Page 88 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“You are unbelievable,” she seethed.

He was startled by how quickly her anger had come on.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Her voice dripped with venom. “Just when I manage to break through that sky-high wall you’ve built up—” her voice caught “—every time we start to get close, you push me away.” Her head swiveled back and forth. “I don’t know why I even try,” she muttered, pulling her hands from his.

Confusion lassoed a tight circle around him as his brows shot down in a V. “I’m not pushing you away.”

“Yes, you are,” she argued, thrusting out her chin. “You’re pushing me away just like you did when we connected at the drive-in.” Her eyes flashed fire. “Don’t try and deny it!”

His brain raced to connect the dots. “Are you saying that you care about me?”

“Of course, I care about you!” she snapped. “I’ve always cared. If you had an ounce of sense in that bull-headed brain, you’d realize it.” Her voice hitched. “What does a girl have to do to get you to open your eyes?”

A swell of relief ran through him. He rubbed his neck. “I guess I misread the situation. When we came into the room, you were as jittery as a frog hyped up on a pound of sugar.”

“A w—what?” she laughed in surprise.

He rushed on. “I assumed that you were having second thoughts about us.”

Her eyes lasered into his. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“No.” Even as he spoke the word, the truth of it settled into his bones. “This thing with us … it caught me completely by surprise.”

A hint of a smile peeked beneath her frustration. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” She paused. “If you must know, if I was acting a little jittery it was because I’m worried about tomorrow.”

“Are you afraid that we won’t get there in time?”

“Yes, I’m worried about the weather. I’ve been praying that it will clear.” Apprehension clouded her eyes. “But that’s not all.” She began fiddling with her hands.

“What else?” he prompted.

She clasped her hands together, holding them tightly in her lap. “Tonight has been wonderful.” Her eyes softened.

“Yes, it has,” he uttered, soaking in her exquisite features. He marveled at the glow in her countenance, how her eyes reflected such light and hope.

“I just don’t want anything to change what’s developing between us. My grandfather and Eric Stanford will be looking for any chink in our armor. I dread being put under the microscope… I dread it for the both of us.” She squared her jaw, a fierce light shining in her eyes. “We have to stand together. We have to show them that we care about each other.”

His hand went out to cup her jaw. He stroked his thumb over her smooth, milky skin. “That shouldn’t be too hard to do.”

She gave him a questioning look. “No?”

“No,” he affirmed, a smile moving over his lips. “Because it’s the truth. I’m falling for you, princess. Fast and hard.” This was new for him, laying out his heart. It was hers to do with as she pleased.

Her face lit with such pleasure that it warmed him through to his toes. “About time.”

An amused chuckle rose in his throat. “I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I eventually come around.”

“The cowboy can be taught,” she teased, a brilliant smile breaking over her face.

He pursed his lips. “You know, this situation reminds me a little of bronc riding.” It was cute how quickly her eyebrow shot up.

“Please don’t tell me you’re comparing me to a bronco,” she clipped indignantly.

“Never,” he laughed. “Hear me out. When my cousin Jaxson and I were teenagers, he always wanted to ride broncos. He talked about it incessantly. It was like this annoying song that he got in his head and wouldn’t let go of. Finally, to shut him up, I agreed to go with him and give it a try.” He grinned remembering. “I got bucked off, nearly from the minute I got on the bronco. I got a nice face-full of dust.”

She grimaced. “That sounds awful.”

“Yeah, one would think. But then I pulled myself up by the bootstraps and mustered up the courage to get on again. This time, I rode for four seconds.” A grin slid over his lips. “From that point on, I was hooked.” His eyes moved over her face. “Yousee,” he murmured, “bronc riding was the sport that I never knew I would come to love.” Her eyes flicked with understanding before glowing with delight. He continued, “You’re the song that I can’t get out of my head—the song I don’t want to let go of.”

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