“Saw a lot of cows.” He set the plastic bags down on the counter.
“People. Did you see any vehicles or people?”
“No one. You think I’m new at this shit?” With his hands free, he tied me up in a huge bear hug. “It’s good to see you. How long has it been?”
“Too long.” I hugged him back. Even though I’d been in Maplewood for a few years and only three hours away from home, I didn’t make the trip as often as I should have.
We broke apart and Owen started pulled things out of bags and putting them away. “Mama Mae sent over a pan of brownies. She wants you and Bess to come over for dinner on Sunday. Bison and Pris will be there. I think she invited the Calhouns too since they were nice enough to let you use the cabin.”
“Is there anyone in town who doesn’t know I’m here?” I joked. “You do understand the idea of lying low, right?”
Owen smirked. “She’s just excited to see you. And don’t worry about anyone getting close to you. We worked out a schedule and will have two guys posted around the clock to make sure.”
I emptied a bag full of fruit onto the counter then opened the fridge. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
“It’s what family does. We look out for each other.” He lifted his shoulder in a half-shrug. “Maybe you’ve been away so long you’ve forgotten that.”
“I’ve been busy, that’s all.” Guilt settled like a heavy anchor in the pit of my stomach. It wasn’t my schedule that had kept me away, and we both knew it.
“She expects you there at six, her words, not mine.”
“I’ll think about it.” It was the best I could do at the moment. Bringing Bess to Broken Bend had been a spur of the moment decision. If someone in the cartel wanted to find her, it might not take very long for them to figure out she was with me. From there, they’d be able to trace me back to my hometown. The last thing I needed was to draw the attention of the cartel here.
“You do that. Call me if you need anything, okay?” Owen stuffed the empty bags under the sink. “I’ll see you soon.”
I pulled him in for a half-hug, handshake thing. “You should bring the missus over sometime soon. I’d love to meet her.”
He walked backward toward the door. “Lucky for you, she’ll be there on Sunday too.”
I caught him right before he opened the door. “Hey, weird question, but what city do you think is the most romantic?”
“Seriously? You’re on the run from a drug cartel and you want to talk about romance? What’s this woman done to you?”
“Can you just answer the question?”
He took off his cowboy hat, ran his hand through his hair, and set it back on top of his head. “Hell, I don’t know. Kira’s always wanted to go to Paris.”
“Thanks. See you soon.” I shook my head as he let himself out then stripped down to my underwear and tried to get comfortable on the couch. Knowing Bess was only a few yards away ensured I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. I tossed and turned, trying to picture what kind of pajamas she preferred. Visions of her rocking a lacy, sheer negligee played through my head.
Fuck. I punched the pillow and tossed the lightweight quilt to the side. The next several days were going to test me in ways I never imagined.
I wokeup to the sound of an ancient coffee pot whirring and spitting liquid into the carafe. I’d barely slept and would probably need more than my usual dose of caffeine to get me going. Stretching my arms over my head, I sat up.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Bess sat at the kitchen table with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. “Coffee’s on, though I’ve never used a pot like this one, so hopefully it’s not too strong.”
Forgetting I’d stripped down to my boxer briefs, I got up and headed toward the counter. “Too strong isn’t a possibility.”
Bess sucked in a breath. I turned around and her eyes went wide. I was sporting morning wood. Fuck me. I raced back to where I’d shed my jeans the night before and pulled them on.
“Sorry about that. I don’t function all that well before caffeine.”
She bit back a smile. With her hair falling in loose curls and her face scrubbed free of makeup, she looked absolutely edible. I wanted to walk over and pull her into my arms, then spend the rest of the day exploring every square inch of her curves.
“Then let me pour you a cup.” She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders as she got up from the table.
I couldn’t see what she had on, but her bare legs drew my attention.
“Did someone stop by last night?” She opened a cabinet and reached for a mug. Her fingertips barely grazed the handle. Standing on her tiptoes, she stretched as high as she could. The blanket fell to the ground behind her.
