A Real Cowboy Never Walks Away (Wyoming Rebels Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

life he'd never had, in which he was judged only by who he was in this moment. Basic, gritty, and raw, a week of not enough sleep or money, of scrambling to keep up, of being so busy he didn't have time to think about all the shit that haunted him so ruthlessly. A week where the only person he had to deal with was a woman who wanted nothing from him except help in her kitchen, a woman who made him feel like he could make a difference for her. He'd felt dead for months. Years. Hell, his whole damned life. But one evening at the Wildflower Café , and he felt like his heart was beating again. The colors seemed brighter. His head felt clearer.
    But he had obligations this week. Appearances. Concerts. Radio shows. Tension settled in his muscles again as he thought of the week ahead, of all his responsibilities, and a heavy weight seemed to press down upon him. The thought of walking out of the café and going back to his life made darkness close in on him, a crushing, relentless vise around his chest.
    Lissa's eyes widened. "Are you okay?"
    "Yeah. Fine." A lie. The same lie he always gave, though not many people ever asked that question, unless his crappy mood could adversely affect their wallets. The amount of shit he'd taken from his label for the last year to write new material was ridiculous, and he hadn't written a damned word. He hated every song that his team brought to him, and he hated every word he wrote.
    Hell, he despised all his old songs too. Every word, every note, every melody felt like a meaningless, arid wasteland of lies. He was tired of singing words that didn't matter, of performing in front of a crowd that wanted a piece of him. He was tired of the pressure to deliver. He'd been tired every minute of every day for a long time...until tonight.
    Tonight had flown by, and he'd loved every second of being in that kitchen, of anticipating the next moment that Lissa would pop in and grin at him. He was even amused by the two times he'd pretended to be Bo and barked like a dog. Barking like a dog? Unreal. And amazing.
    But he couldn't spend the week in the Wildflower Café flipping burgers, binging on late night desserts, and falling under the spell of a woman who reminded him of the wildflowers she'd named the café after: beautiful, untamed, strong, and free.
    He had obligations, responsibilities, and duties. Besides, how long could he hang out here before someone recognized him? Before she'd realize superstar Travis Turner was in her kitchen? What then? Everything would change. This oasis would be gone. She'd look at him differently, and then it would be ruined. He had to accept that it had been one night, one amazing night, and that was it. He sighed, meeting her gaze. "I wish I could help you out this week, but I can't."
    Her face fell, and his gut turned over. But she didn't argue at all. "That's fine." She sat back, and shrugged nonchalantly. "It was a random idea. I'll find someone. I appreciate tonight, though."
    Damn. He didn't like that flicker of embarrassment on her face for asking him. He leaned forward. "I meant it when I said I wished I could." His voice was rougher than he'd intended, more intimate than he'd planned, filled with more longing than he'd meant to share.
    Her gaze snapped to his, and for a moment, electricity seemed to leap between them. Heat poured through him, a deep, carnal fire of possession and need. He leaned across the table, and brushed his finger along her jaw. Her skin was as soft as a newborn foal, fragile and tender.
    Her cheeks turned red, and she sucked in her breath...but she didn't pull away.
    His entire body went into overdrive, and need poured through him, a raw lust that hit him hard and mercilessly, gripping him ruthlessly. It had been building all night, ignited each time she'd flashed him one of her smiles, or brushed against him as she grabbed a plate of food, or even simply said his name. Now that it was just them, in a moment where nothing was calling for his