The sight of him also brought me heat flashes, because he was looking like a mistake I wanted to make. His boxers were askew, and I could see the V of his lower abdomen. He had a massive case of bed head, and he was in socks. He went to bed in just boxers and socks.
That realization made me chuckle, but I kept it to myself. He was holding a gun, after all.
“Are you okay?” he asked me, walking closer.
His eyes took me in, and they heated.
“I am now, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, but are you freaking high?” he asked, taking another step closer.
I had involuntarily started walking toward him as well.
“No?” I answered, making it sound like a question.
“You went charging headfirst for a mountain lion with just a butcher knife?”
I swallowed. I guessed I had.
We were now close enough that he could almost reach out and touch me.
It was that moment that William came running out to the front lawn, and his wife was shortly behind him, in a silk lingerie nightgown. That thing was nice.
“What is going on?” William asked, looking to me and then his son holding a shotgun.
“Mountain lion,” I said.
William looked over to Riley for his explanation.
“I heard Emma out here shouting. I grabbed my gun in case something was wrong. She was about to face down a mountain lion with just that butcher knife,” he said, motioning to the knife I was still holding.
He was throwing me under the bus. Stupid Riley.
“Emma, you can’t face down a mountain lion without a gun.”
“I couldn’t let it get to the horses,” I offered in explanation.
“Horses can be replaced, Emma. You can’t,” Riley said. His gaze was intense.
I almost choked on his words and the sincerity behind them.
William looked between Riley and me. A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth before quickly disappearing.
“He’s right, Emma,” William said.
“Father, we need to get her a gun.”
“I agree, but let’s talk about this more in the morning, when we are all fully dressed,” he said, motioning to our various states of undress.
“Emma, thank you. Good night,” William said, dismissing me.
Riley continued to stare at me. I felt his eyes on my backside as I turned around and walked back to my trailer.
I had a feeling I would always feel his eyes. It’s a gift and a curse.
I climbed into bed after grabbing a bottle of water. My phone vibrated on the nightstand. The screen lit up with a text from Riley.
Riley: Are you really okay?
