Page 94 of Thaw My Heart

Fuck me. “I—” But then my phone starts buzzing non-stop, before I can think of a reply.

He chuckles, a low rasping sound. “I love it when I’m right.” He coughs, covering his mouth as he stands.

“Cole—”

“I’m fine,” he interrupts, waving a hand. “But maybe don’t act so stupid this time.” And then he’s gone. The faint sound of his cough echoes down the hall.

“What?” I bark at Ryker through the phone.

His voice is frantic as he explains that a fenceline has been cut. A herd of cattle is on the loose.

Well, there goes my whole day.

Six hours later, I finally walk through my front door, greeted by Bandit and Foxie. Ready to turn my goddamn phone off before one more thing can go wrong today.

My neck and shoulders are tense. My back groans from the pressure, but as soon as Sadie smiles with blush in her cheeks, my heart skips a beat. Brightening up my entire day with just her presence and those big brown eyes that always catch me off guard.

“Kit,” she says breathlessly. “How was your day?”

Pretty fucking awful. But the last thing I want is to stress her out about it. “It was fine,” I say gently. My eyes fall to the five shopping bags sitting next to her.

“Averie and I went shopping this afternoon. I purchased as many albums of hers that I could find… but I’m stealing her first album from you,” she adds with a playful smirk. “It’s damn hard to find.”

“It’s yours,” I smile. It means more to her anyway.

Her brow rises mischievously. “You don’t want to make me work for it, Cowboy?”

I chuckle. “I don’t operate that way, Tequila.” Though many favors come to mind, if she wants something, all she has to do is ask.

“Hmm…” She steps towards me, biting her bottom lip. “That’s very honorable of you, considering I would’ve done anything for that album.”

My hand brushes her jawline. “You want something. Ask for it.” I’m simple like that.

She blushes, inhaling a sharp breath. “Noted. Also, I bought Blake a birthday present for tomorrow, and…” She reaches for a small bag, holding it behind her back. “I got you something, too.”

She did? She pushes the small bag in front of me, with a light blue ribbon tied around the handles. “Sadie, you really didn’t have to⁠—”

“Open it,” she smiles with excitement.

After carefully untying the ribbon, I pull out a ballcap with This is My Cowboy Hat written in small white letters across it.

A rough sigh escapes me. “You shouldn’t have.”

She pulls off my usual cap, ignoring my displeasure, and replaces it with the new one. “Looks good on you, Cowboy,” she winks.

I do not believe her. “Uh-huh.”

She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me close. “I’ve missed this grumpy side of you,” she says before her lips brush mine.

And I no longer care about the hat.

I’ll keep wearing it so long as she keeps kissing me.

She grabs my hand, pulling me towards my bedroom. “I think you’ll like my second gift much better.”

Last night I found Kit’s third tattoo, an eagle across his back. My fingers traced the fancy line work, drifting to the tattoo over his heart. Displaying March 15, 1969, the day of his mother’s birthday, surrounded by delicate black roses. My mind briefly wandered back to when he mentioned how she died in a car accident when he was thirteen… and from the thick scar on his left knee, I can only assume he was in the car too.

I shuddered at the thought.