Page 33 of Cowboy

“Okay,” I mutter, sitting upright and bringing her with me. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be sorry,” she says, sheepishly looking over at me while biting her bottom lip.

“Do not look at me like that,” I warn, my eyes narrow while there’s no bark to my bite.

“Like what?”

“Like you’d let me eat you right here on this front seat.”

Her mouth falls open, but she smiles slowly before returning her teeth to that bottom lip. Dammit. Broad daylight or not . . .

“Okay,” Scarlett whispers, seeing something in my expression. She pushes off the seat and slides herself to the passenger door while keeping her eyes on me for another second. Then she reaches toward the dash for the baby image.

Straining in my jeans, I adjust myself before pressing the ignition button and firing up the truck’s engine. We have a good forty-minute ride back to the house, which leaves my thoughts racing. Halfway into the drive, I can’t take the silence.

“Whatcha thinking about over there, sweetheart?”

“Too many things,” Scarlett states. Is she sorry she kissed me? Is she overthinking what almost happened on this seat? Is she upset I canceled the paternity test? Would she be upset if it turned out to be his? I wait out her silence.

“I think I need a more lucrative job, and I suppose I need my own place.”

I don’t like the sound of either of those things, but I tackle one item at a time.

“What’s wrong with Busy Bean?”

“Nothing’s wrong with it, but doesn’t it seem strange that I’m working there? I’m a college-educated woman, who had a lucrative job, but now I’m pouring coffee for people and passing out pastries.”

“You don’t think Audrey and Zara are educated? College isn’t the only place to learn life skills. In fact, I might argue there’s a lot about life you don’t learn in college.”

“I’m not disagreeing. I know Audrey actually dropped out of college and went to culinary school, and Zara never went away, but she’s been a businesswoman for years. It’s different for them. They own the place.”

“So?” I pause. “You could own your own business, too.”

“That’s just it. What would I do? I don’t know that I’d be good at running a business. I was a good reporter.”

“Are you considering returning to work as a reporter then?” I don’t like the sound of that, though I won’t hold her back from finding a new job. Would it be wrong to ask her to just be a mom? That was hard work, too, and Scarlett would be just as dedicated to that job as any other. Plus, I wouldn’t mind waking up next to her every day and returning from a day on the farm to find her in my home.

Scarlett sighs, turning to gaze out the window. “I just don’t know.”

Taking my own deep breath, I exhale before speaking. “It’s okay not to know what you want, Scarlett. Give yourself a little break. You had a high-pressure job, right? You’ve also had a lot of life changes. The divorce. The move. The baby. Give yourself some grace.”

She slowly nods, glancing down at the black and white image in her hands. “You sound like Rita.”

“Well, in this case, Rita is a genius.” I pause for a beat. “As for finding your own place, I don’t like that thought. You do not need to move. I’m not in any rush for you to leave, sweetheart. Where is all this coming from?”

“I don’t want to hold you back from finding what you want, Bull. I’ve been thinking about your past, and it’s obvious you’re a man who loves and loves hard. I don’t want to be in your way of finding it again. I can’t keep imposing on you.”

“Have I given you the impression that you are?” I am not liking this turn of events. Less than twenty minutes ago, I was ready to take her on this bench seat.

“No.” She shakes her head. “I just don’t want to feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”

My heart drops a little as that’s the furthest thing from what’s happening. “You aren’t taking advantage of me, sweetheart. And you aren’t in the way of anything.” I don’t plan on marrying again, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be around Scarlett. It doesn’t mean I don’t want her to stay with me.

“I’m just another damsel in distress, though,” she says quietly, looking down at her lap.

“Hey. Partners, remember? We’re in this together.” I reach for her hand, sensing her too far away once again. I’d already told her I won’t propose marriage, but we can still be a team here. We can parent together.

An idea forms. I have something for her, and I suddenly know the perfect place to give it to her.