Then she blinked up at him with fluttery lashes and a grin that tried to hide the truth.
“Okay, fine. I do like you. A lot, actually. But don’t let it go to that big head of yours.”
He smirked, dimples flashing, but she wasalready backing away, heading toward the barn doors. The thought of a full weekend off settled warm in her chest.
Rest. Quiet. Him. It was more than she’d dared to want.
“I like you lots too, love,” his voice rang out behind her. “And I’ve already claimed you. The rest is just detail.”
She turned mid-step, her heart giving a little kick. That grin she didn’t mean to show spread wide across her face.
The bone-deep exhaustion was still there, but somehow, his words fed her. Lit her up from the inside out.
“It’s like you’ve tied me up with a damn lasso,” he said, smirking.
Her stomach flipped. Jamie McGrath wasn’t just a fantasy, he was the real deal. Supportive. Gorgeous. And somehow, he was hers.
“Lasso, Jamie?” she teased. “That one of your fantasies?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he called back, hands on his hips. “I bought you a Stetson, by the way.”
“Hope you’ve got one, too.” She winked, tossing her hair over her shoulder and flashing him her best come-hither look. “I might have a thing for cowboys.”
Jamie’s low chuckle followed her like a heat trail.
Shannon walked away, her boots kicking up sand as she left the indoor arena behind. The crisp afternoon air greeted her as she crossed the yard.
She climbed the stone steps, her muscles stiff but her grinstill in place.
By the time she reached the top, her heart was still beating just a little faster than normal.
When she unlocked the door and stepped inside, she froze, staring at the cramped space.
Everything had changed since the days she’d curl up on the couch, alone and hollowed out.
Her gaze drifted over the space, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Loneliness had been her constant companion, something she’d convinced herself was necessary to survive, maybe even to succeed.
But Jamie had shattered that illusion.
Now, the loft was nothing more than a soulless shell. Not her home, just a place to store what she’d outgrown.
With that realisation came a chill of dread. What would happen if Jamie grew tired of supporting her? When he decided her baggage wasn’t worth carrying anymore?
Deep down, she feared ending up right back in the loft, alone with her ghosts, heartache and silence for company.
Despite the doubt, hitting the brakes wasn’t an option now. She’d already signed, sealed, and handed over her heart with no return address, no backup plan.
The past had scorched itself to ash behind her, and all she wanted now was a shot at something real.
At happiness…with him.
Moving to the bedroom, she paused at the made bed, a little dizzy. The air still smelled of her body spray. Everything looked untouched…except the drawers.
Her brows snapped together.
They hung open like snapped teeth, her clothes rumpled in a way that didn’t look like her usual mess. No, this was different. Searched. Rifled through.
Her pulse kicked hard when a click echoed from the galley kitchen, teamed with the thud of a door closing.
