Page 60 of Alive and Wells

She grips my erection with a soft smile. “I think you’re hungry for something very different.”

“You’re not wrong.” I find myself toying with the hair at the nape of her neck. Her body tenses, but I kiss the rigid muscle running along her jaw despite it. She still spooks when I grab her in certain ways or move too quickly, but I’ve learned it’s best to pretend it’s not happening. If I bring attention to it, she retreats into herself. And a few slow, sensual kisses always get her to melt under me again. “I can’t help it when you look so good in jeans and boots.”

“You mean the same things I wear almost every day?” She laughs, leaning into the kisses I’m trailing down the side of her neck. I stop briefly to suck on the rapidly beating pulse point, stealing her breath. Knowing I have this effect on her isn’t doing anything to help the hard bulge in my jeans. “And I thought you didn’t care about my boots? ‘Seen one, you’ve seen them all’, right?”

“Was trying to pretend like I wasn’t picturing you in nothing but those boots.”

“Now I know what we’re doing later. Come on—we’ll be late.” She presses her palms to my chest to back me away.

“Let me shower and we’ll go. Unless you want to join?” I try my hand at a pouty face, which makes her laugh.

“If only you’d gotten here before I put makeup on. You missed your chance,darling.”

With a playful slap on my ass, she sends me to shower alone. I grumble loudly the entire ten-pace walk to the bathroom, then take the fastest shower of my life. Holding a towel wrapped around my hips, I enter the bedroom to find Cecily sitting on the edge of the bed. Normally, one or both of us would make a flirty comment right now—except there’s clear tension in the air, and the excitement I expected to see in her eyes is absent.

My chin gestures toward the phone in her hand. “What’s going on?”

“Take a wild guess.” She shoves it in my direction and, with a deep breath, I look at what has her so shaken.

Unknown Sender:Wells Canyon. That’s where you are, isn’t it, Cecily? Only you would be dumb enough to think you can hide out in a town with 2,000 people. See you soon, wife.

“After not hearing anything for so long, I genuinely thought he gave up,” she mutters.

I’ve never wanted to be wrong so fucking bad.

I squat down in front of her, rubbing my palms across her thighs. “I know you did—and I wish you were right.”

“We should go. I don’t want to be late for the movie and ruin our night,” she says in a monotone voice. I’m waiting for her to cry, scream, throw something… she’s so stoic it’s making my hair stand on end.

“With all due respect, darlin’, fuck the movie. If you don’t want to go anymore, I get it. I promise the night won’t be ruined.”

“No, I want to go. I’m not going to just hide here for the rest of my life. If he finds me tonight, it is what it is. Besides, unless he was already en route when he sent that, he wouldn’t get here for hours.”

Keeping her here would be so much easier. Safer. I maintain some control over who gets onto the property. There are always at least a dozen ranch hands around to protect her. There are guns and dogs, not to mention, being thirty kilometres from town on a rough dirt road deters most unwelcome guests. But, as important as keeping her safe is, I’m also in the habit of keeping her happy.

“If you want to come home at any point, you’ll tell me?”

She nods slowly.

“And if I tell you we have to leave, you’ll listen?” I stare into her bright blue eyes. “We’ll swing by The Horseshoe on our way. Dave will let me know if anybody comes sniffing around tonight.”

“Aus, I’m sorry. This isn’t fair to you. You shouldn’t constantly have to deal with me and my drama.”

Giving her thighs a squeeze, I softly kiss her knee. “I’m notdealingwith you. I’m here because I want to be. I want to sort this shit out together. Becausethis,”—my finger circles between us—“thing that’s happening with us is worth it. You’re worth it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Darlin’, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Now come on, or we won’t have time to pick up food before the movie, and I wasn’t kidding about being starving.”

The local dive bar’s already busy with regular patrons when we pull up shortly after eight o’clock. Holding her hand, I can feel Cecily’s palm start to sweat as we approach the door. Not that I blame her. There’s a real possibility KJ could be in the bar, and I’m about to deliver Cecily right to him.

“He’s not here,” she breathes out the words as the door swings shut behind us.Thank God.It’s a good night, and he’s not here to ruin it. Not yet anyway.

“Hey, Dave. I need a favour.” I lean on the wood bar top, keeping a firm grip on Cecily’s hand. I don’t think I’ll feel okay letting her go until there’s zero chance he’ll appear.

“Austin. Cecily. What can I do for ya?”

“There’s a guy—might show up here asking about Cecily. Pretend you’ve never met anybody by that name around here. And then text me. Tell Cass the same.”

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