Sophie Oak: Pure Bliss

He’d been a bit disappointed when Trev had come complete with a family. When Trev had called to let him know he was coming to Bliss with a wife and a partner in tow, James had realized that he’d secretly hoped Trev could fill the void Noah had left behind. Trev, Beth, and Bo had only been in Bliss for a week, but James was already jealous of their close-knit little family.

Logan nodded. “I know his story. I think it’s one of the reasons I’m so willing to go to Dallas. And I trust Wolf.”

“He’s a good man. Damn, I’m going to miss you.” He’d said that far too much in his life.

Logan smiled slightly. “You, too, man. You’ve been a good friend these last couple of months when I didn’t really deserve it.”

“You always deserved it, Logan.” If this went on much longer, James was going to embarrass himself. “Go on. Go to Dallas and get fixed up.”

Logan flushed, looking like the comic-book-loving geek he’d been before that terrible day. Even a hint of that fun-loving man made James hope for the best. “Well, you’re my last stop before I head out. I’ve already said good-bye to my moms and everyone in the department. I made sure I said good-bye to Holly and Caleb and Alexei. I said I was sorry, too. God, I wish I could look at that man and not get mad.”

Alexei Markov was the reason Logan was twelve kinds of fucked up. He was also the reason Logan was alive. “You’ll get there. You have to. I don’t think the man is going anywhere.”

Alexei Markov was madly in love with Holly Lang. He and the town doctor, Caleb Burke, had settled their differences and were happily sharing Holly. It was kind of a way of life here in Bliss.

Logan leaned against the rail of the white picket fence that wrapped around the porch. It had been a little joke among his parents that they had found the American dream of one woman, two men, and a whole bunch of cattle. “I wanted to talk to you last because I have to ask a favor of you.”

“Anything.” For the last several years, Logan had been his closest friend. He would do just about anything for the man.

“Something’s wrong with Hope.”

Just like that his stomach took a nose dive. A vision of Hope McLean assaulted him. God, how could a woman who wore too-big clothes and hid behind glasses and bad hair get to him the way she did? He steered clear of that girl. He made it his mission in life to not get close to her because every time she talked in that ridiculous Southern accent of hers, his cock got hard and his heart soft. It was a bad combo. “What do you mean?”

Logan sighed. “God, you have to get over whatever it is that puts you off her. I don’t get it. She’s so freaking nice. Why are you the only one in this damn town who can’t be cool with her?”

Because every time she walked in a room, his libido went into overdrive and his brain took a nosedive. He’d cultivated an air of cool indifference around the lovely, soft, and scrumptious Hope McLean. “We just don’t get along, I guess.”

Bullshit . You would love to get along with her, but she’s not some good-time girl. She would want more than a quick fuck and you know it. You would want more. And you have no idea how to do that without your brother at your side.

Logan straightened up. “I’m asking you to look past that. I like the hell out of that girl. Something’s up with her, and I can’t get anyone to talk to me about it. She’s closemouthed. She won’t admit to anything. I think Nate knows something, but the bastard never tells me a goddamn thing. He’s even been quiet around Callie.”

Nate Wright was the sheriff of Bliss. He was also married to the worst gossip in Bliss. And his partner was Bliss’s only tavern owner. Between Callie and Zane, gossip flowed freely. It said something that Nate Wright knew how to keep a secret. What the hell kind of secret could someone as sweet and harmless as Hope McLean have? “What makes you think she’s in trouble?”

“She’s not sleeping. I can tell. I’ve caught her napping in the break room several times this week. She’s working far more than she’s scheduled to. Cam and I added up her hours for the last week, and we’re pretty sure she hasn’t been at home for more than a few hours a day. And she’s been touchy. She’s usually a rock, but she’s been jumpy lately. I overheard a call two days ago. She yelled. Hope never yells. She told someone named Christian to leave her alone.”

“He sounds like a douchebag.” The thought that Hope had a boyfriend named Christian really unnerved him.

“So I need someone to figure out what’s going on with her. I might not be the best cop in the world, but I know when something’s going on with one of my friends. I would feel so much better about this if I knew you were looking after her.”

What choice did he have? Logan was in serious trouble. He needed help. It wouldn’t be the friendliest thing to do to tell him that he wouldn’t look into Hope’s trouble because he was worried he couldn’t handle her. “Sure.”

And he would do it. He’d promised with one simple word, and that was his stupid-ass bond.

Logan sighed, his relief obvious. “Thank you. I really like Hope. I would hate to think something bad was happening and no one cared. Just figure out if it’s dangerous and handle it. Okay?”

It was right there on the tip of his tongue to ask what could possibly be dangerous. He held that thought. In the last several years, Bliss had seen its share of druggie bikers, stalkers, serial killers, and the fucking Russian mob. Hope could be involved in anything from white slavery to alien abduction, and it would be the norm in Bliss. “I’ll check it out.”

Logan reached out and slapped his shoulder. “Thanks, man. Give me a call. I really want to know what’s up with that girl. She’s a sweetheart. Makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever. And she always watches out for me. She showed up at Hell on Wheels to haul my ass home one night. I owe her. Please, Jamie. Take care of her. She’s a friend.”

James nodded his head slowly, the true weight of what he was agreeing to coming down on him. “I will.”

He would. He didn’t have much in this world beyond his word. He would figure out what was making Hope not sleep at night. It was probably something like a lost library book.

He wouldn’t get close to her. He wouldn’t spread her legs and penetrate her. He wouldn’t tie her up and have his wretched way with her. He wouldn’t take those glasses off and look in her eyes while he stroked into her with his cock. Nope. He was just going to figure out her problem and solve it and send her on her way.

Logan put out a hand. James shook it. He was losing another friend. It seemed to be a theme to his life.

He watched as Logan got into Wolf’s truck and drove off to face his future. James knew where his future was. It was right here on the Circle G. It always had been. This land was his legacy, his burden, his destiny.

He’d given up a lot for this land.

And now he only had half of it left. James sighed as Wolf’s truck drove off, churning up dirt in its wake. He still had the Circle G. He’d almost lost it.

James turned and went back in the house. He needed to head into town and see what was up with Hope. He’d made a promise, and he intended to keep it.

Hope McLean stared out the window of the Sheriff’s Department, watching the town move by. Not that there were tons of people walking down Main Street. A couple of late-season tourists walked up the steps to the Trading Post. Mel and Cassidy walked down the street, their hands tucked together. Cassidy wiped her eyes with her free hand, and Mel pulled her close, whispering something to her that got her smiling.