Page 37 of Sophia & Cameron

Her brother swore under his breath. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Sophia nodded, her eyes darting to the cowboy. “He’ll be here as soon as he can.” The cowboy spun around and headed back the way he’d come. Mateo’s voice drew her back.

“They’re getting closer.”

“The wolves?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “The sheriff said that they’ve been attacking the livestock on the outskirts of town. I thought we were close enough that they wouldn’t come to our property, but I guess?—”

“This wasn’t the first one, though.”

“Yeah,” Mateo said, “I know. We might have to send out patrols at night.” He sighed again. “Look, we’re not going to panic until there is an official sighting. They might still stay on the outskirts of the property. We’re just going to have to keep an eye on it—keep our herds safe.”

“So, you don’t want me to tell anyone else? I’m sure the guys?—”

“I’ll talk to them myself when I get there. What pasture were they at?”

Sophia glanced at the cowboy’s retreating form again. “They said the northern pasture.”

Mateo grunted. There were other voices in the background, and it sounded like he might be at a coffee shop or some other small business. “I’ll see you when I get back. We’ll have a family meeting about this and decide what’s going to be best.”

“I’ll make sure Daniel knows he’s included, then.”

“Thanks, Sophia.”

She hung up the phone with a distinct level of trepidation. The wolves had been a nuisance over the last couple of years, but they had been easy to scare off according to some of the other ranchers. But the pack was getting braver. Not only had a neighboring pasture had an attack, now one of Mateo’s animalshad been attacked. If something wasn’t done, this would only get worse.

Her phone rang and she paused, seeing Mateo’s number on the screen.

“Yes?” she asked, placing the phone to her ear.

“I hate to ask this of you on short notice, but with the wolf issue and some other things I have to take care of, I can’t watch Paxton while Nikki is out tonight.”

Sophia frowned. She’d planned on spending time with Cameron. They didn’t have anofficialplan in mind besides that, but she’d been excited to make up for lost time. She could almost guarantee that he had something fun up his sleeve because that was just who he was.

“Sophia?”

“Yeah, okay. I can do it.”

“Thanks.” His breath of relief did nothing to ease the disappointment she felt in having to tell Cameron they’d be postponing any shenanigans. He’d understand. That was the kind of guy Cameron was.

“You owe me, though,” Sophia said just as the phone disconnected.

Arms came around her and she gasped as she spun to face the intrusion. Cameron’s eyes clashed with hers, desire laced within them. “I was thinking. We should go dancing tonight.”

She opened her mouth to explain why that wasn’t going to happen when he cut her off with a finger to her lips.

“I know I haven’t had the best track record at that club you like going to so much, but I thought that seeing as I will be the one to escort you there, we won’t have any trouble with strangers pulling you close in order to steal your attention from me and vice versa.”

His proposition sounded so nice. She loved going dancing, and knowing that Cameron would be there as her date sent herheart into all sorts of acrobatics. Her eyes must have given her away, and he released her as he stepped back. “What’s wrong.”

The lack of his touch practically burned her. “I can’t.”

Her disappointment was mirrored in his gaze, but there was something else hovering just beneath the surface. He was upset with her—no, not just upset. Was he actually angry? “Don’t tell me that you’re running from me, Red. Not again.”

“What?” she demanded. “I’mnotrunning.”

“What do you expect me to believe? We kiss and suddenly?—”

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