I sat still as a stone feeling exposed and vulnerable, until my eyes landed on the flowers and I reminded myself that no one but me knew my real reasons for coming all the way out here. But I could’ve kicked myself for being so hasty.

Figures, the one time in my life I decide to throw caution to the wind. Now that I think of it, someone who looked like him, acts like him, was most probably already taken. The thought was earth shattering and left me feeling lost and disoriented for the barest of seconds.

Then I thought, surely someone would’ve mentioned it if he was married, which started an internal debate with myself. Something else I’m very good at.

Why would they Cassie? What possible reason could anyone have for sharing that information with you? As much as I was beginning to regret my haste in coming out here I didn’t think I could just leave again without knowing.

I made myself get out of the car and looked around since there was no one in sight. I was really wishing that I’d asked someone if he was married before coming out here uninvited. I felt almost naked as I stood in the front yard not knowing what to do next.

Was he even now watching me from the confines of his home? Wondering what I was doing here? And why did my mind choose now to think rationally?

Why couldn’t I have planned more carefully before rushing into things? Something I never would’ve done if I’d been thinking clearly, which I obviously wasn’t and haven’t been since my life took a turn the night before.

Come to think of it, my life has been taking a lot more twists and turns here of late with no rationale for any of it. First, I’d seen or thought I’d seen something on campus a few weeks ago before graduation.

Then the strange hang-up phone calls had started, but I didn’t pay too much attention to that since they’d stopped almost as soon as they’d started. I thought for sure that once I got back to the safety of the small town I’d called home before going away to college that things would settle down again. Nothing remotely dangerous ever happens here after all. And then of course, last night had happened.

I decided to put it all behind me and concentrate on my present issue. Like if the man I’d come here to see was already attached. I thought of calling the sheriff and asking him, but quickly nixed the idea.

How would I do that without giving my true intentions away? And what exactly are your true intentions Cassie? Just what are you expecting to come of this?

That feeling of being exposed only grew the longer I stood there and my resolve faltered with each passing second. I’d felt such a strong connection to him, had allowed myself to believe that there was something there because of those feelings and my dreams.

Now here I stand wondering if the man who’d made me act outside of myself was married. My heart sank for a minute and I looked down at the flowers in my hand. If worse comes to worse I’d just pretend they were for her. And hope that she believed me whoever she is.

I heard a dog’s bark in the distance and turned to look as the sound grew closer. I thought to inch back towards the car door just in case the animal proved to be unfriendly.

I stood at the open door with one leg just inside in case I had to move quickly. And then I saw him, breaking through the trees with a rifle over his shoulder and dark shades that wrapped around his face on both sides. Could he be any hotter? Be still my heart.

I kept looking between him and the dog as my heart knocked away against the cavity of my chest. Not even the dark scowl he sent my way after removing his shades was enough to tarnish my joy at seeing him again.

He did not look happy to see me. So I answered his glare with a beaming smile and hoped I didn’t make a fool of myself. I wanted badly to look at his finger for a ring, but my eyes refused to leave his face.

That same feeling from the night before was back in full force and I knew that there was no ignoring it. No shoving it aside as nothing more than a passing phase.

What the fuck? I almost stopped walking when I saw her. I’d heard the engine on my way back to the cabin and thought it was my brother coming to nag my ass about something or other. He’s the only one brave enough to show up here unannounced.

Since Harley wasn’t going batshit I figured if it wasn’t Wyatt then it most certainly wasn’t a stranger whoever it was so I didn’t rush. Now I looked down at his shiftless ass and back over to her. The fuck!

So much for going on an early morning hike in the woods to get her off my fucking mind. What was the point if she was going to be standing at my damn door waiting for me upon my return?

I’ve had a picture of her imprinted on my brain from the night before. Not of when she was scared and hiding behind me, but one of her eyes as she watched me through the glass door down at the station.

I’d ran from my house and gone on a hike in the hopes of working that shit out of my system but now I had no doubt after this that I’d have a new vision to replace it. She was even prettier than my mind remembered.

Her hair shone in the sunlight and her eyes, those beautiful eyes were aglow with some inner light as they watched me hopefully. The sudden attraction only pissed me off farther and I was more than a little gruffer than usual in my approach.

“What the… what are you doing here?” I kept my distance as I asked, not willing to get one step closer. Maybe if she knows that I don’t want her here she’d turn her little ass around and head back where she came from.

Twenty-three my ass. She didn’t look any older than she did the night before. They sure were making them different these days if this was twenty-three.

Her little ass was barely five-two and she looked like she weighed maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet. Nowhere near able to take a man like me. I’d completely cover her from head to toe if we fucked. What the fuck?

Walk your ass away from that thought Braden. You will not fuck her. You get your dick anywhere near this one you know what that’ll mean. It’s a fucking life trap. Good, now that that’s settled.

Nothing can get me to back off faster than the thought of love and marriage. That was going to be my only saving grace with this one. If I can remember that touching her ass might most definitely mean commitment, then I for sure won’t bed her pretty little ass.

But no matter how I fought it, my mind still kept returning to what she would look like under me and that shit just made me postal. No fucking way. Never again. And especially not with someone who seems to be a trouble magnet.

She has commitment written all over her pretty little ass, that’s not for me. My female companionship these days, which is few and far between, runs more to the seedy type that aren’t looking for any serious attachments.

Since my wife was murdered right before my eyes I’ve had no interest in forming anything even remotely resembling a close relationship with another woman.

I’d already failed at keeping one safe, no way in hell was I going to risk another one’s life. And this one looked like she’d need someone to protect her high society ass twenty-four seven. Nope! Best to send her on her way now before this shit gets out of hand.

I had no idea why she was here, but I knew she was in more danger now than she had been the night before, from me. My dick had already made up his mind and I know when that shit happens it’s hard as fuck for me to get his ass back under control.

With that thought in mind I went into asshole mode straight off the bat. Best to send her scurrying back to town than to encourage whatever the fuck this is.

“I asked you a question. What are you doing here Princess? Didn’t you interrupt my peace enough last night?” I saw something die in her eyes and my gut knotted, but I stood my ground.

Her eyes looked like her old man’s the night before. If she starts that crying shit I’ll shoot myself in the fucking foot. Just what I need, an innocent, wet behind the ears kid sniffing around my ass.

In all fairness she hadn’t done any sniffing and I still didn’t know what had brought her here. In fact I seemed to be the one who was making more of this than she was. But I couldn’t get that feeling I’d got the night before, or the way her eyes had followed me when I left the station out of my mind.

When her lips trembled I felt like a monster. And then the light literally dimmed from her eyes and I could’ve kicked my own ass for being the cause. I huffed out a sigh and tried to pretend that she wasn’t getting to me by just standing there.

She held out the flowers to me and I lifted my brow cynically. That was a first; no one has ever bought me flowers before. “What is this?” I refused to reach my hand out to take them.

“I just wanted to come by and thank you once again for what you did last night.” Her voice shook with uncertainty and she looked somehow smaller if that were possible. Almost like my words had made her shrink into herself.

I was still more than ready to tell her and her flowers to get the fuck gone, but that feeling from the night before came back hard. Fuck! What is it with this girl? Is someone out to end her or some fuck? Why else would my feelings be this involved?

She’s certainly not my type, not even when I was on the prowl. So why is she tying me up in knots like this? Why can’t I get her off my damn mind? And why can’t I tell her to just go away? It was on the tip of my tongue to do just that, but again, that feeling…

“Come on in.” The words were out before I could think better of the invite. Harley, that disrespectful traitorous fuck was eyeing her like she was his new best friend. Fucker didn’t even bark once.

Had he done so, I would’ve known to duck and hide before she caught sight of me. His worthless ass. I’m sure she was wondering what the crazy man was sneering at this time.

Meanwhile my damn attack dog that I’d spent years training to kill was all but rolling around in the grass at her feet. I turned and climbed up the porch steps and opened the door ignoring both of them.

I left it open after she walked in behind me because I wasn’t about to leave myself alone with her. I was still finding it hard to believe that she wasn’t jailbait. At least I no longer have to castigate myself for believing that I’d become something I hate. Can’t stand fucking perverts.

I had enough manners to take the flowers when she held them out to me this time and looked around for something to put them in.

I found an old tin can and filled it with water before putting them in the window over the sink. It was too big to fit so I put them on the coffee table in the living room.