Page 85 of A Curse On Black Lake
“I told you I’d pay for this,” Eliana says as we walk out the door.
“You’re buying all the feed. I don’t mind.”
“Well, thank you,” she says.
“You don’t have to thank me, darlin’,” I tell her.
Her seatbelt clicks, and she levels me with a stare. “Yes, I do.”
“In that case, I can think of a few ways.” I joke.
Her jaw drops, and then she covers her mouth, laughing.
I should bottle the sound because I think it could heal anyone who hears it. This is the first time I’ve heard her laugh so freely, and I want to hear it more.
I’d beg for it.
She slaps my shoulder, and I back out of the spot. “You are really playing into the bad cowboy thing aren’t you?”
“I can be good,” I rasp.
“I thought you were a gentleman,” she says, with extra twang.
“Who said I can’t be both? I’m pretty sure you’ve seen me dirty more often than clean since I met you.”
“You know what I mean,” Eliana whispers.
I swallow the groan in my throat.
“Yes, I do, and I’d give you a new definition ofdirtycowboy.”
She inhales sharply, and I keep my eyes on the road before making the quick turn into the lumberyard. I hand the attendant my receipt, and he waves me in.
“Stayhere. I’ll get the wood.” I hop out before she can respond and on counting my two by fours because I need to think about anything else other than dirtying up Eliana.Anything else.
Chapter twenty-nine
Killian
Elianawantedtogetto work painting her room, so I dropped her off at the house before coming down to the barn to unload the lumber.
Our earlier conversation keeps running through my head, and I groan into the sky. I need to keep my distance purely because I don’t want to risk loving her. Even though I’m considering burning all the reasons why I shouldn’t, and replace them with how I can’t see any other option.
Glossing over the towel debacle. She stood by me without question despite the news article. We know it’s not true, but she didn’t distance herself. She didn’t try to hide our relationship, for an alibi or not. Her loyalty is attractive. I don’t deserve it, but I want to earn it.
We haven’t heard from Wyatt in a while, and I’m starting to wonder why. In the back of my mind, I know it’s because they’re building a case and don’t want to spook the suspect. But I’m not scared. I’m pissed.
Shaking my head of the thought, I unload the rest of my materials and park the truck by the house.
“Eliana!” I yell,hanging my hat on the hook andgrabbinga glass of water.
“Up here!” she yells.
I smile to myself and bring a glass with me.
The smell of paint fills my nose as I get closer to her room, and the radio plays country music. “How’s it going in here?”
She smiles at me over her shoulder and rolls the paint over the wall. I don’t know how, but she already has the small one done.
