Page 54 of Never Left You

Whatthehellwasgoing on?

One minute I was pissed that Cash was calling me out on my walls, the next I was looking in his eyes, studying every drop of brown that was there, hoping he would keep talking. Hoping that I could get some more ofhiswalls down. And maybe scoot a little closer to me. So, what did I do? I moved closer to him. The feeling was there even through the light conversation. The butterflies flew like crazy in my stomach, and I could have sworn he was going to kiss me. The way his eyes kept moving to my lips and how his breaths became short and shaky…something wasgoing through his mind that he was forcing himself to ignore. And then he had to go and say he was there for Stetson and me, and then he had to touch me.

One simple touch threw me off. One simple touch sent a buzz through my skin that I felt all through me.

But this feeling shouldn’t be here.

He was Sylas’s best friend. Mydead husband'sbest friend.

With my chin down, I pulled myself into a run. I put as much distance between Cash and myself as I could, heading straight to the main house.

I passed Wyatt as I barreled in the front door, ignoring his, “Hey! I was just heading to the stable,” as I said a silent prayer that Kyla was in the kitchen. If she wasn’t, I was about to get a run in for the day in the quarter mile to their cabin. Thankfully, Rhett’s voice came floating down the hall, followed by a laugh from Kyla.

“I need your wife,” I said, almost out of breath, resting my hands on the counter.

Rhett raised his eyebrows. “Hey, Abs.”

Abs?

Rhett never called me Abs. I was Sis or just Abi. The only one who called me Abs was Cash.

“I don’t have much time, and I need to talk to Kyla,” I said again quickly, still trying to catch my breath from my run.

Rhett’s lips formed a soft smile, and his jaw moved. He situated next to his wife, getting comfortable against the counter as he crossed his ankles and folded his arms. His expression told me he wasn’t leaving.

“You wanna be here for this?” I sternly asked, giving him a knowing glare that I was hoping would cause him to leave.

“Always.” He grinned.

Letting out a deep breath, I pretended Rhett wasn’t in the room, and I let everything out. “I think I’m spiraling orsomething because I can’t keep my emotions in check when it comes to a certain person who’s showed up on the ranch, and I need you to talk me out of doing something stupid and remind me that I hate him.”

Kyla’s brow raised. “You want me to remind you that you hate Cash?”

“I didn’t say this was about Cash,” I bit back defensively.

“Who else has shown up at the ranch?” Rhett muttered under his breath.

I let out a long groan. “I really want you to leave.” I looked over at him, giving him a silent plea.

Instead, my brother shook his head and wrapped his arm around Kyla. “Not a chance.”

Closing my eyes, I held them tight and tried to form the words that were going through my mind. It had been an odd past few days—starting with the damn embrace. A simplehug.

“It was when he hugged you.” Kyla’s soft voice basically told me she was reading my mind. “I knew it was more than a hug between friends.”

“And it stirred my brain. I haven’t had that kind of…” I trailed off. I didn’t want to use the wordlovewhen it came to Cash. With the way he held me, the way he looked at me, the things he did and said the past forty-eight hours…it almost felt right.

“I give you hugs,” Rhett teased, a small pout on his lips.

“You’re just as bad as my son when it comes to pouting.” I put my hands on my hips.

“Rhett.” Kyla glared at her husband.

“I’m just teasing my kid sister.” He chuckled, his hand sliding down Kyla’s back.

“Now’s not the time,” she hissed at him.

“Ok, fine. See you soon?” Rhett pushed himself off the counter, kissing Kyla on the cheek and accepting her small nod, before leaving through the back door.

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