“What are you staring at?”

“You.” He thought of the feel of Elise in his arms, the scent of her that he would know anywhere—and it hit him like the proverbial bolt from the blue.

He was going about this all wrong. Staying away from her in order to keep her made no sense at all.

He needed to get closer.

Closer. Dear God. He would love that.

Too bad he was no good at all that love and romance crap. And if he went for it with Elise and it blew up in his face, where would he be then? Zero and two—and minus the assistant who made it all hang together.

“Jed.” She’d reached the table and now stood over him, watching him, her smile indulgent, her eyes so bright. “What’s going on in that big brain of yours?”

“Not a thing.”

“Liar. You’ve got your scary face on—give me your plate. I’ll warm it up.”

He handed it over. He watched her walk away. Always a pleasure, watching Elise walk away.

What would it be like, him and Elise, living together, working together, sleeping in the same bed night after night? He was starting to think he really needed to find out.

* * *

The Bravos of Justice Creek:
Where bold hearts collide under Western skies