Page 42 of Seaside Cowboy's Second Chance

“You, um, you can put me down now,” she whispered somewhat reluctantly.

“Okay.” He did just that. Did she imagine it was also somewhat reluctantly?

“Thank you.” She missed his arms around her.

Stop this.

She should be aware of her surroundings and help her grandmother, not go googly-eyed over her first love. “Good job, Breeze.” She patted Breeze who preened.

With legs wobbling, Skylar picked up the leash and walked down the porch, careful not to step on the loose plank with Breeze in tow. Grandma joined them in their walk around the house, her expression more worried by the minute, her cobalt-blue silk scarf trailing her. Her lower lip trembled.

Skylar nearly ground her teeth as her favorite woman in the world leaned on her. All these new developments couldn’t be good for Grandma.

Then Skylar tried to peep into the windows with zero success. “Argh. Thick curtains. We can’t see anything.” She glanced around. “Anything suspicious around the house?”

“Not that I can see.” His gaze swept over the weeds, and his brow furrowed. “Except for maybe the excessive amount of trash thrown into the weeds.”

She’d always cringed when people left their trash on the beach. She, Dallas, and their group of friends used to walk along the beach late in the evening and gather plastic bottles, paper cups, soda cans, foam packages, hamburger wrappers, and other things she’d rather not name into trash bags. Considering locals had avoided this place, it must be tourists.

Then Breeze jerked forward again, barking.

“Oh no. I hope it’s not another spider.” Skylar’s gut tightened. Though to be honest, her heart somersaulted when she thought about being in his arms again.

He stepped forward, spread the tall weeds apart, then frowned. “I don’t think it’s a spider.”

Air whooshed out of her lungs. “Good.”

“I don’t think it’s something good, either.” His voice was grave. “There appears to be dry blood on the leaves.”

Her grandmother gasped.

“It could be some animal,” Dallas said for Grandma’s sake.

But Skylar went cold. “We’d better call the police.”

Chapter Nine

---