Page 117 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

The secret lurked somewhere deep inside me, like vicious eyes peering out from a dark corner.

Why Lily really got cut off from Dad’s payroll.

Not my story to tell, either.

My stomach went cold. I was silent for a minute, feeling myself building a wall of ice between me and Max brick by brick.

Protecting him.

Taking the pain, shouldering the guilt, and keeping him at a distance like I knew I had to.

“Do as you please,” I told him. “This room is yours.”

I walked away, heading down the long hall toward one of the guest bedrooms instead.

Max didn’t call after me. Didn’t protest.

He let me go.

I woketo a hand on my arm, my breath catching as I shot up in bed.

“Fuck.”

My heart pounded. I’d been dreaming, vague, bad dreams.

“I tried six different doors before I found this one,” Max’s voice came through the dark room.

It was him.

I knew it would be him, or maybe I’d just been hoping it was him. Hoping this all wasn’t a dream.

I’d drawn the blinds shut and I could barely see anything other than the outline of his figure and the dim light from the doorway where he was standing.

I was disoriented, being in my house that no longer felt like mine, and being in a room I’d never slept in before. This roomhad mostly been used after parties, for anyone to crash in when they needed.

“This house does have a lot of doors,” I finally said, my voice heavy with sleep.

“Too many.”

I took in a slow breath, watching his figure in the doorframe.

“But you found me,” I said.

“I’m sorry,” Max said.

“Don’t be.”

“Well, I’m still sorry I disturbed your sleep,” he said.

My eyes were adjusting a little and I could make out his features now. He watched me for a moment before he stepped over on the hardwood floor, tossing back the blankets. The mattress moved under his weight, and I felt him getting into the bed beside me.

I groaned.

“Don’t,” I warned him.

But the side of his body pressed up against mine in the bed. My heart was slamming in my chest now as I felt his proximity.

Everything I want.

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