Page 65 of Seaside Cowboy's Fairy Tale

Button didn’t even need the cookie. He climbed onto her hand when she extended it, but the other two were persuaded by cookie crumbs, and Big Cheese and his sweetheart, Nibbles, hadn’t left the cage at all. Once all the mice were secured and Rachel breathed out her relief, mentally promising them lots of cheese, a siren split the air.

“The police are almost here.” Her heart shifted painfully at leaving soon. She was grateful for Tex being all right, but now she wouldn’t have a reason to see him again. She looked into his baby blues, and every cell in her body wished for things that couldn’t be.

Was this going to be it?

“I’m not saying anything to the police.” Anne Tandy spat on the floor.

Rachel tsked. “Oh, ma’am, such manners. Well, I’m sure Brady and Vanya will. Why should they pay for something you organized and persuaded them to do? Not just thefts, but attempted murders.”

Brady’s eyes went huge. “She totally made me do it!”

“Shut up!” Anne Tandy hissed at him.

Tex took Rachel’s hands, sending a delicious tingle along her skin against her will. “Thank you for being there for me.”

With a gigantic effort, she forced herself to remove her hands from his. The surge of adrenaline gone, her shoulder ached more, but that wasn’t the reason she stepped back. She’d never been one for long goodbyes, and her heart was getting crushed again with the finality of it.

Then the police were gone with Anne Tandy and Brady. Tex and Rachel were alone again—plus the mice, who in Rachel’s mind, each deserved a medal made from cheese.

Tex clasped her hands again, searching her eyes. “I need to explain something.”

She looked away but didn’t remove her hands this time. It might be ridiculous, but she wanted to enjoy his touch for one more minute before walking away. “There’s nothing to explain. I get it. I do. You have an important job that takes all your time.” Her stomach clenched, but she ignored it.

“My job wasn’t why I couldn’t see you in person. I couldn’t bear to be the reason you might get shot again. I didn’t want to put your life at risk another time.”

“Oh.” It was all she could say while hope flourished inside her. “Does that mean...?”

“I was terrified to lose you. When I was sitting near your room in that hospital, I realized I couldn’t imagine my life without you. I thought loving someone would make me weaker, but it’s the opposite way.”

“Hold on. Hold on.” Her head was spinning. “Did you just say loving...lovingsomeone?” As in loving her? But she was scared to ask the rest of that sentence in case she was wrong. Love wasn’t just a rare commodity in her world. It was near nonexistent. Her heart about stopped beating before resuming with a wild force.

Could he... could he love her?

His bright smile nearly made her melt. “I love you, Rachel Arvidson. Forever.”

Chapter Seventeen

---