lips, eyes squinting in thought. “That sounds about right.”

He straightened. “I accept.”

Cooper went to the pantry and started grabbing bags and boxes, loading up Isla’s arms and his. He added a couple bottles of beer from the fridge and they carried everything out to the family room and piled it onto the coffee table.

He lifted the lid on the storage side of the large table. “You want a blanket?”

Isla scoffed. “Of course I want a blanket, nerd.” She fished through the food while he pulled out the softest of his blanket options. Once she had her preferred snack in hand, they went through the movie options, but nothing seemed to jump out.

“I have been watching this show I really like.” She lined a row of Bugles down her fingertips then popped one into her mouth. “It’s not a movie though. It’s a series.”

“I like a good series.” He handed off the remote and leaned back, stretching out along one side of the sectional with a packaged brownie.

“Yay.” Isla bounced a little in her spot. “I’ve been dying to get back to it.” She started the first episode and shifted back.

“I thought you already watched some of this?”

“I have, but you haven’t seen it.” She continued wiggling around, tucking both legs under her body, then stretching them out to prop her feet onto the table. “And it’s no fun to watch it together if you don’t know what’s going on.”

That was a fair point, but he didn’t want her to be bored with him. “We can watch something neither of us have ever seen.”

“Too late.” Isla changed positions again, this time letting out a frustrated little grunt. “We’re watching this. I already started it.” Her eyes drifted to where he lay. “But maybe Ishouldjust start where I left off since you took the best spot.”

He lifted one arm. “It’s a big couch. There’s plenty of room over here for both of us.”

She didn’t hesitate. Isla came right at him, tucking under the arm he had out, tossing the blanket over both their bodies. She cuddled right into his side, her head resting against his shoulder, as the show started to play.

Starting it from the beginning turned out to be a waste. He was having a hard time paying attention to anything but how good it felt to be cuddling like this with someone.

No. Not someone.

It felt good because it washer.

15

Isla

SUCKING IN A breath, Isla stretched, her sleepy brain not quite registering exactly why it was so much quieter than normal.

“What time is it?”

Cooper’s voice snapped her eyes open.

She sat up, the bag of snacks she’d been munching on while they watched television sliding to the floor. It took her eyes a second to focus on the clock, but when they did, she nearly followed the Bugles over the side. “It’s six.”

“That’s not possible.” Cooper groaned as he worked his head from side to side. “We didn’t start watching TV until six.”

She turned to him. “AM.”

That had Cooper sitting up fast, his eyes going to the same clock she’d just looked at. “Oh shit.”

For some reason she started to laugh. “We fell asleep on the couch watching TV.” Widening her eyes, she asked, “Does that mean we’re old?”

“You’reold.” Cooper peeled back the blanket covering them. “I’m not.” He raked one hand through his hair, still looking adorably tired. His gaze moved over where she sat, lingering for a second before moving away. “We should probably get moving so you can be at Grady’s on time. Otherwise he’ll kill me.”

“Okay.”

She smoothed down her hair, feeling a little self-conscious with her matted hair and flaking mascara, especially since she’d now seen what was hiding under his flannel and jeans.

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