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“It’s nothing,” I begin.
“Come with me,” Jackson says firmly, his strong arm stretching around my shoulders, helping me forward. “Let’s get you cleaned up. My farmhouse is just over here.”
The graze stings, but I can walk just fine. I don’t refuse Jackson’s help though. My pulse quickens at the feel of his strong arm wrapped around me, guiding me to his farmhouse. It’s a beautiful old building with a white façade and green-painted shutters. There’s a Christmas wreath on the front door and an old rocking chair on the porch. The whole place is charming.
As we reach the porch steps, Jackson suddenly lifts me up, hoisting me into his arms, making me squeak with surprise.
“Sorry,” he says as he carries me up the porch steps. “I should have warned you first. Don’t want you climbing any steps and hurting yourself even more.”
I’m too overwhelmed to speak. I’m being carried bridal-style by a devilishly handsome cowboy, and part of me is convinced this is all some kind of crazy dream.
Any second I’m going to wake up in my cozy bedroom in Cade’s cabin.
But I don’t wake up. Jackson shoulders open the front door and carries me inside the farmhouse, finally setting me down on a brown leather couch. I get a brief glimpse of the room, large and wood-paneled, before my attention is immediately stolen by the handsome cowboy kneeling at my feet. His hands reach for the leg of my jeans, and he starts to roll it up, frowning in concentration.
“You really don’t have to—” I begin.
“I want to.” Jackson looks up at me with a frown. “This is my fault. You could have been seriously hurt.
I nod wordlessly as he rolls back my jeans until the bare skin of my knee is exposed. The graze isn’t deep, but it’s red and angry and crusted with dried blood.
“I-I’m sorry I got so close to your land,” I say, finally finding my voice as Jackson inspects my knee. “It’s hard to tell where your land starts and Cade’s ends.”
Jackson meets my gaze again, and my heart smashes against my chest as those intense blue eyes linger on mine. “You’re welcome here anytime, Maeve. You don’t need to worry about land boundaries or shit like that.”
He says it so sincerely that all I can do is stare at him, my mouth dry. I’m still not quite sure how I ended up in this gorgeous farmhouse with a sexy cowboy tending to my wounds, but I’m definitely not complaining.
Jeez, Maeve, stop thinking like this. He’s not just some cowboy; he’s Cade’s best friend.
“It looks like it’s just a scratch,” Jackson says, the relief evident on his face. “Wait there while I grab you a bandage, okay?”
“Okay.”
Jackson gets up and heads out of the room. I try to avoid looking at his ass in those Wranglers as he walks away, but it’s pretty hard to resist.
Crap.
I knew moving to Crave County would come with some challenges. Finding a job, saving money, pursuing my dream of being a bookstore owner. But I never imagined the most challenging thing of all would be trying to resist my brother’s best friend.
5
Jackson
I grab a few supplies from the bathroom and head back to the living room where Maeve is sitting on the couch, her bare leg propped up. I can’t believe this beautiful woman is in my home. Even though I’m furious with myself for putting her in danger and not keeping Artemis under control, I can’t deny that having Maeve this close to me is fucking intoxicating. She’s taken over my mind from the moment I laid eyes on her yesterday, and even though I promised myself I’d stay away, it looks like the universe has other plans.
I crouch down in front of Maeve and wipe her wound, cleaning it as gently as I can. She inhales a hiss of breath, and I stop immediately.
“You okay?” I ask.
She nods. “It stings a little.”
“Sorry. It’s hard to be gentle with hands like mine. Let me know if I hurt you again, okay?”
“Okay.”
She lets me finish cleaning her cuts without a word, and I pat her skin dry before grabbing a bandage and tying it around her knee. My hand grazes her skin as I work, sending a bolt of electricity up my arm, almost making me drop the bandage. I suck in a breath, trying to keep my focus on Maeve’s knee, but I can feel her eyes on me. I can’t help it. I look up from her knee, focusing on her pretty green eyes which twinkle at me from behind her glasses. Her hair is loose this morning, cascading down her shoulders in chocolate-brown waves, and she’s wearing a green winter coat that hugs every curve.
I want nothing more than to take it off and see more of her gorgeous body.
