The peacefulness ended with a jolt as she drug her feet on the ground to stop the swings motion. She couldn’t deny her attraction to him, but she wasn’t ready for another relationship, and a one-night-stand was out of the question.
Which meant she would have to find her own place. She looked around the beautiful back yard, thought of her well-appointed room, and the companionship of Miss Eva. Did she really want to give it up?
If she stayed, would her body betray her determination to avoid the weakness of desire and be made a fool of again? “I have to nip this in the bud right now.”
At her terse comment, Jack’s ears perked up, and he sat down in front as though waiting for her to continue.
“I won’t be duped again. I was naïve and lonely when Paul came along. I’m neither of those things now.”
Jack cocked his head to the side and gave a delicate “woof”.
“How do you know we can trust him? We just met him. Anyone can be nice when they have to.”
A second “woof” sounded like a rebuke.
“I heard today Miss Eva wants him to get married and he wants none of it.” She wrapped her arms around the rough rope, swaying a little. “Okay, he’s nice to you which means a lot, but it doesn’t alter the fact he’s not marriage material and I’m not fling material, so I just need to set him straight, and we can move on.”
Her four-legged friend glared a moment, shook his head, and took off after the tabby, leaving her to resolve the situation on her own.
Coop stood at the kitchen window and watched Sam swing. Even at this distance, he saw the happiness in her face as the wind whipped her hair around, while Jack chased her feet. He couldn’t hold back a lop-sided grin as her joyful laughter penetrated the glass pane. Sunshine suited her for a nickname because she did brighten up a room.
As usual in a small town, everyone knew everyone else’s business, and word leaked out about Doc’s wish to retire. His nurse, Jan, happened to be best friends with Coop’s secretary, Alice, whose love of gossip was surpassed only by her love of anything George Strait. Her parting words today still had him astonished.
Yesterday, Doc Harper asked Sam to take over his practice. Which begged the question, Is that why she came to Bakersville in the first place?
He admitted to being undecided about the possibility. On the one hand, she would be here indefinitely. Given their attraction, it could be a double-edged sword. He was not in the market for a wife. Period. And she didn’t strike him as a casual-sex kind of woman. But, at the same time, his male ego sensed a mutual pull. And this leaves me where? “Between a rock and a hard place,” he muttered, then snorted at the unintended pun.
When Jack took off after the cat, he poured himself a cup of coffee and mentally prepared to tell her, in no uncertain terms, how a relationship between them would be impossible. His resolve wavered when she turned toward the house, and that radiant smile faded the moment their eyes met.
She stopped, squared her shoulders, and strode forward.
Inside the kitchen door, she hesitated. Then, appearing to reach a decision, she barked, “We need to talk.”
Surprised by her sense of urgency, he rested his cup on the counter, hands braced on either side of his hips. “About what?”
“Us. This –” She waved one hand back and forth between them. “Whatever it is between us. It ain’t happening.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but she continued with renewed vigor.
“I don’t do flings. You’re not into marriage, so whatever you have mind, you can just forget it.”
Wait…what?
Ego dented, he moved toward her. “Forget it?” he asked quietly, “So, you’re not attracted to me at all?”
Those baby-blues widened and she sucked in a breath. “Don’t be silly. Of course I’m attracted to you.”
Ahh, that’s more like it.
“I’m just not going to act on it.”
“Why not?”
She took a step back, eyes darting around. “I was fooled once. I won’t be fooled again.”
“And you think….” He paused for her to fill in the blank.
“I know. You don’t want a permanent relationship. If you did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Because…?”
“Because some woman would have snared you by now.”
“Snared me?”
She waved a hand in front of her. “Okay, okay…bad choice of words, but you know what I mean.”
“Maybe I’ve been waiting for the right woman to snare me.”
His comment made her eyes squint as her forehead creased in confusion. “I’m not her.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“You’re a cop. Don’t you believe in gut instinct?”
“I do.” He took another step toward her, enjoying the play of emotions across her face as she struggled for control. “What’s your gut telling you? Avoid me? Take a chance?”
