Page 46 of Wounded Cowboy
Spring’s heart pounded. But not from an impending panic attack this time.What the hell, he thought with sudden recklessness.She wants me to be more spontaneous? I’ll show her“spontaneous.”
He leaned down and cupped Kelsey’s face between his hands. He heard Kelsey’s breath hitch as their mouths met. The heat of her lips against his sent shivers down his spine.
When they finally broke apart, she whispered,“Goodnight, Spring.”
“Goodnight, Kelsey,” he replied, his voice husky with emotion.
She went inside the cottage. The sound of her door shutting filled him with an odd melancholy.
As he walked back home, he asked himself what the hell he was doing. He hadn’t allowed himself to feel this way about anyone since Laura. The intensity of his growing feelings for Kelsey both excited and terrified him.
She wasn’t just beautiful; she was a sweet, fun person who was fantastic with his girls.
God, he was going to miss her when she left for Los Angeles at the end of the summer. And not just because she made his life easier.
But it would be wrong to try and convince her to stay. Kelsey deserved the opportunity to live her dream. At least she wasn’t leaving right away. The entire summer still stretched ahead of them.
Chapter 12
The Agent of Chaos
Monday morning
Kelsey had spent her weekend replaying Friday night’s unexpected make-out session with Spring. She couldn’t help but wonder if he regretted kissing her, or if he was just as confused about their situation as she was.
When she and Jenna met up on Saturday night to watch cooking shows together, Kelsey had been sorely tempted to tell Jenna everything.
But despite her need for some advice, she’d decided against spilling the beans. She’d lived in Snowberry Springs long enough to know how fast gossip traveled here. She didn’t want to risk any stories getting out about her and Spring.
Taking a deep breath, Kelsey stepped up onto Spring’s porch and plastered a professional smile on her face. As she knocked on the front door, she told herself to act like nothing happened between them.
Spring opened the door.“Morning,” he said with his usual reserve. He thrust the usual printed sheet at her.“Here’s today’s schedule.”
“Good morning, Spring,” she replied, trying to sound nonchalant.“Is there anything else I should know about today?”
“Nope,” he said curtly.“I need to get going. There’s a blocked toilet in one of the guest cottages that I have to deal with before I can start my regular chores.”
“Ah, okay.” Kelsey guessed they weren’t going to talk about Friday night. She tried to hide her disappointment.“Sorry to hear about the plumbing issue.”
He shrugged.“Comes with the territory. The pipes are pretty new, but people try to flush all kinds of stuff they’re not supposed to.”
Kelsey’s eyes widened as she skimmed through the daily schedule Spring had handed her. Gone were the rigid time blocks and detailed descriptions of activities for April and Abby. In their place, a simple list: Indoor Activities, Outdoor Activities, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
“Who are you? And what have you done with the real Spring Snowberry?” Kelsey demanded, grinning.
Spring, his hands now shoved in his pockets, shifted his weight from one foot to the other.“Yeah, well, I did some thinking over the weekend after what you said on Friday evening about the value of spontaneity.”
“Really?” Kelsey asked, pleasantly surprised that her words had made an impact.
“Last week proved to me you can come up with fun and educational activities for the girls on the fly. I don’t have to worry about them sitting in front of the TV all day when I’m not around.”
Kelsey couldn’t help but beam at his admission, the warmth of his trust making her chest swell with pride.“Thanks, Spring. I’ll make sure the girls have a great time today.”
He nodded and walked past her, carrying a toolbox and a plumbing snake coiled in a plastic case.“See you tonight.”
He strode away toward the guest cabins, leaving her standing on the porch with a mix of relief and regret swirling inside her chest.
∞∞∞
