“I do,” she said as she looked up, only her gaze locked with Colton’s first. His pulse took off double time as she transferred her gaze to her brother. “I trust you.”
Chapter Seventeen
Kendra’s eyes widened at the sight of the gun and holster under Colton’s left arm. His tight expression suggested he wasn’t quite comfortable with it, though. Joel, on the other hand, looked as if he’d been born with the one he wore.
A police officer walked up the porch steps with the two of them. The sight of his badge made her stiffen. Colton’s hand descended gently onto her shoulder, offering silent support. The rape was the one thing she hadn’t told Joel and Britt. Thankfully, Colton hadn’t brought it up, either. And despite how angry he’d been when she came clean about everything else, since then he’d been wonderful. She relaxed under his touch and made it through the interview.
Over the next few days, Noah stayed mostly with Joel, and Colton and his gun became her very large, very comforting shadow. She relied on his presence. Tentative tendrils of friendship strengthened and grew, allowing her to discover that besides a great sense of humor, he was very intelligent, surprisingly sensitive and undeniably sexy. Well, the last part she’d known, but the rest caught her off guard now that she wasn’t so focused on keeping secrets and he wasn’t so focused on exposing them.
The day before her birthday, she was astride Lucky in the indoor arena as Colton sat on the small set of bleachers on the side. She rode toward him at a trot, laughing at some goofy joke. When their eyes met, time slowed for those few seconds, then Lucky glided past and the connection was broken, the moment gone. Except Kendra couldn’t catch her breath and her pulse raced.
The following go around, she avoided his gaze, managing to maintain a light tone in response to whatever comment he made, despite the panicked beat of her heart and the knowledge that came with it.
She’d fallen in love with the man.
How had that happened? What about all the times he’d been completely awful to her?
She acknowledged almost immediately his actions had been honorably motivated by concern for Joel and his family. And she’d also seen how kind he could be with the horses, with the kids…with her, even. He was loyal to Joel and Britt and worked hard for his parents, to help take care of his father.
He was a stand-up guy with a lot to offer—and she was a complete idiot. Because he wasn’t willing to offer what he had. Not to her, not to anyone. He’d made no secret of the fact that casual relationships were his rule, if the word relationship even applied in that context.
“Marriage doesn’t fit into my plans. Ever.”
The words he’d said that night to Cassie were burned into Kendra’s memory. She’d fallen in love with a man who could offer her no future.
Plus, she’d be leaving for New York right after her birthday to get her legal affairs in order. Not to mention her life. She slowed Lucky to a walk. Maybe her return to the city would be a blessing. She wouldn’t have to see Colton every day, longing for his arms to hold her, or for his lips to claim hers, or for his hands to—
“Had enough?” Colton called.
Not nearly. But she nodded anyway and pulled the horse to a stop to dismount. Inside the barn, she secured the stallion in the crossties. While Colton removed the saddle and put it away in the tack room, she picked up a brush. Colton returned as she fed the horse some treats.
“You spoil him more than I do,” he accused with a grin.
She swallowed her new nervousness and teased, “That’s because I don’t keep half the sugar cubes for myself.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t argue that.” He laughed and joined her with another brush. Swiping it across Lucky’s flank in sure strokes, he said, “Joel said something about all of us going to a movie tonight?”
“Yeah, he thought it might be a good idea to get away from the ranch, take everyone’s mind off all that’s going on.”
He studied her across Lucky’s back. “You don’t sound too enthused.”
She wasn’t…but why? Heaven knew she could use a break. The answer came swiftly to mind, coinciding with her recent revelation. With her birthday just one day away, and knowing she would return to New York the next day, she realized she wanted to stay home with Colton.
But she couldn’t tell him that, so she shrugged. “There’s not much playing.”
She felt his gaze on her, glanced up to see additional questions in his eyes and ducked under Lucky’s neck to put her brush away. Maybe he wanted a night off from babysitting her to go out with friends? He called her name, almost hesitantly.
She turned to face him and quickly said, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking about how much you’ve been stuck here because of me. I’ll go to the movies and you can get out of here for awhile.”
A brief smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I was going to ask if you’d like to go to dinner.”
Her heart skipped a beat and threatened to run the hundred-yard dash. “Just us two?” On your mark…get set…
“Sure. Nothing wrong with a casual dinner between friends, right?”
False start—get back here, she admonished her racing pulse. “Right,” she echoed more slowly.
After a moment, when she didn’t add more, he asked, “Was that a yes? Because we don’t have—”