Not like a stuffed sausage, Aspen, see.
“Beautiful, really.” Lincoln clears his throat loudly as he walks up to stand in front of me. “Jesus, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to concentrate on anything other than you all night long.”
I grin. “Thank you,” I say, swallowing hard. “You look spectacular yourself. Seeing you in a tux, is, well, it’s pretty… wow.” I trip over my words when he’s this close. His scent is intoxicating on a normal day, but now it mixes with cologne, and he resembles James Bond or a muscular GQ model, and he only has eyes for me. It’s a lethal combination.
Lincoln extends the flowers, an afterthought. “I brought these for you.”
I take the enormous bouquet and thank him as Aspen lets out a loud whistle behind us.
“You guys look like a million bucks!” she exclaims, sauntering into the room from the dimly lit hallway. I’m certain she watched the whole exchange.
I give her a look as she eyes my dress. “Here, can you put these in water for me?”
“What else am I here for other than to do your bidding, Madam Ahern,” she replies, grinning friendly. “I’m happy to help. Of course I’m joking.” She takes the flowers, smells them, then searches for a vase in one of the living room cabinets.
“Do you have any plans tonight?” Lincoln asks, calling out loud enough for her to hear.
She starts talking about a television show, but switches to the rancher, Jason, and then back to television, and I realize Lincoln is flummoxing her. Great. It’s going to be a long night. Everyone is affected by the man in a tux. My thought is that he’s mine. He’s going home with me, but the aching hole in my heart reminds me otherwise. He can’t be mine fully and forever, because I put him in too much danger.
“We should get going. Ramona will be finished with the show prep soon, and I don’t want her to be alone for long.”
He nods, gaze like a fiery promise. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.” His demeanor changes, and he cracks his knuckles in fists by his sides. “Hey, I wanted to ask you something. I didn’t cancel the reservation for this weekend, just in case. After the uh, show, did you want to head up to the cabin just for the night?”
I told him Ramona has a show tomorrow night, too, but the man has figured out the loophole. Looking at him, and feeling what I feel for him, I won’t be able to turn him down. I’m out of excuses, and it breaks my heart he’s this nervous because it means he thinks I may say no.
“Turner is with Tasha and Isaac?” I ask casually.
He nods again. “For as long as I’m away, they have him.”
I don’t hesitate. “Let me pack a bag quickly.”
Aspen’s smile tells me she’s thinking about pigs, grease, and unfurling, but I narrow my eyes at her on my way by to keep her silent. I ask her if she can take Chonk for the night and she agrees. It’s a quick packing process because I already have a toiletry bag ready and a weekender bag filled with overnight clothing. I add some warm stuff and grab a pair of snow boots and exit a few minutes later. Lincoln is waiting by the stairs. He takes the bag from me as I remind Aspen to lock up behind us. She was invited tonight too, but already had plans to roll around in the hay with her boyfriend. I wrap a shawl around my shoulders, and tuck my long, feathery Patagonia jacket under an arm. I’m not above ruining my dress for the sake of freezing, depending on how far we have to park from the gallery.
It’s oddly silent as I heave my ass into his truck and he closes the door behind me. When he gets into the driver’s seat and starts the engine, he slaps his hands on the steering wheel, but doesn’t make a move to put it in gear.
“I hate this.”
“What?” My voice shakes.
“This,” he says, motioning between our bodies. “It feels like I’m losing you.”
Intuitive. Scary. His gaze flicks to meet mine and my whole body warms. “You aren’t.”
He hangs his head. “I heard from Rena, and I would never worry you over it, except she admitted defeat, Maeve. She’s done. We have nothing to worry about. You have nothing to worry about. You’re completely safe now. I thought maybe you were feeling like you had to watch your back, and that’s why I’m telling you this.”
“She said that?” The relief courses through my veins and my pulse hammers. This is great news. Rufio must have spoken to her, and she decided we weren’t worth it. I wonder if that means I have to hold up my side of the bargain still. If I’m not becoming human capital, surely I don’t owe him. Right? It’s not like I can phone him up and ask.
“She said that,” Lincoln replies. “Does that make you feel… differently?”
I swallow down the emotion. He knows me so well that it’s odd to be living in a reality where someone got this close without my permission. Everyone knows I don’t believe in fate, but the concept of soulmates is beginning to look more and more plausible. Nothing explains our connection or how we fell together. “Lincoln, I couldn’t stop loving you even if I wanted to. You know this, right?”
“I got shot. It was brutal. I got better. Things are pretty stagnant, so I think it’s normal I’m worried.”
I exhale a pent-up breath. “Is this all about sex? Because we haven’t had sex since the shooting?”
Lincoln groans. “I want to have sex with you, yes, but I also want to talk to you. Not surface-level stuff. The deep stuff. It’s why I want to go to the cabin with you without any interruptions. Just us. Stripped down raw conversation.”
I tilt my head in question. “It seems you were able to sneak multiple double entendres there.” Opening my mouth, I let out a long breath. “I do feel better knowing that Rena has put down her weapons. I can breathe.” If he knew how relieved I was, I’d scare him, and then be forced into telling him about the deal. Lincoln deserves complete transparency, but I know deep down, I can’t give it to him. I swallow hard. “I think raw conversation is exactly what we need, entendres aside.”