Guardian Cowboy. Carla Cassidy

arms and settled his mouth over hers.

      He kept the kiss light and quick, but it wasn’t because her lips didn’t entice him to delve deeper. It wasn’t because she didn’t excite him on a physical level.

      It was because he really did want to take things slow with her. He wanted a do-over. Things had gotten off to such a crazy start with them and now that he knew he hadn’t made love to her, he was excited for them to slowly progress to that place.

      “So, how about I pick you up around five thirty tomorrow?” he said when the kiss ended.

      “I’ll be ready and waiting,” she replied. “I work the morning shift and get off at three thirty, so that gives me plenty of time to clean up.”

      Minutes later, when he was back in his truck and headed home, he thought again about the note. Was it simply from some timid soul who had a crush on Janis or was it the beginning of something more ominous?

      He figured if he wound up dead, it would either be from Halena Redwing pinching his butt to death or because they all should have taken the note more seriously.

      Only time would tell, and that thought did nothing to make him feel better.