Page 32 of Rocky Top

“You ever feel like he was followin’ you? Hangin’ around where he didn’t belong?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why are you asking me all this?”

I took a step closer. “Because a guy like that don’t let go easy. If he shows up again, you call me. You don’t ask questions, you don’t argue. You call.”

She blinked, lips parting like she wanted to push back, but she didn’t.

“Okay,” she said, barely a whisper.

I took a breath, tryna shove the rage down deep. Couldn’t afford to lose it. Not here. Not in front of her. But my mind was made. A rogue was sniffing around her, and I had to stay close.

“You busy tomorrow?” I asked, switching gears.

“Depends,” she said, tilting her head. “Why?”

“Thought I’d take you out.”

“Oh yeah? On a date?”

I nodded. “Gotta get you outta this bar. You’re becoming a regular.”

She arched a brow. “What kind of date?”

I smirked. “Surprise kind. You in?”

Birdie gave me a slow once-over, lips curving in a way that made my blood hot.

“I’m in.”

We stood there a beat too long. Close enough to kiss. Close enough to let things go too far again.

Instead, I reached for her hand, brought it to my lips, and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Her eyes blew up like balloons.

Then I walked away.

Didn’t trust myself to stay.

Back in my apartment above the garage, I peeled out of my cut and boots, flopped onto the mattress, and stared at the ceiling.

Sleep didn’t come easy these days. Not with the rogue still out there, not with Birdie this close and still not mine.

When I finally did drift off, the dreams came quick.

We were runnin’. Not walkin’. Not ridin’.

Runnin’.

Her blonde hair whipped like silk in the wind, her laugh echoing off the trees. I ran beside her on four legs, fast and free, our paws diggin’ into the dirt as we moved like one beast with two hearts.

She wasn’t scared.

She wasn’t even surprised.

She was wild. Beautiful. Mine.

I woke up hard, breathless, tangled in sheets that smelled like pine and whiskey, and a hint of her.

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