Page 130 of Cautious Love

“How did you swing that legally?” I ask him, knowing how important the rules, the law is to him.

He sighs and looks me in the eye, “I’ll do whatever I need to do to make sure nothing comes back to you.”

“I mean, I’m the one who —”

Ledger holds up his hand. “No, honey, you’re not hearing me. I will doanythingI need to do.”

I blink, absorbing his words, and a cross between guilt, that I’ve put him in this situation, and relief fight for dominance. So Inod, needing to change the subject because I don’t want to think about the consequences of Grey anymore than I already do.

“Can I help?” I ask.

“Sure, want to chop the salad?” he asks.

I hop off my seat and round the island.

Our hands brush when he hands me the knife and the heat of his touch lingers on my skin.

“Do you think if the Sheriff called the diner and the Wooden Cowboy and told them you needed to take some time off they’d let you keep your jobs?”

I frown and keep chopping. “Um, I don’t know. Why would you ask them that, anyway?”

“Because I think it might be a safer option for the moment.”

“Why? Is it because of Grey?”

“Among other things,” he mumbles.

The warmth bleeds from me and I drop the knife on the counter, angry that I’m in this position. I feel a little crazy bouncing from one emotion to the next. Ledger probably thinks Iamcrazy at this point.

“Absolutely not. No, I won’t do it. He doesn’t get to control me. I promised myself when I left I was done letting him dictate anything in my life. I will be damned if I stop living because of that asshole. So screw him and screw you for even suggesting that I alter my life because of that ass.” Fury and a bit of fear make my stomach sour. I reach for the knife, but my hands are shaking because I’m so mad.

He sighs and takes the knife from me.

“I care about you a lot. Do you understand that?”

I glance at him then back at the cutting board, and shrug.

He huffs, holding my hand. “Then let me explain it to you.”

Chapter 32

Ledger

Therearetoomanyvariables. Things are about to get worse before they get better, and because of her proximity to Grey. I can’t let anything happen to her. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I let him get to her, but it’s more than my job title. It’s because of how I feel for her —my wife. She can’t get hurt again, not with me standing in front of her. I won’t let it happen.

I close the chasm between us, and her jaw ticks as I cup her face in my palm, dragging my thumb over her lips, and she relaxes into my hand.

Shiloh is multifaceted. She’s uncooperative and temperamental. I love all of her sides, but my favorite is when I touch her. She always softens for me.

It undoes something in me.

“I love you, that’s why.”

Her lips part and her eyes widen in shock.

I cup her other cheek and press a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth.

Her pulse beats fiercely beneath my touch, and she hasn’t moved an inch.