Page 31

Billie Ann glanced at her phone again and sighed.

“Lover boy still hasn’t called?” Bruce sat watching her.

“No, I’m sure he’s busy.” She replied, putting her phone away.

“What in the hell can he be doing at two in the morning?” Bruce snorted, shaking his cat head. “Only trouble happens at this time.”

Frowning, Billie Ann narrowed her eyes. “Bruce, why don’t you go to the trailer...or better yet, go home. I don’t need protection.”

She didn’t need his snarky little jabs either, or the way he stared at her like he knew something she didn’t. The truth was, she was doing her best to keep it together, waiting on a man who hadn’t called in nearly a day. Rafe had said he was just tying up loose ends back in Mexico, but her mind...yeah, her damn overthinking mind didn’t care about logic.

Bruce arched a brow, twitching his tail. “Fine. Be that way.” He hopped down from the counter with a softthudand stalked toward the door. “But if something slinks out of the shadows to eat you, I’m gonna say I told you so.”

Billie Ann followed, opening the door with more force than necessary. “I’ll take my chances.”

“That chair I’ve been sleeping in sucks anyway,” Bruce muttered as he disappeared into the night. Rolling her eyes, she closed the door with a heavy sigh.

For another half an hour, she found things to clean. She didn’t want to go to the trailer alone. She’d rather just stay all night here.

Picking up her phone again, she glared at it. “Why in the hell won’t you call?”

“Why in the hell is this door not locked?” Rafe’s voice made her jump with a squeal as she spun around. For half a second, she froze, heart in her throat. “And I didn’t call because I couldn’t this morning, and then I knew you’d be working, and I expected you to be in bed waiting for me.”

“I would have answered even if I was working, and I don’t like being in bed without you,” she said, her voice low as she took in his messy dark hair and tired eyes.

Within a heartbeat, he was taking her in his arms in two strides, pulling her in tight. The second her body hit his, all the worry, fear, and tension melted into something deeper. He was back.

She pressed her face into his chest, breathing him in. “I missed you.”

“I missed you more.” He tilted her chin up. “Every mile, every hour was torture, but I’m here to stay.”

His mouth took hers before she could say anything.

The kiss began softly, but quickly deepened into something desperate, something undeniable. It was need and relief, longing and love, all crashing together like a tide that had waited too long to come in. Her back hit the counter as his armswrapped around her waist, pulling her against him. Her fingers threaded into his damp hair, fisting as she kissed him back with everything she had.

Their foreheads touched when they finally broke apart, breathless and clinging to each other. Her chest rose and fell against his. He still held her like he was afraid she might vanish. But she wasn’t going anywhere.

“I love you,” Billie Ann whispered, her voice trembling from the weight of everything she felt.

His golden eyes locked on hers, fierce and unshakable. “Say it again.”

A smile broke across her lips, this one real and unguarded. It had taken her longer to say those words to him, and he loved to tease her about it. “I love you, Rafe.” She whispered slowly with a half grin.

A sound escaped him—half laugh, half moan—as he leaned in to kiss her again, slower this time, savoring the moment.

He pulled back just enough to speak, his voice low. “You’re mine, Billie Ann Carter. I knew it the moment I saw you.”

The creak of a floorboard made them both look up. Bruce stood in the doorway, tail twitching, his whiskers angled in disapproval.

“Gag,” he muttered. “I knew something was going to slink in from the shadows, and I was right. That’s what happens when you leave the door open.”

“Bruce,” They both said with warning in their tone.

“I swear I get no respect.” Bruce turned back around to leave, then glanced over his shoulder. “Just heard a motorcycle and wanted to make sure you were okay, but do I get a thank you? Nope, I do not.”

“Thank you,” Rafe growled as he reached out and slammed the door in Bruce’s face.

“Well, you aren’t welcome,” Bruce yelled through the door. “Don’t ask The Bruce for any favors, asshole.”