Page 19 of Cowboy Stalker
He stretches out, his arms spread across the back of his booth. The motion draws my attention to how tightly that shirt bunches around his shoulders. He’s so big and broad. I want him to crush me against his chest, to hold onto me and never let me go.
I keep talking, trying to ignore the way he’s staring so intently at me. “First, I’d like to spend time with Daisy. I can go back to school when she does. It won’t be easy, but it will be possible. Plus, the pharmacy job will allow me to provide better for her than being a waitress.”
He’s still sprawled out against the booth, like a man without a care in the world. His voice is deep, ringing with conviction when he says, “I wouldn’t worry about money. I don’t plan for you to be a single mom too much longer.”
His words make my cheeks heat, and my heart skip a beat. We’re only on date one, and he’s already talking about marriage. But he’s been around so much the last few weeks that I trust him. Griffin is steady and dependable, the kind of man that doesn’t play games. He wouldn’t be talking about marriage if he didn’t mean it.
The waitress arrives at our table to take our order, giving me a moment to collect myself before she leaves. Once she’s gone, I want to get our conversation on solid ground. “What made you decide to become law enforcement? Was it a childhood dream or a career you picked later?”
A shadow flickers across his face. “A bit of both, I guess.”
“But you love what you do?” I ask the question softly. It seems the kind of thing to be whispered in a town this small where someone must always be listening.
“Now that I’m back in Courage, I love it again. In the city, the system is like a revolving door. You see the same people going in and out of the jails. Some of them never get the help they need because they don’t want help. Some of them want help but can’t catch a break.”
“It wears you down after a while,” I say, thinking of how difficult that must be. When the system isn’t working and you still have to show up and do your job, it has to feel like being a cog in a malfunctioning machine.
“Now I get to split my time between the law and the farm. It’s nice to be able to get out there and work with my hands. Too much paperwork in the city.”
I think of how strong he is, how he held me and Daisy in his arms last night and again this morning. He’s definitely a man who enjoys using his body. I wonder what it would feel like to have him above me, panting in my ear and telling me how much he needs me. The thought has my body burning with need. “I bet your aunt loves having you back.”
“Yeah, she wishes I lived in that big farmhouse with her, but there’s an old cabin a few hundred feet behind her place. That’s where I’ve been living. I don’t want to bother her, coming and going when I get called out to investigate vindictive raccoons in the middle of the night.”
“I didn’t know they could be vindictive.” I can’t resist teasing him.
“It’s not common knowledge, but they’ve been known to carry a grudge for miles.” One side of his mouth tips up, but that’s the only giveaway he’s amused by our exchange. I love how he’s serious when he needs to be, but he can also make silly jokes.
“I’ll keep it in mind next time I take out my trash,” I say as our order arrives.
The food is amazing. My steak is cooked to perfection. Done but not dry. Juicy enough and full of flavor. The baked potato with the crunchy skin has been garnished with bacon crumbles, plenty of melted cheese and a generous helping of sour cream. The hot, buttered roll is light and airy, practically melting in my mouth with every bite.
When we’re done, Griffin asks me if I want dessert. “They have a good selection. There’s a brownie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, an apple fritter recipe that won’t win any prizes at the state fair, but it’s good enough. A cheesecake with?—”
I shake my head and lean closer. He mimics me, leaning across the table to hear my whispered words. “You promised me a different kind of dessert, cowboy.”
His gaze lights up. “There’s a look-out point, near one of the waterfalls. It’s not far from here. Very secluded. Very scenic.”
I press a hand to my chest, catching the way he swallows hard. “As a newcomer to town, I would love to see this natural wonder.”
He stands from the table, holds out his hand, and says, “Oh, there’s a lot of natural wonders I plan to show you.”
Chapter 8
Griffin
I stop my truck in the dirt that overlooks one of the town’s waterfalls. It’s a hangout for the teenage kids to come and mess around in, but we have it all to ourselves tonight. Sitting across from her at the restaurant and listening as she moaned with every bite of food had me aching for relief.
Still, I wasn’t ready for our date to end tonight, and that’s why I suggested dessert. My heart stopped when she asked for a different kind of sweet treat. I’m more than happy to satisfy both of us.
I’ve barely put it in park when she flings off her seatbelt and climbs into my lap. Any worries I had about her hesitancy on the twenty-minute drive are gone. She’s made it very clear she wants this.
My hands go to her hips, and I grip her, feeling her silky slip through the material of her cotton dress. When I showed up to pick her up for our date, I didn’t expect the pin-up fantasy that greeted me. She has no idea how sexy she is or how badly I want her. But I’m not going to mess this up. I’m going to take my time and show her just how much I care.
“You’re beautiful,” I say. I want her to know that every day for the rest of her life, that I think she’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’ll never give her a reason to doubt how important she is to me.
“It’s the dress,” she answers.
I squeeze her hips tighter, wanting her full attention since it’s too dark out here for us to see each other properly. “It’s the woman who’s wearing it. The fighter who hasn’t given up despite overwhelming odds. The warrior who carries the weight of the world and makes it look effortless. She’s incredible, and she’s all mine.”
