Savage Cowboy (Whiskey Valley: Bryant Brothers)

I stand to the side and watch as the next three people in line get their books signed. Once everyone has left except for Hailey and me, she stands up and stretches. I walk toward her with a big smile on my face. "I can't thank you enough—" But I don't even get the words out because she stops me.

"Are you kidding me? I should be thanking you. I needed this."

I nod in understanding. There was a lot of gossip about Hailey and her ex-husband, and how it could possibly hurt her career when he had cheated on her and left her. She was in the middle of a book series, and she said that until she’d met Griffin and came to Whiskey Valley, she had writer’s block. Obviously, the man and the beautiful ranch helped her because her book has gone straight to the bestsellers list.

Hailey glances down at her finger, and I tell her, “Congratulations.” I still can't believe when I saw Griffin on bended knee proposing marriage to her earlier.

Hailey giggles. "Thank you."

The bells on the door jingle, letting us know that someone is walking in. Before I even turn, I know exactly who is walking in the door, and I busy myself straightening up and putting things away. Griffin walks up to Hailey and hugs her. "It was amazing," he says.

She nods excitedly and starts to replay the night's events as if he hasn't had his eyes on her the whole entire time. I look at Chance, who is standing to the side. He's staring at me, and I feel that heated gaze all the way across the room. I pull my eyes off of him and stack books before walking away toward the register. Distance is what I need to put between Chance and me.

I barely make it across the room and Hailey is following me. "Thank you again so much, Amanda, and I'll be coming in more often."

Griffin chuckles. "Oh, good, more books."

Hailey laughs good-naturedly. "You knew what you were getting yourself into when you decided to marry an author." She gasps and holds her hand up to look at her ring finger. "I still can't believe we're engaged."

Griffin pulls her into his arms. "Well, you better believe it, and the wedding is going to happen soon."

She goes up on her tiptoes to kiss him and then pulls back, touching his chest, "Oh, you." She tells me goodbye, and I hug her once more, knowing that I have already found a good friend in Hailey.

I watch as they walk toward the entrance and say goodbye to Chance, but he doesn't follow them. Instead, he walks toward me, and all I can do is stand here and look at him helplessly. "Is there anything you need while you're here?"

He smiles a big smile that takes over his whole face, lighting up his eyes, and even his cheeks get a little ruddy. "I can think of one thing I need." His voice has dropped, and by the way his eyes travel down my body and then back up again, I have a clue as to what he's talking about.

I look around the empty bookstore and back at him. He must mistake the look on my face with fear because he holds his hands up and stops walking toward me. "It's okay."

Embarrassed, I take a deep breath and let it out. I haven’t been around a lot of men that weren’t related to me. He probably thinks I’m some kind of freak. "Books, are there any books you're looking for?" I ask him to change the subject.

He chuckles and walks toward me again, this time slower. "No, but I was wanting to ask you something."

I pull the books in my arms closer to my chest and hold them there. Before he even says the words, I know exactly what he's going to ask me, but I still say it. "What do you want to ask me?"

He stops when he's right next to me. "Go out with me."

The way he says it is more of a demand than a question. Darn it, I would love to say yes, but I know I can't. "Chance, I don't know—" I stop.

He moves closer and puts his hand on mine, rubbing his finger across the back of my hand that is holding the books to my chest. His gentle touch causes my heart to race and my mind to whirl. It's as if I can't even form a complete sentence, so I mutter my last name. "McCoy."

His forehead creases. "I'm sorry?"

I shake my head as if to empty all the crazy thoughts going through it. "My name is Amanda McCoy. I'm a McCoy."

He opens his hand and lays it over mine, wrapping it like a cocoon. He’s so much bigger than me, and that’s all I can think about as he tells me in a clear, steady voice. "I know who you are, and I don't care."