Page 22 of Auctioned to the Cowboy

“Tell me more about your family,” I venture cautiously, breaking the comfortable silence between us. It’s a bold move, one I wouldn’t usually make, but I want to peel back the layers of mystery surrounding her. I need to know what’s shaped her, what’s made her strong enough to end up here with me.

Shay hesitates, her gaze falling to the flickering flames. She picks at the edge of the blanket, her fingers twisting the fabric in a nervous motion. “Well, my dad, um, he isn’t a good man. Drinks a lot.” She swallows hard, and the weight of her words pulls me deeper into her world. “When I lived there, it was bad. He was mean. Verbally. Physically. I thought moving out would change things, but whenever I went back to see Mom, it was like I never left. I was slapped as often as I was when I was a kid. And Mom just accepted it. Still does.”

Her voice shakes slightly, but an undercurrent of resolve keeps her from breaking. My hands clench into fists at my sides, angerbubbling low in my gut at the pain she endured. She shouldn’t have faced that kind of hell, not alone.

“Sounds like hell,” I murmur, my tone low and controlled. I force my fists to relax. She doesn’t need my anger right now. She needs to know I’m listening.

She nods, biting her lip. “It was. That’s why I needed out. I couldn’t take it anymore, watching my mom deal with her cuts only after cleaning his bloody hands. I’m never going to live like that again.”

Her eyes lift to meet mine, a steeliness in their depths, a survivor’s resolve. It stirs something deep inside me, something primal and protective.

“Guess we both needed something different,” I say, the truth of the statement settling in like the snow outside. “You know you’re safe here, right? With me?”

“From the moment I stepped through the door,” Shay admits with a soft smile. “Even though you looked like a thunderbolt ready to explode, my instincts told me I was safe with you.”

“Good.” I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Because for the first time in a long while, I’m... happy. With Shay. “I know I’m not an easy man to live with, but I would never lay a finger on you in anger,” I say gruffly as I stoke the fire, sending a cascade of sparks dancing up the chimney. The warmth battles the chill from the corners of the room, and I’m aware of that same warmth melting the frost around my heart. It’s been there so long that I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to feel anything else.

“Your turn,” Shay says, her voice soft but firm, like she knows she’s asking me to cross a line I drew in concrete.

I push a log until it settles with a satisfying crackle. I can’t look at her, not yet, if I’m going to get this all out. I poke at the log again before I continue.

“Dad was a SEAL. He started preparing my brothers and me to be SEALs before we learned how to ride bikes. I guess that’s why we followed in his footsteps.” The words feel strange and foreign, coming out after being buried for so long.

“Tom and Angus too?” Shay asks in surprise.

I chuckle, knowing she’s referring to how different we are in temperament, although Angus is more guarded, like me. “Yeah, a few years after me. Tom loved it. Angus had… a tougher time of it.”

Shay frowns, but doesn’t push for more information. It’s one of the things I admire about her—she’s a good listener and respects the privacy and boundaries of others. Angus will share his story with her one day, I’m sure, but it’s not mine to tell.

“Dad and the Navy made me who I am,” I continue. “Loyalty, honor, and discipline mean everything to me. Or they did until…”

“Your ex?” Her head tilts, that damned cute nose crinkling in concern.

“Until I came home to find my wife with someone else.” The confession is like ripping off a scab. “I loved her, Shay. And she…”

Shay scoots closer, bridging the gap between us until our shoulders touch. Her warmth seeps into me, calming and comforting. “She didn’t deserve you, Henry.”

“Maybe,” I concede, my voice a rough whisper. The pain is still there, but it’s duller now, like a knife that’s lost its edge. In truth, it’s faded with each day Shay has been in my life.

“Love is supposed to be a fairy tale, right?” Shay chuckles, but there’s no humor in it. “At least, that’s what I thought. But my dad taught me differently. He taught me it was more like a horror story.”

“Is that what you still think?” I ask, turning to face her.

“Since meeting you?” She hesitates, then lets out a breath. “I don’t know. You make me want to believe again. To hope that maybe there’s a different ending for me. For us.”

“Hope’s not a bad thing to have.” My hand finds hers, fingers intertwining naturally. “Not at all.”

“Even for us?” Her question is a whisper, but it’s as clear as if she’d shouted it.

“Especially for us,” I affirm, knowing the truth of my words. “We’re both a little broken, but maybe we fit together.”

“Like two busted wheels on a shopping cart? A little wobbly, but we still get where we’re going.” A small laugh escapes her, and the sound is sweeter than any music.

“Only you could compare us to a shopping cart.” I chuckle, squeezing her hand and reveling in the trust and respect growing between us. It’s unexpected. But I’m not about to let it go. Not this time.

I lean in, my lips finding hers in the glow of the fire. It’s a soft kiss, a promise more than anything, and her response is gentle but eager.

A smile tugs at my lips as I pull back. “We’ve both got our share of scars, but maybe we can start to heal them. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but… what if we try to make a life together? This thing between us, it’s caught me off guard, but I’m willing to dive in if you are.”

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