Her Cowboy Sheriff

Read the Excerpt

In this brief excerpt, Finn has just reluctantly told Annabelle about the tragic loss of his family. 

Annabelle’s gaze filled with empathy. “You shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“But in a way it was my fault…the Brothers gang retaliated through Caro and Alex.”

“Because they knew that was the worst way to hurt you.”

Why was he telling her all this? He couldn’t take it back.

“It should have been me instead,” he murmured then turned away. “Go inside, Annabelle. Please.”

But no, she came toward him, letting the cold hit her like a slap and penetrating the pretty dress she’d worn for Thanksgiving and…before the thought could make itself known he’d turned to her, before he could keep from letting her see the devastation that must show on his face, before he could step away from her embrace. And then her arms were around him and she was weeping too. Finn tried to brush the tears from her cheeks but they kept coming like his, and he stopped wondering when she would leave Barren and the diner and Emmie behind, and all he could think of was being here with her on the freezing-cold porch with the oh-so-welcome heat of her against him. He should pull away.

“Annabelle,” he began, but she raised her face to his, looked into his eyes for what seemed to be a long moment. Then her lips met his and they were kissing and Finn couldn’t think of a single reason why they shouldn’t.

For the first time, he wished Annabelle would change her mind about leaving…and he could feel what it would be like to really care about someone again. If he dared.