Page 28 of Forbidden Ride
It’s like my heart is on a see-saw. One moment I’m high in the clouds, screaming yes, I’ve found the man of my dreams. The next, I’ve hit the ground with a resounding no. Nothing can come of this relationship.
The banged-up crinkled metal sign to my cabin is in sight. I turn on my blinkers.
Chapter Eleven
Ipull in behind Jenny’sSUV just as she gets out of the car. I have to let her go—for now—and give her time to realize what we have together is something worth fighting for.
It’s only been a few days, but it’s been long enough to know she’s the one for me. I know that as much as it scares her, she’ll realize that whether my name is Johnson or J., I’m the only man for her.
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen her cabin. The Wests and my family built their cabins around the same time. They’re not far from each other, just a short drive by road, but if you head out back and take the path, it’s an easy walk.
My family’s main property borders the Wests’ ranch in West Palomino. Now that we’re so far away, it seems odd that our properties are almost side by side up here too. But back in the day, there was only a small amount of land available to build on. Both our families took root in West Palomino around the same time. It wasn’t long before her grandfather and mine drew a line in the sand and became enemies forever.
No one knows how the feud started. Some say my grandmother had an affair with Jenny’s granddad, but my grandparents never said a word about what went down. They took the reason for the feud to their graves.
I turn off the ignition. Jenny gets out of her beaten-up SUV and waves. Strands of her brown hair catch the sunlight, making it look like amber threads. Her peaches-and-cream cheeks get extra pink in this weather. And goddamn, with her freckles too? I could stare at her for days.
The sight of her next to that dented heap sends my blood racing. Her accident could’ve been so much worse. If anything had happened to her—I can’t even think about it.
I get out of the car and catch up to her. “Let me help you with those.” I squeeze in front of her and grab her bags from the car.
“Thanks. You’re spoiling me again.”
“That’s the plan.” I grin as she leads me to the front porch. Her cabin and mine have a similar layout, but her porch wraps all the way around.
“You can put everything over there.” Jenny points to a table between two Adirondack chairs.
“Afraid to let me inside?” I tease, setting her bags on the table.
“Damn straight, mountain man.” She sighs, leaning back against the porch railing.
She flat-out told me she hasn’t dated in years, never mind slept with anyone. She’s still worried about my family, so I understand she needs time to wrap her head around what’s happening between us. But am I happy to leave?
Hell no.
She lets go of another long sigh and looks up at the clouds. Jenny purses her lips and blinks like she’s holding back tears. “I am going to miss you.”
