Page 25 of Beautifully Broken Pieces
He was too close. He saw too much. “That’s not necessary. I’m fine now. Promise.” I forced a smile that felt wonky.
“I could use an excuse to stretch my legs. Honestly, you’d be doing me a favor.”
My nails dug into my palms. He didn’t play fair. “Fine.”
Walker let out a chuckle that seemed to rumble through my body. “Thank you.”
We were quiet for the first few minutes of our walk, only the wind and the beginnings of the crickets’ evening song keeping us company. Then, Walker had to go and ruin it. “What gave you the tough day?”
My muscles tensed, and I fought to keep my face neutral. “I didn’t say tough, I said long. I’m just tired. I get emotional when I’m tired.”
“Mmm-hmm.” He might as well have said, “bullshit.”
I clenched my fists and picked up my pace. Unfortunately, my short strides, no matter how quick, were no match for Walker’s long ones.
As we approached The Tea Kettle, my buddies from earlier appeared. Arthur and Clint wore mischievous grins, but it was Art who spoke. “Now, Mr. Cole, what are you doing with our Taylor this evening?”
Walker’s brows rose. “Your Taylor?”
“Yes, our Taylor. We’ve taken her under our wing and are going to show her the ropes.”
Walker’s gaze turned to me. “I think that sounds like a great plan.”
My skin began to itch as Art’s and Clint’s gazes traveled from me to Walker and back again. I needed to get out of here. Too many eyes. Too much attention. “It was nice to see you gentlemen again. Great running into you, Walker. I need to get home now. See you later.”
I didn’t wait for an answer, just took off for the parking lot behind the Kettle. I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until there were at least ten blocks between the man who saw too much and me.
13
Walker
Dawn was just beginning to show its first glimmers of light as rocks crunched beneath my sneakers. I loved running in the early light. The air was cool, few cars were on the road, and I often spotted animals that usually liked to avoid human interaction.
Three miles outside the ranch’s main gate, I spotted a small form up ahead. Her strides were strong and purposeful but no match for my own. Before long, she glanced over her shoulder at the sound of my approaching steps, her golden ponytail swinging. Her head swiveled right back around, and she just kept running.
I quickened my pace until I was right beside her. “I thought you promised that you wouldn’t go walking or running while it was dark out.”
Taylor’s jaw tightened. “It was getting light when I left.”
“Bullshit.”
She blew out a harsh breath. “I have reflectors on my shoes and shorts. I even got a mini bear spray at the hardware store. I’ll be fine.”
I fell back a step and let my gaze fall to her delectable, heart-shaped ass. There was indeed a reflector there.
“Happy?” she bit out.
Thoughts of the missing hiker we still had no signs of filled my head. “No, I’m not happy. You shouldn’t be running alone, it’s too risky.”
Taylor stopped in the middle of the road and whirled on me. “Oh, but it’s okay foryouto run alone? Why? Does you having a dick, magically stop bears from attacking you?”
My frustration bubbled to the surface. “No.Thisstops bears from attacking me.” I pulled my 9mm out of the specialty athletic shorts I wore that allowed me to carry while running.
Color leached from Taylor’s face, and I immediately regretted my decision. Shit. I slowly slid the gun back into the holster. “Why are you running with a Glock?”
Surprise flared at her correct identification of my weapon. She wasn’t scared of that, but something had her freaked. I crept closer. “Because I’m a cop, and there are wild animals around here that don’t always react kindly when startled.”
Her head bobbed up and down slowly. I slipped a hand around the juncture of her neck and jaw. Fuck, her skin, damp with a sheen of sweat, was one of the softest things I’d ever felt. “Look at me, Taylor.” Her gaze came back to focus on mine. “Everything’s fine, I just don’t want you running alone.”
