Page 66 of The Cowboy Complication

THAT DID NOT go the way she expected.

She hadn’t anticipated the genuine interest that would come her way, and she hadn’t expected Cooper’s reaction to be so…

Reactive.

Or that the whole thing would end in a bar brawl and multiple arrests.

Listening to Griselda was a bad idea. She never should have pushed things—Cooper—the way she did.

Except it kind of worked. So far.

“I have to go in to check on some paperwork and clock out.” Cooper parked his cruiser in one of the numbered spots at the back of the gated lot behind the station. “Then we can go home.”

That was the second time he’d said that, and she was still wondering exactly where home was going to be. Would he be dropping her off at the door of her apartment? Wish her a good night and then send her on her way?

Or was he taking her back to his house to touch her the way she was so desperate for? Only time would tell, and hopefully it said something she wanted to hear. Because after this, she was out of ideas.

Cooper got out of the car and she did the same, prepared to follow his lead since she wasn’t sure where to go or what to do. In so many freaking ways.

Instead of going straight for the unmarked door at the back she assumed was the employee entrance, Cooper came her way, sliding his hand around hers and holding tight as he led her across the lot. Once they were inside, he kept his grip on her, only letting go to sign papers or type on the computer.

The place was pretty empty—probably since it was almost midnight—but they did come into contact with a few people. Cooper introduced her, his hand staying on her in some way as he did.

After quickly clocking out, he took her back out to the parking lot and loaded her into his truck. It only took two turns for her to figure out they were going to his place and not hers. Which was good news? Probably? Hopefully.

“We’re going to your house?”

This whole thing tonight was supposed to make her feel more certain. Griselda promised it would show her how Cooper really felt. But instead, she was just as confused as before. They’d been walking the line between friends andmorefor weeks now, and it made it impossible to tell which side of it they were on.

“We’re going home.” He said it like it explained everything.

And it did… Sort of?

“Yourhome.” She needed clarification. Now more than ever. Because the not knowing was starting to get to her. It was making her do things she wouldn’t normally do and think things she wouldn’t normally think.

Like maybe she was still just as delusional as she had been with Eric.

Cooper’s head turned her way, his eyes moving over her face. “Is that really how you see it?”

Isla pressed her lips together, not wanting to admit the truth. That she’d imagined his home being her home more times than she could count. That she’d imaginedhimbeing hers more times than she could count. “I don’t know.”

“I think you do know.” He put his eyes back on the road, hands gripping the wheel tighter than normal. “And I think you’ve been as afraid to admit it as I have.”

Damn. He’d called her right out on that one.

But not only had Cooper called her out, he’d insinuated something that made her feel like a jerk. “You’ve been afraid?”

“You mean of losing the person I value most in the world because I pushed for more than she was willing to give?” He shook his head. “Wasn’t worried at all.”

Well, fuck.

“I need to tell you something.” She twisted her hands in her lap, guilt gnawing at her insides worse than uncertainty ever could.

Cooper pulled into the driveway of his house, parking right in front of the garage before opening his door to climb out. “Come on, Princess. Time to go inside.”

Opening her own door, Isla slid to the ground, feeling a little sick. She was a terrible person. She’d tricked the man she loved into making a move he wasn’t ready for. Pushed him farther than he wanted to go.

All because she was impatient. Because she was ready to move forward. Because she didn’t want to end up sitting around waiting to find out a man didn’t really want her like she thought he did.

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