Page 70 of Risking it for the Cowboy
“Charlie,” he crooned, and nuzzled his nose into her neck. “You gotta go.”
She exhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose, but leaned into him, resting a hand to his shirt pocket over his heart, and it was sweet despite the concern boring a hole in his stomach.
“I will. After my student makes up her exam. Grades are due today.”
“Jason don’t care about your deadlines, Flower Girl.”
“No, he doesn’t. But if I let him take over my job? Ruin my career by making me drop the ball on students? He always did that for my classes, my field trips. He always sabotaged any success I had. He couldn’t stand to be outshone, even though I wasn’t even trying to compete with him. Mysteriously vanished when it was his turn to take over with Daisy so I’d have to scramble for childcare we couldn’t afford or I’d have to miss class. He loves the control he wields over me. I’m going. Promise. Just need to feed Daisy some lunch while my student finishes their test. I just hate that she’ll have to sit there. In the police station—”
“Then let me come get her.” He placed his hand over hers.
Right now she needed a man’s patience—always patience required with this one—and he was going to have to earn this flower girl’s trust.
“What?”
“Yeah. I’ll meet you there. Pick her up. Ruin her dinner. Take her to Hilltop Creamery to get ice cream,” he emphasized loudly. “The works.”
“Ice cream?” Daisy perked up.
T.R. grinned. “Sure shootin’. How’s about after your lunch I bring you back here. We can work on the coop. Visit the stables while your momma goes to her, uh, meetin’ in town.” He spoke in code.
Daisy’s face widened.
Then she jumped up and down. “Oh please, Momma? Please? Pleeeaaasse?”
“That’s a big ask on my part, for you to do all of that.”
“Good thing I ain’t askin’.” He shrugged, and she shook her head at his grin.
God, he loved earning her exasperation.
She bit her lip. “You keep doing nice things for me.”
“Is it workin’?” T.R. notched up his chin, when that telltale Charlie worry creased her brow. He cupped her cheeks, brushing them with his thumb. “That’s what a guy does when he likes a girl. It’s what a decent guy oughta do no matter what.”
“How can I repay you, when you won’t even let me compensate you for fixing my Rover?”
He shrugged again, his hand slipping onto her hip. “I got an idea. Bring your banjo when you come to get her.” Her brow furrowed. “Y’all can stay to cook out later.”
“Cook out?” Daisy’s eyes widened further. “Like, hot dogs?”
He grinned.
“A Monday tradition for McClintock and the Disclaimers.” He waggled his brow at the both of them.
And that spark in her eye, at mention of his band, glimmered. Yeah, her dream was still there, just buried with that trust Jason had so thoroughly trampled.
“Your band’ll be here? Won’t we be imposing?”
“Every Monday night. Rehearsals. And God no, you wouldn’t be imposing. What do I gotta do to twist your arm into throwing us a lifesaver so we can enter the Homegrown Awards? Kids can run amok. Jack brings his boys. It’d be fun.”
He could see the want in her eyes. Time to sweeten the deal.
“Jason’s a ticking bomb, Charlie.” He lowered his voice, palm sifting up her nape, holding her there, and he noticed, she wore his undershirt beneath her open work shirt. “What if he raises his hand to you again? Daisy don’t need to hear you recount what happened yesterday when I’m sayin’ she can be here safe and sound and it’ll be no trouble—”
“You are nothing but trouble,” she deflected, poking his chest.
“Damn straight, so you oughta listen to me.” He grinned, raising his voice again and drifting away from Charlie. “You’d be doin’ me a favor loaning me my wing girl ’cause ain’t no way I can build a coop by myself, I need her muscle.” He squeezed Daisy’s bicep as she flexed and giggled. “’cause those two-by-fours are heavy—”
