Page 13 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

Suddenly she was hugging him, squeezing him so tightly he sucked in a breath.

“Colt, thank you,” she whispered, and then stepped back.

He met her gaze, letting her see inside him, just a little. “You’re welcome.”

She turned as quickly as a nine-months-pregnant woman could and entered the house.

He headed for his truck, knowing leaving was the right thing to do. The right thing for Taylor, anyway.

Chapter Four

Afew days later, Coltpulled up to the Blind Wash pasture gate and put the truck in park. After checking the time on his phone, he put in a call to Dillan. “Hey, bro, how’s your morning going?”

“Hey, Colt, what’s up?” Then he added, “My day’s going great, by the way. Marilyn slept all night last night.”

Colt chuckled, knowing how long his best friend had been waiting for that to happen. “Oh man, congratulations. I hope she keeps it up.”

“So why do I have the privilege of this morning’s phone call?” Dillan asked.

Now that he had his friend on the phone, Colt wasn’t quite sure where to start. “I’ve told you about Taylor and her Aunt Shannon, right?”

“Of course.”

“Well, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time over there recently. You know, helping out with repairs and that sort of thing.” He sighed. How could he describe what he felt? “Dillan, I’m worried about my feelings for Taylor. You know how she’s been hurt.”

“Yes, shehasbeen hurt. I’m sure she’s pretty fragile right now.”

“I agree. That’s why I’m concerned about the fact that I find myself drawn to her as more than a mere friend. I can tell that she cares about me—that she’s thankful for my help. But it’s all very innocent; there’s nothing sensual about it.”

He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his short blond hair. “I want to protect her, you know, to keep her from getting in over her head. I’m not sure she’s ready for any kind of a relationship after what she’s been through. Do you think I should stop spending time with her?” He squeezed his eyes shut, afraid of Dillan’s answer. The last thing he wanted to do was to stop seeing Taylor.

“Do you feel like you can’t manage your interactions with her?” Dillan asked.

“Of course not. I’m doing fine.” He grimaced. “For now, at least.”

“Then, in my opinion, you don’t need to change anything. And, who knows, Taylor may just surprise you.”

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