Page 85 of Knot my First Rodeo

You idiot. You absolute idiot.

I cross the porch in three long strides, hand wrapping hard around the back door handle before I yank it open.

Because whatever complicated mess this turns into?

I’m done letting her think she has to survive it by herself.

Chapter

Twenty-Six

Autumn

The cramps keep coming in waves low through my stomach, sharp enough to make me shift every few minutes trying to find some position that doesn’t make me want to scream. The heating pad helped for maybe thirty seconds before everything started feeling wrong again, shirt too tight around my neck, leggings suddenly annoying enough that I keep tugging at them without thinking.

The basement door opens, and Tripp appears at almost the exact same time Briggs comes back in from outside, damp hair pushed back from the rain and jaw tight enough that I can’t tell if he’s irritated or just stuck in his own head again.

Nobody says anything for a second.

They left… and heat-brain or not, that still stings.

My fingers tighten slightly into the fabric of my top.

“You came back.” The words are quiet.

Briggs exhales once through his nose.

“‘Course we came back.”

“You left.”

His jaw tightens.

Something uncomfortable moves across his face before he drags a hand once through damp hair.

“I wasn’t leavin’ because I didn’t want you.”

Heat curls lower in my stomach hard enough that my face probably gives me away immediately.

Then, why’d you leave?

The question sits there before I say it anyway.

“Then, why?”

Briggs looks away briefly.

“Because wantin’ you ain’t the problem.”

My stomach flips, and I swear I can feel slick running down my damn legs.

“You’re nineteen,” he says quietly. “This is your first heat. First everything.” His gaze flicks back to mine. “Didn’t wanna screw this up because I couldn’t get my head on straight.”

“You thought leaving was helping?” I ask quietly.

“Yeah.”

“That was stupid.”