the interior and the sound of Eva
clearing her throat made every live wire inside him suddenly lose power. He
exhaled a nervous breath, glad she was at least home safely.
“Told you I’d be back in one piece,” she said as she
hung up her cardigan. “There’s no need to go hunting me down. Seriously.”
She started to climb up into the loft.
“Where’s lover boy?” asked North, no humor in his
tone.
“His name is Wade, and he just dropped me off, like
a perfect gentleman.”
“That why he had his lips all over you?” asked Colton.
His brother was just as unimpressed, even though he’d condoned the behavior.
“Hush you!” Eva slipped under the covers.
“You haven’t eaten,” said North.
“Wade bought me dinner.”
He ground his teeth together, stifling a growl. The
sound of that man’s name on Eva’s lips made him see red. If he never heard the
name again it would be too soon.
They secured the trailer and turned out the lights
before joining Eva in the bed. He tossed his shirt and lay down on his back,
staring up at the low ceiling. She was already comfortable, obviously not
feeling the volatile energy keeping him awake. He kept as far to his side as
possible, the cold wall of the trailer chilling his arm. Every time she shifted
in the bed, he tensed.
“I’m cold,” she murmured, cuddling closer to him.
The heat of her body scorched his bare skin. In a matter of days, everything
changed for him. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but he wished he could go
back to the way things were. Uncomplicated.
He tried to get away from her but he was trapped in
the tight confines of the sleeping area. He held his breath as she ran her palm
over his chest, over and over in small circles. Her touch had always been
soothing—not so much anymore.
“What’s wrong with you?” she whispered against his
neck. His eyes lolled back in his head. Even her fucking breath was sweet.
“Nothing. Go to sleep, Eva.”
“You’re acting weird, North. Is this because of
Wade?”
He decided the cowboy was a safer topic than his
changing feelings for her. “I don’t trust him.”
“Why not?”
“Just don’t is all.” He rolled to his side and away
from her. It didn’t feel right going to sleep on a sour note, but he couldn’t
have this discussion now. Mrs. Ford was the one to teach him and Colton not to
speak out of passion. It was always best to confront a person with a level
head, after cooling off and replaying the events over in your head. He usually
didn’t take the advice, but tonight felt like a good time to start.
“Will you two quiet down,” said Colton.
Eva pressed her body against his back. Why had he
taken off his shirt? He needed layers between them—many, many layers.
“I know what I’m doing,” she said in a whisper. “You
don’t have to worry about me.”
“I’d worry less if you spent more time with Bessie
and Ruby than that drifter.”
“He’s not a drifter.”
“Why you defending him?” he asked. “You act like
you’re already an item.”
She kissed his shoulder. “I just want you to be
happy for me, North.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“It does. You’re the one who taught me how to rope a
calf, and even though it took me weeks to learn, you never got impatient. You
protected me when Jameson’s dogs got loose.” She ran her hand delicately down
his arm, her fingers lingering over the raised scars on his forearm. “You
bought me a corsage when no boy asked me to prom. Remember when the three of us
danced in the rain that night? My dress was covered in mud.”
“I remember.”
“Well those are just examples of why I love you so
much. It doesn’t feel right doing anything without your blessing.”
He wasn’t sure he could ever give her what she
wanted.
Chapter
Six
The following afternoon, Eva went to take care of
Bessie and Ruby. She needed to keep up their appearances because the judges
would be in town tomorrow morning. Wade was
clearing her throat made every live wire inside him suddenly lose power. He
exhaled a nervous breath, glad she was at least home safely.
“Told you I’d be back in one piece,” she said as she
hung up her cardigan. “There’s no need to go hunting me down. Seriously.”
She started to climb up into the loft.
“Where’s lover boy?” asked North, no humor in his
tone.
“His name is Wade, and he just dropped me off, like
a perfect gentleman.”
“That why he had his lips all over you?” asked Colton.
His brother was just as unimpressed, even though he’d condoned the behavior.
“Hush you!” Eva slipped under the covers.
“You haven’t eaten,” said North.
“Wade bought me dinner.”
He ground his teeth together, stifling a growl. The
sound of that man’s name on Eva’s lips made him see red. If he never heard the
name again it would be too soon.
They secured the trailer and turned out the lights
before joining Eva in the bed. He tossed his shirt and lay down on his back,
staring up at the low ceiling. She was already comfortable, obviously not
feeling the volatile energy keeping him awake. He kept as far to his side as
possible, the cold wall of the trailer chilling his arm. Every time she shifted
in the bed, he tensed.
“I’m cold,” she murmured, cuddling closer to him.
The heat of her body scorched his bare skin. In a matter of days, everything
changed for him. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but he wished he could go
back to the way things were. Uncomplicated.
He tried to get away from her but he was trapped in
the tight confines of the sleeping area. He held his breath as she ran her palm
over his chest, over and over in small circles. Her touch had always been
soothing—not so much anymore.
“What’s wrong with you?” she whispered against his
neck. His eyes lolled back in his head. Even her fucking breath was sweet.
“Nothing. Go to sleep, Eva.”
“You’re acting weird, North. Is this because of
Wade?”
He decided the cowboy was a safer topic than his
changing feelings for her. “I don’t trust him.”
“Why not?”
“Just don’t is all.” He rolled to his side and away
from her. It didn’t feel right going to sleep on a sour note, but he couldn’t
have this discussion now. Mrs. Ford was the one to teach him and Colton not to
speak out of passion. It was always best to confront a person with a level
head, after cooling off and replaying the events over in your head. He usually
didn’t take the advice, but tonight felt like a good time to start.
“Will you two quiet down,” said Colton.
Eva pressed her body against his back. Why had he
taken off his shirt? He needed layers between them—many, many layers.
“I know what I’m doing,” she said in a whisper. “You
don’t have to worry about me.”
“I’d worry less if you spent more time with Bessie
and Ruby than that drifter.”
“He’s not a drifter.”
“Why you defending him?” he asked. “You act like
you’re already an item.”
She kissed his shoulder. “I just want you to be
happy for me, North.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“It does. You’re the one who taught me how to rope a
calf, and even though it took me weeks to learn, you never got impatient. You
protected me when Jameson’s dogs got loose.” She ran her hand delicately down
his arm, her fingers lingering over the raised scars on his forearm. “You
bought me a corsage when no boy asked me to prom. Remember when the three of us
danced in the rain that night? My dress was covered in mud.”
“I remember.”
“Well those are just examples of why I love you so
much. It doesn’t feel right doing anything without your blessing.”
He wasn’t sure he could ever give her what she
wanted.
Chapter
Six
The following afternoon, Eva went to take care of
Bessie and Ruby. She needed to keep up their appearances because the judges
would be in town tomorrow morning. Wade was
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