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“Tell you what, princess…” Cole picks up his coffee and takes a sip. “Next time, you’ll be the first one we call.” His gaze flicks up to his brother. “What’s going on?”

Ezra shoves his glasses up his nose. He wears a T-shirt and a backward baseball cap that must be his relaxed fit on his days off. “Syd wants to meet tomorrow night.”

Cole’s entire body coils tight. When his eyes flick to me, expression strained, I take a step away from him. “I should go.”

“I’ll do these.” Cole rests a hand on mine, stopping me before I can take my sack of dirty clothes. “You don’t need to go into town.”

“Oh, well, thanks.” I cross around the counter, flushing as I suddenly remember I’m pants-less and panty-less.

“Can I go with Delilah, Daddy?” Evangeline’s already slipping her hand into mine.

Ezra nods. “Stay by the house.”

I lift a hand, wiggle my fingers at Cole. “Bye, cowboy.”

He stares after me as we leave, a dark dangerousness on his face.

Dangerous.

That’s what this thing between me and Cole is.

I hate that I’m losing myself in this gorgeous, mysterious cowboy. But that’s exactly what I’m doing. What’s the harm? Neither of us wants a relationship. But even as I tell myself that, there’s a longing, a connection with him. I wonder if he feels it too.

Damn, if you don’t make me want to give you everything.

His words run like a chant through my head. Impossible to forget.

Evangeline chatters as we walk back to the Creek House. She picks wildflowers from the long grass, assembling a bouquet in her small hands. “Do you like Uncle Cole, Delilah?”

I smile at her question. “Are you asking me for a secret, Evangeline?”

She giggles. “Yes.”

“I like him,” I admit in the middle of the sunlit field, feeling sun-drunk and still dizzy from Cole’s kiss.

She leans forward and whispers, “I think he likes you too.”

A girl can only hope.

“You take this flower,” Evangeline instructs as we climb the Creek House steps. She waves delicate purple flowers in the air like a fan. “And I take this one, and we each have a flower, and that means we are best friends.”

I smile at her and take the lone flower she offers. When I reach for the doorknob, what I see chills the blood in my veins.

“Evangeline, honey, can you go back to your Uncle Cole’s?”

“Okay.” She twirls, then rushes across the green grass. I watch, waiting until she’s scurrying up the front porch steps, then turn away.

My heart hammers as I stare at the big palm print pressed against the glass covering my screen door.

19 Cole

Tires crunching gravel, I pull my truck to a stop in front of the tasting room. After hours, the tasting room is closed, and the night is quiet. Pistol tucked into my side, I cut the engine and hop out. A gust of wind lashes my face, and I adjust my Stetson and my sherpa-lined bomber jacket. Last night’s storm cooled off the high summer temperatures. I wish I could say it did the same for me.

Delilah.

I run a hand over my mouth like I can still feel her burning lips on mine.

My brain has been locked on that girl ever since she walked away yesterday morning. I can’t stop thinking about her. Our night together. What the fuck was I thinking letting her stay over? It was like the rational part of my brain shut off. And then I kissed her.