Cowboy's Little Darling - Besotted Hero

Chapter 3

"You are making fun of me," I said to Cole with a frown. 

He laughed a bit and shook his head at my annoyed expression and answered with a sweet, gentle smile. "I swear I am not. I am just curious. So, did you or did you not?" He was insisting on this stupid subject for the last hour. But his eyes were the most innocent ones. If I didn't know better, I would say he was teasing me into confessing everything he wanted to know.

We've been traveling five hours already and I was just tired of staying so much time on this uncomfortable bus. We had another hour until we finally arrived at our final destination and I was starting to feel anxious with the realization Cole would certainly need to leave after that, cause he was a busy man and surely couldn't stay all his life taking care of me.

I didn't know if he was about to wait for my auntie with me or if he would leave right after. I had no courage to ask him upfront. He already did so much for me that I couldn't possibly ask for more. He was in fact very protective and didn't let me wander by myself in the other stops we've made. He told me to hold his arm and do as he told me, so everything would be fine and no one would bother me again.

He accompanied me to the ladies restroom and said he would wait for me by the door. After, he sat me in a booth at the cafeteria and asked me to pay attention to what he was going to tell me. "Hailey, stay in here and don't move until I am back. I will make some arrangements for when we arrive and I am coming back in a few minutes. Don't let any man sit here with you, understand?" He waited for my confirmation. "I will be less than ten minutes away, okay? Good." 

When he was about to leave, I grabbed his arm with force and asked him with anxiety. "You are coming back, aren't you?" I felt my face hot with shame for that display of weakness but I couldn't help but fear he was about to leave and never come back again.

He looked at me intently and took my hands in his. "I am not leaving you here, sweetheart. Why don't you hold my wallet for me so it will be safe until I am back? Can you do this for me?" He took his wallet from his back pocket and put it in my hands. I firmly grabbed it like it was the most precious object and nodded vehemently at him, agreeing I would take care of it for him. "If some man comes here, what are you going to say?"

I thought for a minute about the best answer. "Sir, I am with someone. This place is taken already." I looked at him waiting for confirmation.

"That's okay for now." He slightly pinched my cheek and turned around to leave for the man's restroom direction. Of course, I was an adult and could handle any situation by myself. It was not like I didn't know anything about surviving alone.

But there was not even time for me to try my survivor skill because a waitress came with menus and Cole was back ten minutes later.

"Anyone bothered you?" I shook my head to say no one had. He sat in the place right beside mine and rested his arm on the back of my chair. He was not really touching me, but it felt okay having him near me. 

It was strange to have this kind of connection with someone I barely knew some hours ago. It was actually something I never thought was possible... To meet someone and feel safe and secure. I never quite believed I would let some man so close to me. Of course, it was not like he was going to be my boyfriend or anything, but I wouldn't mind if he hugged me or something like that.

Mom would be freaking out if she could see me now. Men were not to be trusted... but this one... Cole Malone... there was something about the way he was acting. I don't think he was a common man and I don't think he was so bad and would try to hurt me.

"What are you thinking so much?" He asked me, closing the menu and turning slightly to me. "You seem pensive."

"It's because... it's because I just met you. Mom said I should be careful." And she also said never to let any man touch me, ever.