Page 14 of Claiming Cowboy
And in that moment, I look right back.
I let her see it. The heat. The claim. The promise.
I know, sunshine. It should be me.
And she holds my gaze just long enough to forget to breathe.
When I look up from my phone and catch Paige watching me—confused, nervous, wanting—my pulse spikes hard.
Her eyes sayI can’t. I wish I could.
I look away before I do something reckless. The distance between us isn’t silence anymore; it’s a living, breathing thing sitting between us, pressing against my ribs.
We talk sometimes. She’s always sweet, polite, careful. It’s easy, pleasant… and it drives me crazy. Because I want more than careful words and soft smiles. I want the closeness she keeps locked behind that quiet wall.
Paige doesn’t play games or push me away outright. She just keeps me at arm’s length like she’s trying to protect something fragile. And I can feel it every time our eyes meet. The air shifts. The pull between us gets stronger. And the space she leaves becomes unbearable.
So I leave before the need eats me alive. Not to disappear. Not to push. Just to hold steady—for now.
But the edges are fraying, and I’m dangerously close to snapping.
The next day, I don’t make it to the bakery until it’s almost closing time. My secret project is eating up every spare hour I have, and the horses don’t exactly take care of themselves. But if I want Paige to know I’m serious, I need to show her. Words are easy. Showing up isn’t.
She blinks when she sees me, surprise flickering across her face, then something warmer—relief. She opens her mouth likeshe’ll give me the same polite line she always does, but instead she exhales. “Ryder. I didn’t think you’d come today.”
“I’ve been coming every day,” I say simply. “And I’ll keep coming every day you’re open.”
Her cheeks flush, and she traces the edge of the counter with her fingertips. “Low on options now,” she murmurs, glancing at the pies.
“That’s on me. I’m later than planned.”
She hesitates before meeting my eyes. “Is something wrong?”
So much, sunshine.Because I only get a few minutes of you when I want years. You’re on the other side of this counter when I want you next to me.
“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” I say instead, giving her a small smile. “Hard work usually pays off.”
Her brow furrows, curious. “You sound pretty sure of that.”
“I’ve learned to hold on when it matters,” I say with a smirk. “If I didn’t, a bull would’ve flattened me a long time ago.”
Her lips twitch. She tries to fight a smile and loses.
“Unfortunately, what I’m up against now is a lot more stubborn.”
“Stubborn?” she echoes.
“Very. It’s not charging at me, which would honestly be easier. This one requires patience,” I explain, careful not to corner her with the meaning.
“Patience.” She huffs softly, looking at the pie case. “That’s not exactly your kind of thing.”
“For the right reasons, I can learn,” I say, leaning on the counter. “Even wild animals can be tamed.”
She looks at me for a long moment, like she’s waiting for me to push. Instead, I clear my throat. “Are you busy after work?”
She blinks. “That… depends.”
“I want to show you something,” I say gently. “You can tell Maya, anyone you want. I’ll be waiting, whenever you’re ready.”
