Page 8 of My Cowboy Salvation

My hard work seemed to finally be rewarded when, last month, we took down the county’s biggest drug cartel, hopefully winning over the holdouts to my hiring. Even if it’s only a matter of time before some new player takes over the distribution of illicit drugs in this town and the surrounding area.

With that as ammunition, along with Ann’s knowledge I have a guest staying with me in town—a fact that spread like wildfire when I picked up Dylan from the bus station the other day—I took off a little earlier tonight.

Never in a million years would I have ever expected what I would find when I pushed open that door. Nor would I have ever thought I would walk away from an image like that without tasting and enjoying the treasure that I found. I’m impressed with my restraint.

But Dylan Harper didn’t come here to be ravaged by her ex-boyfriend’s old man. She came here for safety. For protection. So for now, I’ve got to get that image of her writhing against her fingers from my mind for the sake of having a peaceful dinner together. There will be time enough after to relieve myself.

God. Imagine for a minute what it would have been like to watch her pleasure herself for a little longer, watch as her eyes close and her swollen pink pussy opened as I feasted my eyes on her beauty. Of relieving her of the burden of touching her clit as her hips lift at my strokes, her mouth dropped and open and ready to suck my cock. To —

The doorbell rings.

Christ. Now is not the time. Walking carefully to the door, I force myself to think of more chaste thoughts until my erection is not so noticeable. I hand the cash over and take the pizza as quickly as I can and shut the door just before I hear Dylan on the steps.

I flip on the television to the local news and turn it up. Having a distraction might help me from thinking inappropriate thoughts, while also filling in the awkwardness. I carry the pizza into the kitchen and get us some plates.

When I turn back around, Dylan is standing there wearing black leggings and a white tee shirt that she probably chose for comfort and convenience, but all I can see is how the fabric fits tightly over the gentle curves of her hips and breasts. An image of those small, pert breasts rising above the bath water, pink and glistening, has my palms sweating for a second, and I concentrate on not showing how fucking turned on I’m getting just thinking about it.

Think of something else, Logan.I stare at her dark hair that’s still damp and tucked behind her ears, noticing how the darkness of it sets those slate-colored eyes off, making them seem larger and more luminous. Then again, her hair could be orange or green, and I would still be struck by the brightness of those eyes. I remember the long, cascading red locks, and wonder if she cried when she cut it. It’s only hair, though, I would have told her. And as beautiful as it was, she’s just as beautiful without it. But that would be inappropriate, and instead I bring the plates over and set them on the table before taking a seat across from her.

We eat in silence for a couple of minutes as the local news cast describes a recent rash of robberies in a neighboring town. I would bet it’s some local kids with too much time on their hands.

“You look a lot more rested than before.” I look at her still flushed cheeks, her pink lips, and her eyes that show no signs of the shadows and bruising of the other night. “And the place looks really great. Like I told you, though, you don’t have to clean up around here.”

She swallows her bite, taking a second to lick the grease from her bottom lip while I try not to stare. “I know, but aside from wanting to show you my gratitude for letting me stay here, I’m growing kind of crazy not having anything to do or anyone to visit.” Her voice lowers, her gaze falling to the table. “I had to leave my cello behind.”

I don’t have any words to help ease that loss for her. Her music was a big part of her life, and I remember how well she played. I figured it had something to do with losing her parents at such an early age and needing some outlet to exorcize her anguish. It would be tough to have lost such a big part of herself then and now.

“Would you know anyone in town who might have some odd jobs I could do for cash?”

I finish chewing my last slice of pizza while I consider this. “You’re set on finding a job?”

“I need to feel useful. Plus, I’m going stir crazy.”

I mentally run through a list of possibilities. “Carol runs a bakery cafe that’s practically in the heart of town. She keeps a community board there for people to post jobs and such. I can take you in around lunchtime tomorrow or if you have a driver’s license, you could always—”

“I can walk,” she says eagerly. “It will give me a chance to tour the town, too.”

“All right. Let me know if you change your mind.” I pull out another slice. “Also, I realize you’re packing kind of light. If there’s anything you need picked up at the store, let me know.” She immediately perks up, and I can imagine she probably has a lot of things she needs she might not want to go through me to get. “As I was going to mention before, you’re also free to drive my truck, if that’s more convenient.”

“That might work, but I have to be honest. I’ve never driven a truck before.”

“It’s fully automatic, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to pick up. But I can take you practicing this weekend.”

“That might be nice,” she says, briefly meeting my eyes before glancing back down. “Thank you. I-I really can’t get over how nice you’re being. I mean, you have every reasonnotto help me, seeing as how Parker and I broke up more than four years ago.”

“Dylan, I would never leave anyone unprotected, no matter who they are. And as for you and my son… well, I always appreciated how you were with him. Parker has a way of internalizing things, and with you, he got out of his head and appreciated your time together. More than that, you made him laugh, something I could never do.” Guilt rips at my gut. “Guess it’s to be expected when I was absent for more than half of his life.”

Her eyes soften. “Yeah, but it’s not like you were just being a deadbeat dad, too busy to spare any time with your kid,” she says, leaning toward me, her brows drawn together. “You were doing something important. I mean, you were an Army Ranger. That’s not nothing. You sacrificed a lot to serve your country. You don’t need to blame yourself for anything.”

I wish my son had seen it that way, but it had been an uphill battle when I moved back and tried to make inroads in our relationship. “Thanks, Dylan. You always were a positive light in his life, and I know when you started dating, he let go of some of that anger. Even let me in a bit. And although our relationship isn’t perfect, it’s something. Thanks to you. As for you breaking up with him? I don’t blame you for that. You were both kids, had a lot of growing up to do. It was probably for the best.”

I won’t mention that I think Parker still might have hopes of rekindling things with her. That’s a father’s guess, and I’m not going to betray him. But it would be something to keep in mind why I need to take my eyes off that mouth of hers, particularly that bottom lip she’s chewing on again.

“I hope I haven’t put him in any kind of danger,” she says. “Simon can be very… determined. I don’t know what he would do if he thought someone knew something and didn’t tell him.”

That has my antenna up. I didn’t want to bring him up before, knowing how tender a subject it was for her, but this is an opening I couldn’t resist. “This Simon guy. Tell me about him.”

She puts her pizza down and wipes her fingers on her napkin. Her thoughts seem to gather in her head.