Page 24 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

“Because...” I falter, grasping for an excuse that doesn’t sound pathetic. “You work for me. And we’re only here for a few more months. Then we’ll both be gone, off to the next job.”

It’s a flimsy argument, and we both know it. But I cling to it anyway, like a life raft in a stormy sea.

Shane sits up fully, the sheet falling away to reveal his bare chest. My eyes are drawn to the smattering of scars there, souvenirs from his time in the military.

“So?” he challenges, his gaze holding mine. “That doesn’t mean we can’t...”

He trails off, but the implication hangs heavy in the air between us. I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry.

“It means wecan’t,” I insist, my voice sharper than I intended. “This was a mistake. A one-time thing that can’t happen again.”

The words taste like ash on my tongue, but I force them out anyway. I have to be strong, for both our sakes.

Shane’s jaw tightens, and I can see the muscle ticking there. He’s holding something back, some emotion that’s simmering just below the surface.

“You don’t mean that,” he says finally, his voice low and gravelly.

I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off with a shake of his head.

“Don’t lie to me, Krystal. And don’t lie to yourself.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of me. Because deep down, I know he’s right. This thing between us, whatever it is, isn’t just physical. It’s deeper than that, more dangerous.

And that terrifies me.

I scramble out of the bed, clutching the sheet around me like a shield. My legs are shaky, but I force myself to stand tall.

“Promise me,” I say, my voice wavering despite my best efforts. “Promise me this won’t happen again.”

Shane’s eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, I think he’s going to refuse. But then he gives a curt nod, his jaw clenched tight.

“I promise.”

The words hang in the air, heavy and final. I nod, turning away before he can see the tears stinging my eyes.

I gather my clothes quickly, dressing with my back to him. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to stay, to crawl back into that bed and lose myself in his embrace.

But I can’t. I won’t let myself be that vulnerable, that open to heartbreak.

Not again.

With one last glance over my shoulder, I slip out of Shane’s room and into the cool night air. The walk back to my cabin is a blur, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

Shame. Desire. Longing. Fear.

By the time I reach my door, I’m trembling from more than just the chill. I pause, leaning my forehead against the rough wood, trying to catch my breath.

What the hell am I doing? How did I let things go this far?

I squeeze my eyes shut, willing the tears not to fall. I’m stronger than this. I have to be, for Ashanti’s sake, if nothing else.

I walk over to the rocking chair and pull out my phone.

“Hey, Tink. Everything okay?”

The sound of my mother’s voice opens up the dam. “No, ma’am.”

“What is it, baby?”

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