Josh gazed at her, his mind working. What would be the harm in admitting the truth now? He’d already told her his biggest secret so there was no reason to hold back anything else.

“I thought you were a groupie,” he said.

Her eyebrows furrowed. “A what?”

Did she really not know what that meant? “A groupie,” he said. “A woman who follows athletes around, trying to, uh, to get close to them.”

She recoiled slightly, like she was offended that he would think that about her.

“That’s why I sent you away,” he said. “I thought you were one of them.”

She was quiet a moment. “Do these groupies show up at your house often?”

Shaking his head, he laughed. “No. Never. You were the first.” At the look on her face, he held up his hand. “I just thought you were a groupie. It didn’t take long for me to realize you had no idea who I was.”

An image of her walking away from his house wearing those ridiculous flip-flops, blisters on her feet, filled his mind. Thinking about it now, imagining where she would be if he hadn’t gone after her—maybe in Will’s hands, maybe in the hands of those men in the beat-up black truck—he felt a shock of relief, a shock so deep that it took him by surprise.

Relieved beyond measure that he had gone after her, that she was standing in front of him, safe and under his protection, he had the sudden urge to kiss her again.

No. No no no. That was the last thing he should be thinking about.

He had to get a grip.

* * *

Shay frowned. He thought she was a groupie? Why would he think that? Then again, if he actually was some hot-shot NFL quarterback, it kind of made sense. She’d been in his bed after all.

If he really was, did that change the way she felt about him? Her gaze raked over him. Sure, it would make him that much sexier, but she’d been attracted to him when she suspected he was a criminal. Speaking of…

“So,” she began, “you’re not doing something illegal in that barn?”

His eyebrows yanked together. “What?”

“You were so secretive with your barn. I thought, maybe, I don’t know, you had a meth lab in there or something.”

Now his eyebrows jumped skyward. “You thought that? Really?”

“Well, it’s not impossible.”

His face settled into its normal hotness. “Yeah, I guess. But no. I promise there’s no meth in there. Or any other drug for that matter.”

Well, that was a relief. Assuming he was telling the truth. And he sure seemed to be. “Good. Because I don’t need to be around something illegal. I have enough problems.”

He looked thoughtful. “Is that why you left? Because you thought I was a drug dealer?” He frowned. “No. A drug maker. Geez, Shay.”

Gazing at him a moment, she decided to come clean with her thoughts. “That’s one of the reasons.”

“And the other?”

“I can’t…” She shook her head. “If I come back with you, I can’t have you, on a whim, changing your mind about me staying.” She paused a beat. “I need to feel…I don’t know. Some security, I guess.” When he didn’t reply, she feared that she’d been right all along, that he could never commit to that. “You know what? Never mind.” Her eyes cut to the side, in the direction she’d been walking, then she looked at him. “I…” She pointed in the general direction she’d been walking. “I should get going.”

“Hold up,” he said, his face serious. “Just…just give me a minute.”

“A minute for what?”

“I just…I need to think.”

* * *

She’d laid it all out for him pretty clearly, and now he needed to decide. Yes, he’d enjoyed that kiss more than he’d thought possible, and yes he wanted to protect her, but did that mean he was ready to commit to her living in his house indefinitely? To commit to…what? Being in a relationship with her? Was he ready for that? Is that what he wanted?

Not sure if he was ready for that step, he pictured his cabin. It was the place where he could recharge and regroup. A place where he could be on his own, where he could be away from the pressure for a little while. Would having her there ruin that, or make it better? He thought about how much he’d enjoyed preparing and planting the garden with her. Without constant care the garden would die. It was too young, too new. Did he want to take care of it all on his own?

He pictured himself in the yard, weeding and watering and doing whatever else he needed to do, all alone. Without Shay. Loneliness swept over him. He didn’t want to do it alone. And it wasn’t just the garden. He loved having her around. And to be honest, she didn’t seem overly impressed with the fact that he was in the NFL. That was a good thing, right?

Shay sighed, and then with a shake of her head, she frowned before turning and walking away.

She’d walked ten yards before Josh jogged up to her and stopped in front of her, forcing her to stop as well.

The corners of her lips tugged downward. “You’re in my way.”

“I need you to come back with me and help me take care of the garden. I, uh, I don’t know what to do next.”

Her lips pursed as her head tilted. “You water it, you pull the weeds that come up, and when the vegetables are ripe, you pick them and eat them. It’s not hard, Josh.”

She was really going to leave, wasn’t she? She wasn’t bluffing. She didn’t care who he was, that he was famous, that groupies fell all over him, desperate for a moment of his time. If he didn’t give her some kind of commitment, he would never see her again.

The thought sent him into an unexpected panic.

“How will,” he began, then he shook his head. “How will I know the vegetables are ripe?”

She stared right at him. “Google it.”

Right. “I’d rather have you there to tutor me.”

“I’m no longer available. Now, if you’d kindly step aside.”

The woman was determined. He had to give her that. “You win, Shay. I believe you now.”

“What?” Her eyebrows had bunched.

“I believe you’re no longer swayable.”

To his delight, laughter burst from her mouth. “Darn straight.”

“Okay. Now that we have that out of the way, will you come back with me?”

Her eyebrows rose as if she were saying really?

“I promise not to kick you out,” he said, finally sure that he wanted her around, that he was in no hurry to see her go.

* * *

Shay saw his lips form the words and heard them come out of his mouth, but she still had her doubts. Then she asked herself what was the worst that could happen if she went with him. If he was who he said he was, that meant it wasn’t unsafe, not like it would be if he was a criminal. So where was the danger?

But she knew what it was. The danger was in falling for him before having to say good-bye, because eventually she would have to go her own way.

“I…I don’t know,” she began.

His eyes were steady on her. “Maybe this will help you decide.” Without warning, he closed the distance between them, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

Emotions exploded within her—desire, security, hope. But also, determination.

Seconds later he pulled away, an expectant look on his face.

The kiss was magical, no doubt about it, and as much as she wanted to give in, to go with him, she shook her head. She wasn’t ready to make that jump. She needed to get out on her own, to prove to herself that she could do it.

Reaching up, she ran her fingers along his face. “Good-bye, Josh.”

Then with a last smile, she turned and walked away.