Page 57 of The Cowboy Complication

“I guess it was technically Griselda and my grandpa, but she’s the one who gave me the keys.” Isla shook her head, looking as shocked as he was. “She said she was proud of me. That she’d given Evelyn a car when she got her license, and she’d be doing the same thing for my brother.”

His mouth hung open as he tried to come up with something to say. A congratulatory response or agreement of pride.

But his brain was caught up. Tripping over this new development and all it meant.

And what it meant was, he’d fucked up.

All his easy reasons for seeing Isla were gone and he’d just shown her how he jerked his cock over video chat. He’d taken what they had and soiled it. Showed her he wasn’t really her friend, just some horny dick who wanted to wag his wiener over FaceTime. She could walk away right now, adding him to the list of men who only cared about themselves.

Even a coop of cute baby chicks might not be able to save him.

Luckily, Isla didn’t seem to notice his spiral of self-loathing.

“I was going to offer to go check on the chicks tomorrow on my way home from work, but I guess since you’ll be there…” Her voice drifted off and he pounced.

Jumped on the opportunity without hesitation. “You should still come over. Make sure I’m not a negligent chicken dad.” He wouldn’t be. He was about to go kiss each of their fuzzy little heads for being the excuse she needed.

Isla beamed at him, looking beautiful and sweet and relaxed and like maybe this would all be fine. “Yeah. Okay. I can do that.”

“Good.” He calmed down a little knowing she wasn’t already on her way out of his life. “You can even stop by in the morning on your way in.” God he was a greedy bastard. “Grab some coffee and breakfast as you go.” Technically he wasn’t on the way to Grady’s, but he also wasn’t completely out of the way either.

“Are you offering to make me breakfast, Officer Staks?” Isla asked. “Because I’m not one to turn down free food.”

It wasn’t free. She was paying with her presence. The most valuable commodity in existence. “Then I’ll see you at six.”

Isla’s smile was bright and wide. “You better be careful. You keep buying baby animals and making me food and you might never get rid of me.”

Was it that easy? Because if it was…

“I guess that’s just a risk I’ll have to take.” Cooper took a last look at her, soaking up how fucking perfect she looked all tousled and flushed. “Sweet dreams, Princess. I’ll see you in the morning.”

19

Isla

COOPER WAS WAITING for her when she pulled into his driveway. He watched her with a sharp gaze, barely blinking as she climbed out of her car and walked his way. Like he’d been waiting forever to see her. Which wasn’t true. He saw her all the time.

Cooper took every opportunity to invite her over, either before she worked or after. All the other times, he stopped by her place. Checking on her during his shifts or before he went home. Making sure she was safe and sound.

It was nice. Sweet.

Friendly.

God she hated that freaking word, but it was the only one that applied to their situation.

Because not a single unfriendly thing had happened since that one indiscretion a week and a half ago. Not a kiss. Not a wayward touch. Hell, Cooper hadn’t even mentioned the fact that they’d seen each other come. He just went on like it never happened.

And she was starting to get annoyed. Especially since it was so obvious he wanted her the same way she wanted him.

At first, she’d sort of thought Griselda was just cocky when she said it was easy to see a man’s desire. But now that she was looking, Gram-Gram was right. It was there in literally everything Cooper did. The way he made her coffee and breakfast whenever he could. How he called or texted anytime he had a free second. The chicks. The driving lessons. The movie nights on his couch.

And the way he looked at her. Like he wanted to eat her up with a spoon.

But the man hadn’t made a single move.

On the plus side, she’d obviously grown as a person since coming to Moss Creek, because she didn’t for a second think his lack of momentum was because she was undesirable or unsexy or boring.

She was desirable and she was sexy.

---