Page 24 of Flawless

“Your schedule is probably crazier than mine a lot of the time. How about you, sexy? How do you de-stress when I’m not there?”

“The usual,” she said, sounding a little wistful. “Bubble baths, writing, the occasional spa day, going for a walk in the woods⁠—”

“Not alone, I hope.” The thought of anything happening to her made my gut clench.

“You’re so cute when you go into protective mode, Sheriff. I have this little trail not many people seem to know about it. It’s⁠—”

“Jesus, Rylee.” I swiped a hand over my head, suddenly feeling the sweat on my forehead. “Don’t you know those are the worst places for a woman to go alone? You think no one else knows about them. But I can promise you, predators do. You know how many cases I’ve worked where women got jumped on trails just like the one you’re describing?”

“I can’t live in fear, Cam,” she said, gently. “I learned a long time ago how to mitigate my risks, weigh the pros and cons, feel the fear, then do it anyway. Because I refuse to let fear hold me back, especially when it comes to doing what I love.”

Everything she said made sense, but I knew I’d think of her on those damn trails every day now, praying she’d be alright.

“Just do me a favour? Not after dark. And make sure when you do go, text me when you hit the trails and when you get back. And send me the coordinates.”

It may seem like overkill to her, but I was in law enforcement. I knew better than to take someone’s safety for granted, especially someone I cared about so much.

“If it would make you feel better, I can do that,” she said, sounding amused. “But I have to admit, having someone looking out for me, and worrying about me, will take some getting used to. I’ve never had that before.”

It was hard for me to imagine someone Rylee’s age never having anyone who cared, but that sad truth just made me care about her more. I wanted to be that guy who showed her life could be better when someone had your back.

“I can’t believe none of your other boyfriends have looked out for you like that.”

I was quickly learning how easy this woman was to love and I was sure I was one of many guys who’d fallen for her.

“To be honest, musicians are a different breed, babe.” She laughed. “Fair warning, we can all be a little self-absorbed when we’re in the zone. And unfortunately, a lot of the guys I’ve dated have had issues of their own. Family stuff, substance abuse, mental health, you name it.”

I wondered if she chose guys like that because it meant they didn’t have the energy to go all in with her.

“So, will you know what to do with a guy like me?” I thought it was fair to warn her; I could be intense. “Someone who may be a bit of a workaholic, but will always make you a priority?”

“I love that.” Her voice sounded so sweet, like she was relishing every word. “Deep down, I think I always wanted someone… like you. But I was afraid.”

I glanced at the time, pissed I’d have to cut this short soon. I could spend hours talking to her, getting to know her better, and still feel like I wanted more.

“Afraid of what?”

She sighed. “It’s easy to keep someone at arm’s length when you’re not really invested in the relationship. But when you find someone who makes you want things you’ve never wanted before, it’s scary as hell.”

I’d always wanted it all. My sister was right about that. Marriage. Babies. A house in the country. The whole nine. Rylee was probably the worst candidate for a life of domestic bliss, given her career and lifestyle, but that didn’t mean I could shut down my fantasies. Because this woman, with all her sad stories and messy and complicated life, was still flawless in my eyes.

“I get that.” My voice was low, intimate, when I said, “But I don’t want you to be afraid with me. I want to make you feel safe. Those dreams you’ve been harbouring since you were a little girl? I want to hear them… so I can make them come true.”

Her soft sigh made me smile. “That has to be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. How did I get so lucky, meeting you?”

“I’ve been asking myself that same question. How’d I get so lucky?”

I thought of her before I fell asleep last night, when I woke up this morning, and dozens of times in between, despite how busy my day had already been. To say I had a Rylee-obsession wouldn’t be overstating it.

“So, the distance and age thing isn’t bothering you as much any more?”

I laughed. “If it doesn’t bother you, I’m not gonna let it bother me.”

I didn’t care anymore if people thought she was too young for me. I knew how mature she was, how much she’d been through. She was definitely an old soul.

“How about all the shit-talk on social media? Are you gonna let that bother you?”

“Babe, I don’t have time to sit and scroll on my phone all day. I probably won’t even see ninety-five percent of what’s posted about us. And if I see something that pisses me off, I’ll write it off as trolls with nothing better to do than comment on the lives of people they don’t even know.”