The restlessness he’d been fighting since his injury settled into a desperate longing. He was used to traveling, to being on the road constantly during the season. Sharon and Mandy had always shared that life with him, but they’d never managed to become a part of it. But now he wanted to stay in one place for a while.

And he wanted to share that place with Darci.

She finally opened the door and motioned him inside. As she flipped on lights, he looked around, trying to get a measure of her. The inside reflected the South-western flavor of the building, making him feel welcome and comfortable.

Suddenly, a white ball of fluff darted from the corner, barking furiously at Cole. He grinned at the ferocious growls and leaned down to make friends. The dog froze, backed up, then finally crept forward to sniff Cole’s fingertips cautiously. After a long hesitation, the animal allowed Cole to scratch its head.

“That’s Scruffy, my not-so-vicious watchdog.” Darci frowned at Cole. “She normally doesn’t let anyone but me touch her. You must be a sorcerer or something.”

Cole scooped the dog into his arms and grinned. “Animals like me. Maybe because I spend more time with them than I do with humans.”

Scruffy snuggled closer, and Cole looked around the room as he rubbed the scraggly fur on the dog’s back. The small jungle of plants arranged around the edges of the open room fascinated him. It was a sure sign of Darci’s nurturing side, a side that was not being put to good use.

Darci needed a family, someone to care for besides a business that might well reject her. She’d be good for Mandy, would understand the girl’s needs better than Cole could ever hope to. But if Darci and Mandy became attached to each other, it would be impossible to walk away at the end of the year. And he’d promised Darci he would walk away, had promised to release her from her vows so she could pursue the life she deserved, could find a man to start a family with. But the thought of her in another man’s arms tore at his insides, leaving him shaking with an undirected anger.

“I…uh, don’t have two beds.”

He turned at her words, desperate to reassure her, but not knowing how. Keep it casual, he ordered himself. “The couch will do for now. I can sleep just about anywhere.”

He would delight in sleeping in her bed, would be content just to hold her in his arms all night, to savor her warmth and her sunshine. But he didn’t dare, knew better than to tempt himself or fate with those possibilities.