Cowboy, Cross My Heart

by Donna Grant

  And maybe that was all right.

  Maybe that’s how it was supposed to be.

  “So,” he said. “It might be after the fact, but would it make you feel better to have that talk with me?”

  She grinned and shook her head. “I think I like this better.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I’m not used to taking such risks,” she explained. “I play everything really, really safe. I think it started the night Suellen was killed.”

  His hand rubbed slowly up and down her back. “There’s nothing wrong with playing things safe.”

  “Yeah, but I think by doing it, I took all the fun out of life. Especially my relationships. I was engaged for a bit, but I called it off two years ago for no reason other than both of us were playing it too safe. He didn’t love me, and I didn’t love him.”

  He rolled her onto her back and loomed over her with his blue eyes alight with something she couldn’t quite name. “You’re not playing things safe now.”

  “I like it.”

  “Things could go sideways.”

  She smoothed back a damp lock of his hair. “I know. It excites me.”

  “Me, too.”

  Chapter 24

  The words were out of Brice’s mouth before he realized it. But they were the truth.

  Naomi excited him, yes, but she also caused him to feel so very much more. The need to protect her had only grown over the days they’d known each other, and he knew without a doubt that he had feelings for her.

  Feelings he’d never experienced with anyone else.

  He couldn’t believe that she had almost married someone else. The thought that he might never have met her made him angry and upset all at once despite the fact that she was in his arms now.

  “How about you?” she asked.

  He blinked. Then he frowned at her. “What?”

  “Have you ever been engaged?”

  He shook his head and wrapped a strand of her damp hair around his finger. “No, but I did have a girlfriend for three years. She kept pushing to get married.”

  “Why didn’t you?” Naomi’s nose wrinkled. “I’m sorry. It’s probably none of my business.”

  “I couldn’t see myself spending the rest of my life with her,” he answered.

  Naomi’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

  “Jill liked the name recognition of the Easts. She wanted me to change my name to Brice East.”

  “But you’re a Harper.”

  “That’s what I kept telling her. It didn’t take me long to realize it wasn’t me she wanted. She wanted the name and money I was associated with.”

  “You stayed with her a long time, though. Why?”

  He sighed as he rolled onto his back. “I don’t know.”

  Naomi rolled onto her side and came up on her elbow. “You don’t have to tell me anything else. It’s private. I understand.”

  “You told me about your fiancé,” he said, cutting his eyes to her.

  She shrugged, her lips twisting. “I didn’t tell you specifics, like how he was boring as hell, and I went to extremes so that we wouldn’t have sex because I didn’t like it. I didn’t tell you how I’d start arguments just to see if I could get him to some kind of emotion other than indifference. We lacked passion.”

  “Remember when I told you my mother left?”

  “Yeah.”

  He grabbed a pillow and shoved it under his head. “It did a serious number on all of us. Jill used to tell me that I couldn’t commit. It wasn’t that. I…” He swallowed and glanced at Naomi. “I have a fear.”

  “Of abandonment,” she said. “Anyone would in your shoes.”

  “I didn’t even realize I had that issue until Caleb said something in passing. I blew him off. Then Clayton and I were talking about what I needed to do with Jill, and he said the same thing.”

  Naomi settled on his chest again. “Is that why you called things off with her? Did you think she’d leave you?”

  “It’s why I never confronted her on things. It’s why I stayed with her so long. I liked having someone, and I’m embarrassed to say that it took me quite some time before I came to understand that Jill wasn’t for me.”

  Naomi placed a kiss on his chest. “Abby seems to have gotten over her abandonment issues.”

  “Clayton was patient with her. Ben and Justine took us all in like we’d always been family. I think it helped Abby, and I know Caleb and I enjoyed it. I don’t remember my father, and I barely have any memories of my mom. All I ever really knew was Abby. Then we had Ben and Justine, who became our grandparents. It had nothing to do with their money, and everything to do with the love they gave us.”

  Naomi took in a deep breath and released it. “I think unless anyone has been in your shoes, they take their families for granted. I know I did. I figured my parents would always be around until I was much older. My uncle’s death was the first time I attended a funeral.”

  “That must have been difficult.”

  “Very. Still, I went on thinking things would remain the same. Except they didn’t. Dad’s heart attack only a year later took us completely unawares. My mom was devastated. By that time, I’d been to my uncle’s and Suellen’s funerals. I thought I was prepared. But it’s different when it’s a parent.”

  He held her tighter. She didn’t cry, but he heard the sadness in her voice. “You still moved away.”

  “That was because of Mom,” Naomi said and gave a little laugh. “She said I needed to get out and see the world before I decided if this was where I wanted to live. She came to visit me instead of me coming here most times. It was the strangest thing. Most of my friends in DC were always going home during the holidays, but I was usually preparing for Mom’s arrival.”

  Brice grinned. “Are you glad you left?”

  “It allowed me to see and experience things I would’ve missed. Mom was right. It was something I needed. And when I remained in DC, she wasn’t at all surprised.”

  “Surely she misses you.”

  Naomi shifted her head to look at him. “Just as much as I miss her. We’re all we have now.”

  “So you’ll never move back?” He wasn’t sure why he’d asked that. Perhaps it was because he liked the way she looked standing in his kitchen.

  And he really liked her in his bed.

  Naomi gave him a half-hearted shrug. “A week ago, I would’ve been able to answer that easily. Now, I don’t know.”

  He might have believed he’d gotten past his abandonment issues, but the idea of Naomi leaving Texas made him rethink that. Each time he thought of her going back to DC, it made him feel as if someone were tightening a rope around his chest, constricting his breath.

  “What are you going to do with this place?” she asked with a smile. “I think it suits you wonderfully.”

  “I want to raise horses. I might have an eye for picking out good ones, but Caleb is the one who is gifted at training them.”

  Naomi’s head jerked up, her interest evident. “Really? That sounds amazing.”

  “It might have been helpful had I talked to Caleb before I bought this place, though.”

  “Oh,” she said.

  He sighed loudly. “If everything hadn’t happened with you and Whitney, he’d probably still be ignoring me. He thinks I’m leaving him.”

  “Abandonment issues,” Naomi said softly.

  Brice blinked. Holy shit balls. How had he not seen that? Of course Caleb had gotten upset.

  Naomi shook her head at him. “You didn’t realize that, did you?”

  “Not at all.” He ran a hand down his face and looked at the ceiling. “Damn.”

  “What was your plan then?”

  He liked that her body was next to his. He’d never had such a lazy afternoon, but he wanted to experience more just like this. Only with her.

  “I wanted to surprise Caleb with the land. It’s three hundred acres. I thought we could split it and go into business together. We’ve talked about it before. Ther
e’s a perfect spot on the back part of the property if he wants to build a house. Or hell, anywhere.”

  Naomi rolled over to lie on her stomach, her chin resting on her hands as she looked into his eyes. “Did you tell him any of that?”

  “I was waiting for him to calm down.”

  “You need to tell Caleb,” she said. “Has he even been here?”

  Brice shook his head. “Nope.”

  He heard her stomach growl. A laugh fell from his lips when she ducked her head. He was still grinning when she finally raised her gaze again.

  “Hungry?” he asked.

  She nodded. “It has been a while since breakfast.”

  That made him frown. He lifted his head to look at the clock on the bedside table to see that it was nearly three in the afternoon.

  “I knew I should’ve stopped and gotten some food,” he mumbled.

  Naomi jumped up and started gathering her clothes. “You don’t have even a box of crackers or anything?”

  “I’ve got beer.”

  She laughed as she walked into the bathroom and returned with their clothes. “That’s better than nothing,” she said as she tossed him his jeans.

  Brice wasn’t too keen on them leaving the bedroom. Then again, they could make love in the kitchen—or anywhere else in the house. He rose and put on his boxers and jeans but left off his shirt.

  They walked barefoot down the stairs to the kitchen, where he got out two beers. Naomi sat on the island, and he leaned back against the stove, watching her.

  She raked her hands through her hair. “I bet I look a fright.”

  “You look beautiful.”

  Her smile was wide as she lifted the longneck bottle for a quick drink. “You must have it bad for me,” she teased.

  But he wasn’t joking when he said, “I do.”

  Her smile dropped as she lowered the beer. She held his gaze, simply staring at him.

  He pushed away from the stove and walked to stand between her legs. “Does that scare you?”

  “No.”

  “The look on your face says otherwise.”

  She swallowed and shook her head. “I just didn’t expect you to answer like that.”

  “I like you, Naomi. A lot.”

  After briefly biting her lip, she smiled and rested her arms on his shoulders. “Well, then I suppose I should tell you that I like you. A lot.”

  The morning might have gone to hell with the accident, but the afternoon was turning out pretty damn good. If only the men responsible for everything were already behind bars, but that wasn’t the case. He couldn’t lose his focus.

  If he took his eyes off their goal, Naomi could get hurt. Brice would never forgive himself if that happened.

  She brushed her fingers through his hair. “What are you thinking?”

  “That I wish the outside world wouldn’t intrude.”

  She glanced down. “But it will. It has.”

  “Yeah. Sorry about that.”

  “It’s why we’re here, right?”

  He slid his hand around her neck and leaned in for a kiss. “Right.”

  There was a knock on the window that had both of them jerking their heads toward it. Brice rolled his eyes when he saw Caleb standing there with a wide grin.

  “At least he’ll have some food,” Brice said.

  Naomi laughed as he walked away to let his brother in. At the door, Caleb lifted a large basket filled with all sorts of food and snacks.

  Caleb shoved it at him as he walked past. “There is another just as large in my truck. Abby went a little overboard.”

  “Hi,” Naomi said as they entered the kitchen.

  Caleb didn’t hesitate to grab the beer Brice had left on the island. He ignored Brice and set the basket next to Naomi. Together, they began taking out the contents. When Naomi found a can of nuts, she started eating them while looking at the rest.

  Brice took the steaks, pork chops, chicken, and ground meat to the fridge along with the bell peppers, fresh carrots, broccoli, eggs, butter, and milk.

  “Oh, a feast,” Naomi said in excitement. She jumped off the island. “Where is the pantry?”

  Brice directed her, and she helped put the food away while Caleb leaned against the counter, watching. Since Caleb wouldn’t get the second basket, Brice walked out to get it, noting that it was mostly filled with wine, cookies, cupcakes, and other little snacks.

  Naomi cheerfully took it from him and sorted through everything like it was Christmas morning. And all the while, Caleb didn’t say a word.

  Finally, Brice looked at him and said, “I’m glad you’re here. Want a tour?”

  “Can’t,” Caleb said as he finished off the beer and set it on the counter. “Gotta go.”

  Brice watched his brother leave and drive off.

  Naomi walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. “He’ll come around.”

  Brice hoped so.

  Chapter 25

  With her stomach full and her body still relaxed from making love to Brice, Naomi just wanted to curl up on the sofa and turn on the TV. But there was work to be done.

  She gathered their plates and took them to the sink to wash. It would be so easy to get caught up in this beautiful house and Brice, but she was only there to help catch her friend’s would-be killers.

  Although, she wanted to think that she and Brice would’ve ended up together no matter what.

  He came to stand beside her with another beer in his hand. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “You cooked. It’s the least I can do.”

  “It was an omelet,” he said with a laugh. “I would’ve cooked you something else, but I was afraid if I took too long, you’d start gnawing on my arm.”

  She laughed and flicked water at him. “I do get a bit hangry when I’ve gone too long without eating.”

  “I’m thinking the steaks for tonight.”

  Her mouth watered just thinking about them. “Yes, please.”

  He grinned and lifted the bottle to his lips. She didn’t think he had any idea how sexy he was standing there shirtless and barefoot. And he knew his way around a kitchen, which was nice.

  She glanced at him again to find his gaze directed out the window. “What is it?” she asked.

  “I was trying to think where would be a good place to set up your darkroom.”

  Right. She’d forgotten about that. And she’d just told herself not to get caught up in what was happening around her. She had to stay focused on the big picture. Then what did she go and do?

  She wanted to roll her eyes. Instead, she rinsed off the plate and set it to dry. “It needs to be somewhere we can easily block out all light.”

  “How much equipment are you going to need?” he asked and turned his head to her.

  Naomi went to the stove to grab the pan and then returned to the sink. “There’s no way you’ll be able to get everything, especially since we need to work fairly fast. That means we stick to the basics. I won’t be able to play with the lighting on the pictures as I did before, but it didn’t help enough anyway.”

  “I’ll get whatever you need.”

  She cut her eyes to him and grinned because she knew that he was as good as his word. “I’ll make a list. If I need more than that, we’ll go from there.”

  “Okay.”

  After she’d finished rinsing the pan, she dried her hands and went to get her phone before she remembered once again that she didn’t have one. Brice must have deduced what she was doing and handed her his.

  “I’ll send this over to Clayton and Caleb, and they can gather whatever you need,” he said.

  Naomi took the cell phone and quickly began jotting down the basics for the darkroom. Once she gave Brice the phone back, she said, “You realize if either Clayton or Caleb goes to a photography shop, anyone watching them will know the supplies are for me.”

  “I’ll remind Clayton of that. They’ll be careful,” Brice promised as he sent off the text before calling hi
s brother-in-law.

  Naomi used that time to walk through the house, looking at each room as a possible space for the darkroom. With each area of the house fitted with new, large windows that let in tons of light, they were going to have to go to extremes to make a room pitch black.

  Brice found her upstairs in one of the smallest rooms. “Will this work?”

  “I think so,” she said. “It’s close to the bathroom for the water I’ll need, and these windows are the smallest.”

  “Clayton says we should have everything sometime tomorrow before noon. He’s sending several people out at different times, and out of the city, to gather the supplies. Caleb is loading some tables from the ranch into his truck. Do you want them now?”

  She shrugged. “It would be a good way to bring him back. Maybe then you can tell him everything.”

  Brice hesitated, a frown forming.

  “It was just a thought,” she said with a shrug.

  “A good one,” he hurried to say. “It’s just … I know my brother. He’d forgotten about me buying this place until I mentioned this place. Then he had to come bring the food.”

  She rubbed a hand along her arm. “I was an only child, so I don’t really understand the sibling thing. I’ll have to take your word for it.”

  He grinned and held out his hand. “How about a look outside.”

  “Yes,” she happily agreed as she linked her fingers with his.

  They returned to the master bedroom where she put on her boots, and he finished dressing. In no time, they were walking to the barn. It was as old as the house, which she found charming. While it might need repairs, it was in decent working order. At least from the outside.

  Brice threw open the doors on either side of the barn to let in light before he flicked a switch. “The wiring needs to be replaced, and new lights fitted,” he said looking upward.

  She nodded and pulled open a door. The room had been used as a feed room. Across from it was the tack room that needed a good overhaul. Next, she went to each of the six stalls, noting the rotting boards and missing feed and water bins.

  “It’s workable here,” she said.