“You can chase me anywhere. Anytime.”
“Deal. Same here, darlin’. Let’s cool these horses down, then get something to eat.”
****
Later that night, they lay in Wilder’s bed together, holding each other. Rory’s fingers lightly moved over his chest, and he kissed the top of her head. He could get used to this.
When he told her he was falling for her, he hadn’t told her the truth. He’d already fallen. He was in so deep that it scared the piss out of him.
“I had a wonderful day with you,” she whispered.
“It was a good day. I want more of them, Rory. I want to spend as much time as possible with you.”
She pushed herself up and looked at him. He tucked her hair behind her ear.
“I want that too, Wilder, but there’s so much going on with the rustling. It has to be stopped before we can be together.”
“Rory?” He stared up at her and swallowed hard. “I-I’ll get them.”
“I trust you. I know you’ll do all you can. I just don’t want you to get distracted, and that’s what will happen if we keep seeing each other. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought and I think taking it slow for a while is a good idea.”
Wilder scooted up against the headboard.
“Are you saying you don’t want to see me until I solve this?”
“I am, but believe me when I say it’s not what I want—”
“Then why do it?”
Rory sat up. “Wilder, you can’t risk a case by getting involved with someone. We need to get those men stealing my cows.”
“We? No, not we.Me. I will get them. I know who one of them is, but I need to get closer to find the others. Let me do this.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”
“Because your demeanor would change around them, and they’d figure it out that you know. I am not telling you anything more until this is over. Hell, I’ve probably said more than I should have already.”
“I get that. But I think, like I said, it’s best if we take it slow until you solve it. If you weren’t concentrating on your job because of me, I might never get my cows back.”
“The odds of you getting your cows back are slim to none,” he snapped. “You have to understand that the thieves don’tkeepthem. They’ll get rid of them as quickly as possible.”
“You never told me that,” she growled out.
“What did you think they did with any livestock stolen? They can’t chance being caught. Most of them steal animals for someone, not for themselves. They do it for the money, not the animal.”
“So, my cows are gone? You should have told me that. I have never dealt with something like this before. All the more reason to stay away from each other. I want the men responsible for this caught.”
Wilder growled low in his throat, threw the sheet back, got out of bed, and entered the bathroom. He slammed the door behind him, walked to the mirror, and stared into it. She was right. He knew it, but it didn’t make it easier. He loved her, but he didn’t know her feelings for him. He wanted to be with her all the time. He wanted her in his life.
Did she feel the same, or was this just a fling to help her forget what she was going through?Holy hell!Was that it? Was it to take her mind off the fact that one of her men, or more, was stealing from her?
He opened the door, strode to the bed, and stared at her.
“Is this just sex for you?”
“What?” she asked him as she sat up, leaned against the headboard, and tucked the sheet under her arms.
“Is this just to keep your mind off things? Fuck the livestock agent and forget your troubles?”