Oh, God. Why does he have to say everything so right?
“What do you read?”
“Everything. I’ll let you pick from the shelf.”
“I’m not buying it.” I laugh. “A man who’d rather read than watch some game on TV?”
He laughs and lifts a box up onto his strong shoulders. “I don’t spend a lot of time indoors. Most of my free time goes to fishing, hunting, and building shit. And while I do all of that, I listen to audiobooks.”
I stare up at him and I swear my panties soak right then and there. I’m so wet, I wonder if my water broke. One man isn’t allowed to be both manly and well read. It’s dangerous. I’m pretty sure ovaries have exploded over such things.
He turns toward the door. “Pack up what you’re bringing, and I’ll fill the truck up with all the stuff on the porch. Don’t carry anything. I’ll come back for it. Understand?”
I hold my gaze on his frame as he steps out into the night, making his way toward the pickup truck parked ten feet from the house. I don’t know if Mark is still out there. I hope he’s not. But if he is… I hope he sees this. I hope he watches closely. Dodge is a real man and Mark could use a lesson or two.
Chapter Four
Dodge
“You’re doing what?” My buddy Hawk is the first call I make when Ashley and I are on the road. She insisted on following behind in a beat-up Chevy that looks like it used to haul around wooly mammoths. If the Honda left in town was her more reliable vehicle, I need to keep an eye closely on this Chevy behind me.
“I’m moving Ashley in. She’s got the baby coming and this asshole boyfriend has been following her around. You still got connections to the agency?”
Hawk laughs. “Barely, but if you’re asking if I’ll do illegal shit to get you some information, you know I’m good for it.”
I know he is. That’s why I’m asking. Hawk is ex-military, former police, current rancher, and part time bounty hunter. The man does it all.
“What’s the dude's name?”
“Mark Thompson. He lives out in Colorado Springs. I’ve been told he’s the head of marketing at a firm downtown. Anything you can get on him will be great.”
“Got it. You think of anything else, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll be in touch.” He laughs under his breath. “I didn’t think you and Ashley were a thing. Last time we talked, you thought she was too young for you. What happened?”
I blow out a hard breath. “She’s still too young. I’m just helping her out.”
“Oh, okay.” I hear his smirk echoing through the phone. “You’re kidding yourself, man. Why are you fighting it? She’d be good for you. You’ve been wanting this for years. Fuck, I remember you right after high school playing dad to your sister. You had that kid in school, fed, and clothed better than any parent I knew. Does Ashley know how lucky she’d be to have you around?”
“That’s just it, man. It wouldn’t be her that was lucky.”
Hawk laughs. “What happened to this being a favor and nothing more?”
“Shut the fuck up,” I say, my tone sarcastic. “There’s nothing going on between us. What about you? I figured you’d be hooked up with someone with all those cowgirls roaming around up at Waylon’s Ranch.”
He laughs. “Yeah, and half of ‘em are related to me. It’s all good. I’ll find out what I can about your guy and get back to you.”
Hawk and I are the same age. We went to school together, and we’ve remained friends ever since. I was there through all his deployments and I’m pretty sure I was the only one who sent him things to keep his morale up. He spent most of his childhood shuffling through the foster system until he landed in Waylon’s family. To be fair to his previous foster parents, though, Hawk was always a wild card who was probably better off raising himself like a feral wolf. He would consistently lash out about one thing or another, but he always treated his small group of friends like they were his real family.
I glance down at the pizza, then back through the rear-view mirror at Ash. She’s either talking on the phone or to herself. It’s hard to tell in the dark. Whatever I have to do to make her life easier, I’m going to do it. She didn’t come from a foster system like Hawk, but her parents lacked the skill it took to raise a daughter. Her dad ran off when she was young, and her mom raised her the best she could. From what she told me a few months back, I gather her mom worked at the same club until she couldn’t dance anymore. That’s when Ashley took over. Now the poor woman is six feet under, and Ashley’s got no one. I’m still kicking myself for not following through with whatever we started. She must have felt so alone the last few months.
The moon is new and there’s little light on the gravel drive as we pull up to my cabin. I hope to hell she likes the place. I don’t have a woman’s touch when it comes to decorations. Most everything is deer antlers, fish I’ve caught and mounted, and wood.
Ashley is out of the truck and at my driver side window with a smile before I even open the door. It’s a dangerous grin I could get used to.
“You look like you’re happy to see me.” I step down from the truck, pizza box in hand. She takes it from me right away and smiles.
“I’m happy to see the pizza. You have no idea how hungry this little guy is.” She rubs her hand over her expanded stomach. “I’m wondering what you’re going to eat, though.”
I grin, unlocking the front door before flicking on the inside light. “I’ll make do. You two get your fill.”
