didn’t even hurt. The guy was like a brick wall. “I can take care of myself!”
“Now see, that’s where you’re wrong.” He smiled like a devil. “You look wrung out. Frazzled. Tired. Upset. You’re jumpy. I could keep listing every little thing I see, but it’ll just piss you off more. So out with it honey, what the hell are you doing back in McCree?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
He waited, very patiently, going back to the stool and making himself comfortable.
“I’m worn out.” It was the truth. Not the whole one, but hopefully he bought it. “Being on the road, having people screaming at me…I just needed a break. I’m not used to it yet, I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.”
He inclined his head, and I felt my hope soar. He believed me. He had to. “Right, and self-imposed isolation is the cure all?”
And he thought I was the stubborn one?
Damn him.
Damn Ellie.
Why did they have to care about me so much after I left them? I thought they’d hate me and leave me alone. Not show up trying to take care of me because they were worried.
I clasped my hands tight in front of me, taking a deep breath. “Okay, that’s not all of it. I have a…” I didn’t want to say murderous stalker. “I have an…overzealous fan. Someone just a teeny bit obsessed with me. And it spooked me a bit, so I came here.”
I waited, thinking he’d laugh or something, or tell me that he didn’t believe me again. But he merely nodded, and stood. Then to my shock he pulled me into a crushing hug. I couldn’t breathe.
He let me go and stepped back. “Here I was worried it was something really bad.”
I shrugged, hating that I’d lied to him. “It’s not. Just a little creepy.”
He smiled, “Well, no creepy fans here. Just your friends that care about you. So stay as long as you need, Katie. We won’t tell anyone you’re here.”
I handed him his cowboy hat and followed him to the front door. He stopped, looking down at me as if he wanted to say something else, but he just smiled, shook his head, and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
I hung onto the doorknob, watching him walk across the yard to his truck. He climbed in with a wave, and disappeared down the drive.
My eyes brimmed with tears. I locked myself in the house, feeling empty and alone, wishing he could have stayed longer. Part of me wished I’d been more honest.
I closed my eyes, praying that nothing bad happened here. And hoped that there was hope for us.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dustin
“Shit.” I kicked the tire of my truck and got in, thinking I was the biggest sissy in the county. I’ve kissed plenty of girls. But Kate? I froze. I was scared to death. She was pretty, and smart, and so ready for me to kiss her. But I lost my nerve and pecked her cheek.
I stared back at the house knowing I wasn’t going to sleep. I’d be kicking myself all night because I didn’t man up and kiss the girl.
I started the truck and drove down the driveway, but halfway down I was hitting the breaks. Man, something felt wrong, just leaving her like that. It was like I couldn’t make myself drive any further.
I backed the truck up the drive and sat staring at her house for the next five minutes. Just walk up to the door and knock. That’s all I had to. She’d answer, and I’d tell her I forgot something. Then I’d kiss her.
She’d either slap me or drag me into the house.
I was hoping it was the latter.
The lights were off downstairs now. And I watched a light come on in a room on the second floor. I smiled and waved out the truck window as Kate walked over to the window and pushed it open, no doubt to enjoy the cool breeze. She didn’t see me though.
Now, if I was using my brain, I’d go to the front door and knock. I’d pull Kate out on to the front porch and kiss her.
I grinned, staring up at the second floor window.
Climbing up to surprise her would be much more impressive.
I left my truck and walked up to the side of
“Now see, that’s where you’re wrong.” He smiled like a devil. “You look wrung out. Frazzled. Tired. Upset. You’re jumpy. I could keep listing every little thing I see, but it’ll just piss you off more. So out with it honey, what the hell are you doing back in McCree?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
He waited, very patiently, going back to the stool and making himself comfortable.
“I’m worn out.” It was the truth. Not the whole one, but hopefully he bought it. “Being on the road, having people screaming at me…I just needed a break. I’m not used to it yet, I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.”
He inclined his head, and I felt my hope soar. He believed me. He had to. “Right, and self-imposed isolation is the cure all?”
And he thought I was the stubborn one?
Damn him.
Damn Ellie.
Why did they have to care about me so much after I left them? I thought they’d hate me and leave me alone. Not show up trying to take care of me because they were worried.
I clasped my hands tight in front of me, taking a deep breath. “Okay, that’s not all of it. I have a…” I didn’t want to say murderous stalker. “I have an…overzealous fan. Someone just a teeny bit obsessed with me. And it spooked me a bit, so I came here.”
I waited, thinking he’d laugh or something, or tell me that he didn’t believe me again. But he merely nodded, and stood. Then to my shock he pulled me into a crushing hug. I couldn’t breathe.
He let me go and stepped back. “Here I was worried it was something really bad.”
I shrugged, hating that I’d lied to him. “It’s not. Just a little creepy.”
He smiled, “Well, no creepy fans here. Just your friends that care about you. So stay as long as you need, Katie. We won’t tell anyone you’re here.”
I handed him his cowboy hat and followed him to the front door. He stopped, looking down at me as if he wanted to say something else, but he just smiled, shook his head, and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
I hung onto the doorknob, watching him walk across the yard to his truck. He climbed in with a wave, and disappeared down the drive.
My eyes brimmed with tears. I locked myself in the house, feeling empty and alone, wishing he could have stayed longer. Part of me wished I’d been more honest.
I closed my eyes, praying that nothing bad happened here. And hoped that there was hope for us.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dustin
“Shit.” I kicked the tire of my truck and got in, thinking I was the biggest sissy in the county. I’ve kissed plenty of girls. But Kate? I froze. I was scared to death. She was pretty, and smart, and so ready for me to kiss her. But I lost my nerve and pecked her cheek.
I stared back at the house knowing I wasn’t going to sleep. I’d be kicking myself all night because I didn’t man up and kiss the girl.
I started the truck and drove down the driveway, but halfway down I was hitting the breaks. Man, something felt wrong, just leaving her like that. It was like I couldn’t make myself drive any further.
I backed the truck up the drive and sat staring at her house for the next five minutes. Just walk up to the door and knock. That’s all I had to. She’d answer, and I’d tell her I forgot something. Then I’d kiss her.
She’d either slap me or drag me into the house.
I was hoping it was the latter.
The lights were off downstairs now. And I watched a light come on in a room on the second floor. I smiled and waved out the truck window as Kate walked over to the window and pushed it open, no doubt to enjoy the cool breeze. She didn’t see me though.
Now, if I was using my brain, I’d go to the front door and knock. I’d pull Kate out on to the front porch and kiss her.
I grinned, staring up at the second floor window.
Climbing up to surprise her would be much more impressive.
I left my truck and walked up to the side of
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