Page 17 of Cowboy

“You care for the girl,” he stated. It wasn’t a question.

“Of course I do.”

“You know what he means, Cowboy,” said Mo. “You’ve got feelings for her.”

“I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “I mean, she’s strong and beautiful and smart. I’ve never met anyone like her.” They all laughed.

“Yes, you have,” smirked Mo. “You’ve met a hundred like her.”

“We haven’t really had the time to get to know one another.” He knew he was making excuses for not answering the question, but he just wasn’t sure yet. Then he frowned.

“She said when she picked up Liconitis that an SUV pulled up with a couple of men in it. One of them was yelling at him, but his bodyguard walked over and was screaming at him and told him to leave.”

“Could be the same guys,” said Ethan. “We can have Ace check airport security cameras.” Mo tapped out a message to Ace and the team back home, then turned his attention back to Cowboy.

“We need to go after those men,” he said.

“I know. But I also know she’ll want to come, too. I’m not sure I want to let her do that,” frowned Cowboy.

“Try and stop me.” All eyes turned toward the woman as she glared at Cowboy.

“Autumn, I didn’t mean I would stop you physically. I just meant that these men obviously don’t care who they hurt. I don’t want to see something happen to you.” She swallowed, staring at him, then looking at the others, who all had strange expressions on their faces.

“May I speak with you privately?” she asked. He nodded, standing to follow her a few yards away toward the trees. “Can you please explain this sudden need you have to be my bodyguard?”

“I don’t mean for it to come across that way. I just. I just want to be sure you’re alright. Look, I’ve come to care for you these last few days. I want to protect you. It’s who I am.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“Because I was a SEAL,” he frowned.

“No. Why protect me?” she asked.

Cowboy was trying to think of a good response, but the only thing he had didn’t require words. Stepping closer to her, he gripped the back of her neck and lowered his mouth to hers. Her body immediately melted against his own, her lips mimicking his movements as he pulled her tighter to his body. Behind him, he heard soft chuckles, then someone breaking the bond.

“Breakfast is ready!” called Moose.

“I hate those guys,” he laughed.

“I like them,” she smiled. “I like you, too. A lot. Thank you, Benjamin. Cowboy.”

“Call me whatever you like, Autumn. Just always call me.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” she smiled. “You’re the first man I’ve kissed in almost two years. I’d say you’re a shoo-in for the homecoming dance.” Cowboy laughed, not wanting to tell her that he never went to his homecoming dance. He was too busy with the horses.

“Let’s eat. We’ve got a day ahead of us.”

CHAPTER TEN

“I’m going to go take a shower,” she said, staring at the men. “I smell like horse, sweat, and smoke. And something far worse.” She wrinkled her nose as she gathered the clean clothes that Trigger had brought for her. The park had a communal shower facility that separated men and women, but it was within viewing distance of their campsite.

As she walked away, Ethan stood and paced around the fire. When she was inside the shower facility, he turned to the other men.

“We got word from Ace and the team. The dead guy is Richie Marovski. He’s a Bulgarian-born American-raised two-bit gangster. He did time in upstate New York for allegedly killing three men in a bar fight. Two years into his time, one of the witnesses stepped forward and said they were wrong. It wasn’t him. It was someone else.”

“Shit. Known acquaintances?” asked Cowboy.

“Many. He’s basically a gun for hire. His last known employer was Arturro Stepanapolos.”

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