Her smile widens. “Might have to change that if you wanna keep up, Cowboy.”
Before I can pick my jaw up off the ground, she’s trotting off. My stare latches onto the graceful sway of her hips in the Western saddle. That’s why I don’t notice Brody is standing next to me until it’s too late. I freeze at his unexpected presence. The air turns thick, heavy with uncertainty. Guilt sweeps in next and reprimands me for being sloppy. Dammit, he’s probably gonna send me packing. It’s what I deserve for allowing myself to get distracted.
“I see you met Bianca,” Brody muses.
My gulp is thick and can be heard over the pounding in my chest. I’d like to consider us friends, not that I have any others for comparison. Brody has never treated me as anything other than an equal. We respect each other even though he’s seen me at my worst. This might finally change his mind.
“Not really,” I say after a long pause. “Just stopped to watch her run the barrels.”
His glare burns into the side of my face. “Don’t make me regret this, Colton.”
Resolve washes over me, along with an unavoidable sense of duty. “I’ll never give you a reason to doubt me, boss.”
“C’mon then.” Brody tips his head toward the part of the estate that houses the business offices. “We’ve got work to do.”
And with that, I turn away from the temptation that is Bianca Benson.
Two months ago…
I rip off my baseball hat to rake a hand through my hair. Brody’s most recent request hangs between us like a tipping point. Unease slithers into my stomach while I consider the options, but there’s only one choice.
“You want me to guard Bianca?” My voice is gritty, as if I just walked into a cloud of dust. I just can’t believe he askedme.
Brody nods. “But for the sake of her feelings, let’s refer to your position as a travel companion. Just for this trip.”
“Why do you want me to go?” It seems too convenient seeing as I’d find a way to join her regardless.
His flat stare calls me an idiot. “I’m not letting her fly off to Europe on her own. Usual safety precautions aside, Bianca is upset about our mother’s death and wants to escape. She’s more reckless than usual.”
“Can you blame her?”
He scowls. “She can act like an adult and not abandon her family.”
“I don’t think that’s what she’s doing,” I mutter.
Bianca is hurting and has every right to grieve in her own way. From what I’ve seen, her typical outlet would be to hit the road for a rodeo. Those trips were something she did with her mom. It’s not my place to express too much of my opinion, but she hasn’t left town since Marion passed. This escape overseas might be exactly what she needs. While her brother’s intentions might be decent, he’s asking me to intrude. She’s going to buck this idea harder than a wild filly. If I were to go about it on my own, she wouldn’t be aware of my presence.
As if hearing my resistance, Brody grunts. “That’s not your problem to worry about. Just watch out for her. You’re the only one I trust.”
“As her companion,” I repeat. Clarification is key.
“Think you can handle it?”
Fuck, talk about a loaded question. Brody warned me to keep my distance and I’ve listened. Mostly. That first glance haunted me. I had to get another, which quickly spiraled into an addiction. Her comments about my truck stuck with me too, even after all these years. I’ve made sure to be a reliable presence if she ever needed me. The urge to protect her kicked off from there.
Whenever Bianca was in town, I wasn’t far from her side. She doesn’t know about my obsession since I’ve always kept to the shadows, and I plan to keep it that way.
If asked, she would say we’re practically strangers. Meanwhile, I probably know her better than myself. Five years of stolen moments add up to an unrequited love worthy of some Shakespearian shit.
I’ve tried to fight this infatuation, but Bianca is some sort of a magnet. She makes the days brighter and the lonely nightsshorter. Her smile cures the darkness I still harbor. Whenever I’m near her, my troubles fade into a muted hum. I no longer care about where I came from or smothering my demons. The past doesn’t feel so heavy and there’s a future worth striving for.
That doesn’t mean I deserve her. Nobody does, which is why she’s still single. Bianca doesn’t date, at least not seriously. The only guy I’ve overheard her mention is Scout. He’s just a faceless name, but I’ll admit to picturing his demise. Such a waste of effort. I’m better off trying to convince myself that Bianca is secretly crazy about me and can’t get attached to anyone else. A smirk almost makes an appearance. Just fantasizing about it is delusional enough.
I can count on one hand how many times we’ve spoken. And now her older brother is hiring me to follow her. I have his permission to finally step out of the shadows.
Bianca is going to hate me for this.
The elastic hair tie around my wrist snags my focus. I snap the worn band against my skin, my head bobbing along before I realize it. “It won’t be a problem, boss.”
