Page 30 of The Runaway and the Rugged
Thankfully, the sight of the white, dangling strap of her dress pulled me from my wandering thoughts.
“It’s sort of hard not to be, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable, I’ll stop.”
Shit.
Was she uncomfortable thinking that she was making me uncomfortable?
“You’re not making me uncomfortable. I just don’t see the need to be so harsh on yourself when you’re obviously not in the right headspace. Give yourself a little grace. Your doin’ somethin’ most women wouldn’t have the strength to do.”
Her head shifted in my direction, but only just enough to give me a brief view of both eyes. It was fast, almost didn’t catch it, but I saw a glimmer of amazement.
Shock.
“You’re right.” I studied the way her delicate throat contracted, fighting the urge to follow the curve down her neck. “I’m just trying to prepare myself for what’s next.”
My muscles flexed.
“If you’re worried about running into your ex, I promise you it won't happen. And if he by chance shows up at my house looking for you, I’ll handle it.” I was protective by nature, but thethought of him showing up, causing a scene, didn't agree with me.
And just from our brief interaction and the way he was talking to Greta, he’d be one to stir up trouble.
“You’ll handle it?” The sweetest-sounding laugh tumbled past her lips. Almost as if she was desperately trying to hold it back, but gradually retreated to her composed demeanor.
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
She peered at me with a raised brow, a sheen of sweat glistening along her forehead and cheekbones.
“Growin’ up, we had a fair share of guys showing up at the house lookin’ for Greta.”
“Let me guess, you handled it?” The corner of her mouth lifted in a faint smile.
Distraction looked good on her.
“Damn right I did.” I laughed.
“My instincts are telling me it won’t be much different for your daughter.”
Your instincts are right, Outlaw.
The day Grace brings a boy home, will be the day I check every damn lock in the house.
“We’ll see. She’s a real ballbuster already with a pretty good head on her shoulders. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if she’ll be the one doin’ the handling.”
Her laughter interweaved with mine, sending a warm, reassuring feeling throughout my gut. It’d been a minute since I enjoyed a conversation with a woman who wasn’t family. It’d been even longer since I’d laughed with one.
“A ballbuster, huh? Seems to me like you might have a bit of a wild one on your hands.” Her head swiveled away from me, and for one fleeting moment, I wished she hadn’t.
Maybe she wasn’t the only one in need of a distraction. Maybe I needed this too. Even just for the short journey back tomy house. I could simply imagine her as just the breathtaking woman who needed saving, and myself, just a lonely man who was lucky enough to get her on the saddle of my horse.
And I could be wrong, but I had a strong sense that she was imagining the same thing.
“All Calhouns have a little bit of wild in them, it’s a blessing and a curse.”
Ella made a slow trot through a rocky shallow creek, her hooves clacking with each step forward until we reached the other side of the trail. I hadn’t noticed until now that Emelia had nestled herself closer to my chest, her head nearly tucked into the curve of my neck.
If I wasn’t aware then, I sure as fuck was now.
But it was clear her gesture was purely motivated by fear because once Ella made landfall, she pulled away from me as if I were on fire. Jerky, unsteady movements in all, she damn near caused herself to tumble off the saddle.
