not-so-bumper crop? Strawberries was it? Those aphids enjoyed them very much. Hopefully they don’t like soybeans, but those will be dried on the vine if you don’t stay here and water them!”
Good, Lord .
“Tell Trace I’ll be with you, so not to worry. I’ll see you at the airport,” Cade assured, and hung up the phone.
From meeting the man, Cade knew it must be absolute hell for the tough-looking ex-cop to let her go by herself. But her husband probably realized, like Cade, that there was no letting Ronnie do anything. She was going to do exactly what she pleased, and they could either help her or watch her hit that brick wall if it didn’t work out. Very much like another woman he used to know and lov— fuck .
Unfortunately, Trace Rooks, like Cade, probably also knew the brick wall his wife might hit this time could possibly be her last if those vigilantes got to her. Not being able to come with her had to be killing him.
But he really had nothing to worry about, because now that things had heated up, Cade was assigning himself to that close protection detail and would stay on it until his sister was safe again. Logan might not like it, may have other missions in the hopper, but there was only one mission Cade would be working. The other guys sitting here on their thumbs could work those other cases. He was focusing on the only reason he’d come back to Texas.
His eyes darted across the yard to where the SEAL leaned against a tree and Cecelia leaned against him, stroking his face while she talked to him. No, as soon as he knew Ronnie was safe again, Cade was getting the hell out of Texas as fast as he could.
Before he did something more stupid than trying to kill his father.
CHAPTER FIVE
“I’m sorry, Keegan,” Cee Cee said, swallowing hard against the lump of regret in her throat. He still held his smile, but Cee Cee saw the hurt and disappointment in his eyes.
“It’s nothing, babe,” he replied, sucking in a breath through his mouth because one nostril was stuffed with the tampon and the other was almost swollen shut. “Our, ah, arrangement didn’t include me getting attached to you. I’m sorry for putting you in the position of having to set me straight.”
“No, it’s my fault for leaving Ft. Story without finalizing things with you.”
Keegan shrugged. “Like I said, how could you? I wasn’t around, which was the reason our relationship never got off the ground to begin with. I’m sorry about that.”
Cee Cee put her finger over his mouth. “No more sorries. You were doing your job, and I did what I needed to do for me. I told you the reason I joined the service in the first place was to prove to my brother I could be an asset to his company. The opportunity came and I couldn’t pass it up.” She huffed out a breath, and hoped her eyes transmitted her sincerity to him. “You mean a lot to me, your friendship means a lot. I just can’t—”
His finger flew up to rest on her lips now. “Can’t never could, baby. But I understand, and I don’t ever want us to not be friends.” A grin spread over his face, that infectious grin that made her insides smile. “Hell, you’re the only woman I know who likes to do things I like to do and can do them. Hiking, zip-lining, camping…I definitely don’t want to lose you because I was stupid and pushed the envelope.” His grin faltered, and his eyes darkened. “But once you get over him, maybe we’ll talk?”
Over him ?
Cee Cee shook her head then a light bulb went off. She’d forgotten that Keegan was one of the most perceptive men she knew, and because he was he picked up on the zip-line of tension strung between her and Cade. She dragged her eyes away.
“We have issues to resolve, yeah, but I am over—” Keegan’s finger under her chin tipped it up and snapped her jaw shut.
“No, you aren’t. Just like there were things left
Good, Lord .
“Tell Trace I’ll be with you, so not to worry. I’ll see you at the airport,” Cade assured, and hung up the phone.
From meeting the man, Cade knew it must be absolute hell for the tough-looking ex-cop to let her go by herself. But her husband probably realized, like Cade, that there was no letting Ronnie do anything. She was going to do exactly what she pleased, and they could either help her or watch her hit that brick wall if it didn’t work out. Very much like another woman he used to know and lov— fuck .
Unfortunately, Trace Rooks, like Cade, probably also knew the brick wall his wife might hit this time could possibly be her last if those vigilantes got to her. Not being able to come with her had to be killing him.
But he really had nothing to worry about, because now that things had heated up, Cade was assigning himself to that close protection detail and would stay on it until his sister was safe again. Logan might not like it, may have other missions in the hopper, but there was only one mission Cade would be working. The other guys sitting here on their thumbs could work those other cases. He was focusing on the only reason he’d come back to Texas.
His eyes darted across the yard to where the SEAL leaned against a tree and Cecelia leaned against him, stroking his face while she talked to him. No, as soon as he knew Ronnie was safe again, Cade was getting the hell out of Texas as fast as he could.
Before he did something more stupid than trying to kill his father.
CHAPTER FIVE
“I’m sorry, Keegan,” Cee Cee said, swallowing hard against the lump of regret in her throat. He still held his smile, but Cee Cee saw the hurt and disappointment in his eyes.
“It’s nothing, babe,” he replied, sucking in a breath through his mouth because one nostril was stuffed with the tampon and the other was almost swollen shut. “Our, ah, arrangement didn’t include me getting attached to you. I’m sorry for putting you in the position of having to set me straight.”
“No, it’s my fault for leaving Ft. Story without finalizing things with you.”
Keegan shrugged. “Like I said, how could you? I wasn’t around, which was the reason our relationship never got off the ground to begin with. I’m sorry about that.”
Cee Cee put her finger over his mouth. “No more sorries. You were doing your job, and I did what I needed to do for me. I told you the reason I joined the service in the first place was to prove to my brother I could be an asset to his company. The opportunity came and I couldn’t pass it up.” She huffed out a breath, and hoped her eyes transmitted her sincerity to him. “You mean a lot to me, your friendship means a lot. I just can’t—”
His finger flew up to rest on her lips now. “Can’t never could, baby. But I understand, and I don’t ever want us to not be friends.” A grin spread over his face, that infectious grin that made her insides smile. “Hell, you’re the only woman I know who likes to do things I like to do and can do them. Hiking, zip-lining, camping…I definitely don’t want to lose you because I was stupid and pushed the envelope.” His grin faltered, and his eyes darkened. “But once you get over him, maybe we’ll talk?”
Over him ?
Cee Cee shook her head then a light bulb went off. She’d forgotten that Keegan was one of the most perceptive men she knew, and because he was he picked up on the zip-line of tension strung between her and Cade. She dragged her eyes away.
“We have issues to resolve, yeah, but I am over—” Keegan’s finger under her chin tipped it up and snapped her jaw shut.
“No, you aren’t. Just like there were things left
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