“Get out of here.” I nudged him away but she stopped me.
“I grew up with a dog, I miss having one around.”
“Why don’t you then?”
She shrugged. “My place in Cherry Falls is too small.”
“Winchester will be your friend for life if you give him attention.”
“Is that all it takes?” She smiled, eyes finally landing on mine and pausing.
Something beat to life in my chest, heartache blooming so big my rib cage split wide.
I winced, yanking my gaze back to my spoon before shoveling a bite into my mouth.
It was hot, my chest, the meal, the way she made me feel.
I’ll love you forever.
I heard a faraway voice in my head.
A shudder cut through my veins.
This is my vow.
I gulped, suddenly feeling intense regret that I’d invited this stranger into my home.
I imagined patching up the drainage ditch right now, just to hustle her off of my property and out of my head, but the rain wasn’t supposed to let up for the next day.
“Does your hand hurt?” Poppy pulled me from my thoughts.
I nodded, thankful for the distraction.
“It hurts more than I can say.”
“I’m sorry.” She shot up, taking my towel to the faucet and soaking in with cold water. “Do you want some ice?”
I grinned, enjoying the pleasant way she flitted round my small cabin kitchen. “You look at home here.”
She paused at the freezer, two cubes in hand. “Um…”
“I mean, sure, ice—yes. It’s hot as hell in here.”
Her eyebrows rose before she shook her head and deposited a few more ice cubes into the open towel. She twisted it softly in her small hands and then closed the ice maker and crossed the kitchen to me.
I was instantly ashamed of the bachelor nature of my pad. I loved the place, I worked hard to make the woodwork sing and the window arches match the peaks of the mountains in the distance, but none of it felt like enough when she was in my house.
“Thanks.”
She nodded, dropping to her knees beside Winchester and placing the ice to my wrist.
“It’s this one.” I set my spoon in the bowl, grinning easily when she rolled her eyes and then broke out into a grin.
“I tried.”
“I don’t deserve it,” I replied honestly.
The air seemed to suck out of the room. She patted Winchester on the head once, then moved back to her seat and resumed eating.
