Page 17 of Rogue Cowboy
“Why now?”She had pulled herself together, though she still hadn’t taken a bite of her food, and his sharp gaze noticed how she was thinner now than she had been as a teen.Ranching was hard work, but he was beginning to doubt she was taking care of herself.
“You were young.In a tough spot.We made choices under pressure.I wanted to give you time to recover and figure out what you wanted from life, and I owed the government another four years that turned into five and then another six months.”
It had seemed double that.
“You stayed away from me for almost six years because of logistics?”
She sounded offended, and that gave him hope.
“I keep my word, Riley.To my family.To my government.To you.”
“I’m notnotnoticing that I was third on that list.”
He laughed and pushed the last bite of the bagel sandwich into his mouth, savoring the taste.
“You’re my wife.I suppose I should bump you up on the list.”
She looked adorable, as if her face couldn’t figure out what to do—go with frustration or humor.
“I told you not to use that word.”
“I made a vow.”
“Shshshsh.Button it.I told you don’t use the M word or the W word and definitely not the V word.”
Riley looked around wildly as if someone was going to jump out of the bushes and gotcha them but considering how close they were to the downtown and the fairgrounds, it was surprisingly peaceful with the sound of the water and birdsong mixing with the wind through the grasses along the creek and through the trees in the huge park surrounding the courthouse.In the distance he heard a horse whinny and another answer.
He could only push her so far so fast.
“Vow?Married?Wife?That’s quite a list.”He kept his face expressionless, maybe just a hint of innocence, just to rile her a bit to see that flash of fire.
“I know you’re joking, trying to get a rise outta me.But I’m serious.None of those words.I mean it.Zip it.”
She even did a zipper movement across her lips that was adorable, and Cole felt everything in him ease.They were not as far apart as he’d imagined.And she needed him.He hadn’t expected that.He should probably feel bad that he wanted her to need him.Needed it.Not the most advanced, self-actualized man.But it gave him an opening and damn he’d bust through it.
“We’re married,” he pushed his point.“Not saying the word doesn’t make it not true.”
“We’re not really the M word.”She scowled, dipped her feet in the river again, to get the dust off from the rock, and waved her feet in the air, scattering luminescent drops that sparkled in the sun.He took her socks out of her boot, unrolled them.
“The M word,” he mused.“Muscular.Munching.Marvelous.”
“You are such a comedian,” she said.“I never saw this side of you.”
Probably because, initially, she’d been off-limits—too young and his teammate’s sister.Then she was hurt, and he’d been trying to protect her, save her life and avenge her all while staying out of prison.Not that he’d tell her any of that.
“My socks.”She held her hand out.
“Mmmmmm,” he agreed.“More M words.Mandatory.Mountain.Mystify.”He caught both of her feet in one hand.Even her feet were beautiful.Delicate.He took out another bandana from his pocket and dabbed her feet dry while she stared at him with huge eyes, and then he rolled on one sock and then the other.
“Mission accomplished.”
He held out a hand, pleased when she grabbed on, and he pulled them both to standing.
“Cole,” she said urgently.“You deserve better.”Her voice was choked.“We barely knew each other, and then I screwed it all up.”
“The assault was not your fault.”He had to work to keep his voice even when he still wanted to rip off the head of each of her so-called bandmates one at a time and kick them on down La Cienega Boulevard one after the other.They’d left her on her own at that party.
And that didn’t begin to cover what he’d done to the men who’d hurt her.
