microwave. “Fine, but I have to feed the horses first. Animals get fed before the humans around here.”
Dallas gave her a devilish grin. “Why does that not surprise me? Your animals probably eat better than you do.”
Gwen tried to maintain the angry glint in her eyes, but the more she stared at him, the more he could see the smile trying to sneak across her lips. Finally, she broke out in a fit of laughter.
Dallas noted how her features softened before him as the warmth from her smile lightened her appearance. Her small nose crinkled, her eyes became less guarded, and for an instant he could see the beautiful woman hiding beneath the mask she had been wearing ever since he had set foot on her property.
Gwen grabbed at her side as her laughter ebbed. “Oh, God! Are you always like this? You’re such an asshole.”
Dallas was taken aback by her admission. “I’m an asshole? Lady, you should take a look in the mirror!”
Gwen took in Dallas anew. “I have,” she whispered. “I know what I am, Dallas. The problem is I think you’re trying too hard to push my buttons.” She sighed. “Look, I don’t trust a lot of people, and letting a stranger into my home is difficult enough for me. I’ve been angry with my father and Carl for putting me in this situation, and unfortunately, I have been venting my frustrations on you. I promise to try and be more…civil…if you promise to stop scowling all the time.”
He examined her face, searching for a hint of sincerity, but instead he became distracted by the Gwen’s alluring beauty. The softness of her skin, the curl of her pale lips, and the depth of her blue-green eyes intrigued him. Up until that moment he had never been enticed by her beauty, but he found himself momentarily bewitched by her. Then he remembered what she said about not trusting people, and her words instantly brought to mind another woman who had once told him the same thing. He wondered if he would ever be free of Nicci’s spell. Dallas turned away from Gwen and walked over to the stove with his pan.
“I’m just doing my job, Gwen. How you take it is up to you.” He went back to the counter by the refrigerator and picked up the eggs.
At that moment, the microwave started beeping.
Gwen went to the microwave, grabbed a nearby towel, and took out her frozen dinner.
“I have paperwork to do. If you need anything else, I’ll be in my study,” she said as she headed for the door.
“Bowls?” Dallas questioned behind her.
Gwen turned back to him. “Try the cabinet next to the stove. I think that’s where they are.”
“You think?” Dallas commented in a sarcastic tone.
She held up the frozen dinner tray in her hand. “Do I look like a woman who spends a lot of time in the kitchen?” She turned and quickly left the room.
Dallas shook his head and began searching through the cabinets by the stove for a mixing bowl. When he found a glass one, he had to rinse the dust from it before he could use it for cooking. As he started to crack the eggs into the bowl one by one, he went over his conversation with Gwen. Everything she said seemed like such a contradiction to what he found in the house. How could she not know where she kept her bowls when she admitted she liked to cook, but then lived on frozen dinners?
Dallas tried to make sense of the woman he was sent to protect. He wasn’t sure how much of what Gwen had told him was fact, or something she ’d made up to distract him. He ’d had other targets in the past try and baffle him with false impressions of their nature to keep him from getting too close or learning too much. But with this woman everything felt different. What she told him did not match what he found in the house, and that frustrated him. And Dallas hated being frustrated by anyone.
***
After eating his chicken and cheese omelet at the island in the kitchen, Dallas stepped into the living room to see Gwen seated at her desk in the study. She was intently
Dallas gave her a devilish grin. “Why does that not surprise me? Your animals probably eat better than you do.”
Gwen tried to maintain the angry glint in her eyes, but the more she stared at him, the more he could see the smile trying to sneak across her lips. Finally, she broke out in a fit of laughter.
Dallas noted how her features softened before him as the warmth from her smile lightened her appearance. Her small nose crinkled, her eyes became less guarded, and for an instant he could see the beautiful woman hiding beneath the mask she had been wearing ever since he had set foot on her property.
Gwen grabbed at her side as her laughter ebbed. “Oh, God! Are you always like this? You’re such an asshole.”
Dallas was taken aback by her admission. “I’m an asshole? Lady, you should take a look in the mirror!”
Gwen took in Dallas anew. “I have,” she whispered. “I know what I am, Dallas. The problem is I think you’re trying too hard to push my buttons.” She sighed. “Look, I don’t trust a lot of people, and letting a stranger into my home is difficult enough for me. I’ve been angry with my father and Carl for putting me in this situation, and unfortunately, I have been venting my frustrations on you. I promise to try and be more…civil…if you promise to stop scowling all the time.”
He examined her face, searching for a hint of sincerity, but instead he became distracted by the Gwen’s alluring beauty. The softness of her skin, the curl of her pale lips, and the depth of her blue-green eyes intrigued him. Up until that moment he had never been enticed by her beauty, but he found himself momentarily bewitched by her. Then he remembered what she said about not trusting people, and her words instantly brought to mind another woman who had once told him the same thing. He wondered if he would ever be free of Nicci’s spell. Dallas turned away from Gwen and walked over to the stove with his pan.
“I’m just doing my job, Gwen. How you take it is up to you.” He went back to the counter by the refrigerator and picked up the eggs.
At that moment, the microwave started beeping.
Gwen went to the microwave, grabbed a nearby towel, and took out her frozen dinner.
“I have paperwork to do. If you need anything else, I’ll be in my study,” she said as she headed for the door.
“Bowls?” Dallas questioned behind her.
Gwen turned back to him. “Try the cabinet next to the stove. I think that’s where they are.”
“You think?” Dallas commented in a sarcastic tone.
She held up the frozen dinner tray in her hand. “Do I look like a woman who spends a lot of time in the kitchen?” She turned and quickly left the room.
Dallas shook his head and began searching through the cabinets by the stove for a mixing bowl. When he found a glass one, he had to rinse the dust from it before he could use it for cooking. As he started to crack the eggs into the bowl one by one, he went over his conversation with Gwen. Everything she said seemed like such a contradiction to what he found in the house. How could she not know where she kept her bowls when she admitted she liked to cook, but then lived on frozen dinners?
Dallas tried to make sense of the woman he was sent to protect. He wasn’t sure how much of what Gwen had told him was fact, or something she ’d made up to distract him. He ’d had other targets in the past try and baffle him with false impressions of their nature to keep him from getting too close or learning too much. But with this woman everything felt different. What she told him did not match what he found in the house, and that frustrated him. And Dallas hated being frustrated by anyone.
***
After eating his chicken and cheese omelet at the island in the kitchen, Dallas stepped into the living room to see Gwen seated at her desk in the study. She was intently
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