Page 94 of Soldier Cowboy
Beau threw off his hat. “That’s going to cost me even more time!”
“I brought the ambulance,” Lenny said. “When I got the call from the phone tree, I didn’t really know what we’d need so I came prepared.”
“He doesn’t need a hospital, he needs the Sheriff,” said Jackson.
“Nobodyneeds the ambulance?” Lenny almost sounded disappointed. “What about you, Jennifer?”
Slowly, Dan rose from the ground, pulled up by Riggs and Jackson and hustled outside between them.
Dan cursed at them all as he walked by. “This is none of your business! I’m going to sue every single one of you for invasion of privacy and I’ve got a great lawyer.”
“You’re going to need one,” said Riggs, the lawyer.
Jennifer was still kneeling on the ground watching as Dan was led away, unharmed, when she felt someone behind her take her by the waist and slowly pick her up off the ground.
Colton.
He turned her to him. “You’re okay now. I’m sorry about all this. I know it’s a lot.”
Jennifer studied his handsome face, his earnest puppy dog eyes, and tentative smile. She both wanted to smack him and hug him tight for a trillion years.
She buried her face in his neck. “Don’t ever do that again! Ever!”
“Okay.”
“Why did you come in here?” She pulled back, fisting his shirt. “Itoldyou he had a gun.”
“I’m supposed to leave you in here with an armed man? Think about it.” He cocked his head and tugged on a lock of her hair. “More importantly, why did you gowithhim? Haven’t I taught you better than that?”
“I had to! He said he would hurt you. And then you talked your way in here without a gun. Imagine my shock and awe!”
“Well, I would rather it be me than you.”
Her heart tripped over the words, and she ached with a deep longing. No one had ever loved her like this. He’d taken her in on day one and never once complained.
“Oh, Colton,” she whispered.
“I mean, your father would kill me.”
Those words were like the screech of metal and squeal of brakes when a car came to a sudden stop.
Had she somehow forgotten taking care of her was first and foremost a favor to her father? His mentor? Had she somehow let the past two weeks of closeness and togetherness in their very fake engagement fool her into thinking this was more?Theywere more?
Answer: yes, apparently, she had. She wasn’t much better than poor delusional Dan.
She loved someone who didn’t love her in return.
“Right.” She pulled away from him. “Does everyone know now?”
“Know what?”
“That we’re not actually engaged.”
“Say what?” Beau said from next to the front door where he stood. “You two arenotengaged?”
“Well, if they didn’t before, they will now.” Colton gave Beau a tight smile. “Word will spread by morning.”
“He was actually my bodyguard.”
