Page 49 of Between a Rock and a Hard Cowboy

For now.

That thought hit him from out of the blue and he shoved it away. Two nights in bed with Eva did not a relationship make.

Relationship.Eva would hate he’d even thought that word.

But what did he know? For the past year he’d never thought she’d willingly give him the time of day and here they were working together more or less peacefully on the Christmas challenge… and sleeping together. Two nights in a row now.

Maybe he didn’t know her well enough to predict what she’d think. He certainly never expected her to attack him in her apartment that first night. Or suggest they head to his bed the second night.

He was definitely hoping for a third night and it wasn’t just because he’d noticed he didn’t have nightmares when he was in bed with her.

“We done here?” Ethan asked, glancing around at the horses, happily munching.

As Linc drained the last of the water out of the hose so it wouldn’t freeze tonight, he nodded. “Seems so.”

“Whatcha doing tonight?” Ethan asked.

“Pulling the trigger on that gift. Like you said, the clock’s ticking.”

“That going to take all night?” Ethan asked. Whatever he was dancing around, he hadn’t said it yet.

“No. Not at all. Why?” Linc asked, suspicious.

“Poppy’s having a girl’s night with Olivia.”

And Eva too?The question came unbidden to his mind and he swatted it away.

“So you’re going to be alone and bored so now I’m good enough.” Linc nodded, understanding.

Ethan frowned. “No. I just thought we could go out and grab a beer or two.”

“Where are you thinking we should go?” Linc asked.

Ethan shrugged. “The Wilder or the Last Call. Your choice.”

If they were at the Last Call, he’d be able to see if Eva was home or not. Ignoring that the answer put him in stalker territory, he said, “Last Call. That way we can grab something to eat at Rosie’s next door.” He added that last as a cover so Ethan wouldn’t guess his real motivation.

“Sounds good. Food is slim pickings in the house nowadays with Olivia laid up.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.”Liar.

“Want me to pick you up?” Ethan asked.

“No.” Because if Eva was home, he knew he was going to climb those stairs and knock on her door and stay awhile, which he couldn’t do if Ethan was his ride. “I uh, got some errands to run. So I’ll meet you in town.”

“All right. I’m going to pick up Poppy at the hotel then we’re heading out to cut that tree for the bedroom. Sure you don’t want me to cut you one too?” Ethan, still a kid at heart at this time of year, waited expectantly. “I found a couple of extra tree stands in the attic,” he dangled as incentive.

“Thanks. I’m good.”

“Scrooge,” Ethan mumbled as he walked away.

“Yup. That’s me. What does that make you? My rotting corpse of a partner Marley?”

“Nope. The Ghost of Christmas Future to show you how bleak your life is going to be with no tree in your house,” Ethan said as he swung open his truck’s door.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. See you later,” Linc called after him, as he secured the barn door.

By his truck, he fished in his pocket for his cell and glanced at the display. No texts. Not that he’d been expecting one. Certainly not one from Eva.

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