something here?
His expression went even more ominous.
“Why would you think that?” His jaw flexed forbiddingly, as if she’d somehow lied or cheated or otherwise deceived him.
“Because I saw him just outside the back fence earlier,” she clarified, hoping she wasn’t getting his farm help in too much trouble. “It was the same person you had trimming trees along the fence when I arrived earlier today to see the carriage house.”
He reached into her car, pulled out her keys and passed them over.
From anyone else, that gesture might have seemed presumptuous. But Annamae had the feeling he would have done the same thing for anyone. Heath wasn’t a man to open a woman’s door, but he made sure nothing dangerous lurked on the other side.
“I don’t employ anyone but me.” He gestured toward the house. “Would you mind describing this person to me in more detail? I don’t like the idea of someone making themselves at home around here without my knowledge.”
She followed him without thinking, without weighing her options. Wasn’t it that kind of reflexive attitude in life that got her on a television show she hadn’t wanted to be a part of in the first place?
Forcing herself to stop, she waited for him to notice. To turn and face her. Bagel sat beside her, waiting with her.
“Aren’t we going to talk about the carriage house rental?” That’s the reason she was here. Not to do him a favor by pointing the finger at some unsuspecting farm hand, who probably only wanted a job.
“I can’t think about the rental until I get this taken care of, Ms. Jessup. I’m sure you’ll understand.”
“It’s Annamae. Not Ms. Jessup. And I don’t understand. I’ve had the worst day of my life, and I think I’m going to lose my mind if I can’t close my eyes and try to put it behind me soon.” She’d been so pleased to get through his all-mighty gates, but maybe he’d only wanted the scoop on her vagrant fan.
But damn it, her life was in an absolute shambles. Tomorrow was supposed to be her wedding day. The happiest day of her life. If all had gone according to plan, she would have been dancing under the stars with Boone in twenty-four hours, soon to start a fairytale life – with a man she didn’t love according to a British radio talk show host.
God, she needed a bed and bucket of ice cream. She forced herself to listen to Heath, her eyes locking on his dark brown gaze.
“I’ve got enemies, Annamae, and it occurs to me that you could be in some trouble if you don’t come clean about who you saw skulking around the property earlier today. Do you understand?”
What had he said? Her brain was a scramble.
They’d gotten closer somehow while he was speaking. Close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him right through his t-shirt. She had an absurd amount of awareness for this man, noticing all sorts of things she shouldn’t.
Chemistry , some knowing part of her brain informed her.
It had been a piece that had been missing for her with Boone, as much as she hadn’t wanted to face it. Impossibly, she was even more reluctant to face the truth that she did feel it for this surly, bossy, reclusive stranger. What was wrong with her?
“What kind of enemies?” she found herself asking, grateful her brain had seized on some topic that didn’t involve attraction. Awareness. Pheromones.
Her mouth had gone dry in the last minute, however. She knew because she had to lick her lips to get even those few words out.
“You know how you have some secrets you don’t want to share, Red?” His voice rumbled between them, making her realize they were still too close.
Her hand went to her scarf, but she didn’t want to take the thing off. The hair underneath was far worse than having him call her Red.
“Don’t we all?” She turned her attention toward the carriage house before she leaned closer to him.
She didn’t even think she liked Heath, so it bothered her that she felt this…
His expression went even more ominous.
“Why would you think that?” His jaw flexed forbiddingly, as if she’d somehow lied or cheated or otherwise deceived him.
“Because I saw him just outside the back fence earlier,” she clarified, hoping she wasn’t getting his farm help in too much trouble. “It was the same person you had trimming trees along the fence when I arrived earlier today to see the carriage house.”
He reached into her car, pulled out her keys and passed them over.
From anyone else, that gesture might have seemed presumptuous. But Annamae had the feeling he would have done the same thing for anyone. Heath wasn’t a man to open a woman’s door, but he made sure nothing dangerous lurked on the other side.
“I don’t employ anyone but me.” He gestured toward the house. “Would you mind describing this person to me in more detail? I don’t like the idea of someone making themselves at home around here without my knowledge.”
She followed him without thinking, without weighing her options. Wasn’t it that kind of reflexive attitude in life that got her on a television show she hadn’t wanted to be a part of in the first place?
Forcing herself to stop, she waited for him to notice. To turn and face her. Bagel sat beside her, waiting with her.
“Aren’t we going to talk about the carriage house rental?” That’s the reason she was here. Not to do him a favor by pointing the finger at some unsuspecting farm hand, who probably only wanted a job.
“I can’t think about the rental until I get this taken care of, Ms. Jessup. I’m sure you’ll understand.”
“It’s Annamae. Not Ms. Jessup. And I don’t understand. I’ve had the worst day of my life, and I think I’m going to lose my mind if I can’t close my eyes and try to put it behind me soon.” She’d been so pleased to get through his all-mighty gates, but maybe he’d only wanted the scoop on her vagrant fan.
But damn it, her life was in an absolute shambles. Tomorrow was supposed to be her wedding day. The happiest day of her life. If all had gone according to plan, she would have been dancing under the stars with Boone in twenty-four hours, soon to start a fairytale life – with a man she didn’t love according to a British radio talk show host.
God, she needed a bed and bucket of ice cream. She forced herself to listen to Heath, her eyes locking on his dark brown gaze.
“I’ve got enemies, Annamae, and it occurs to me that you could be in some trouble if you don’t come clean about who you saw skulking around the property earlier today. Do you understand?”
What had he said? Her brain was a scramble.
They’d gotten closer somehow while he was speaking. Close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him right through his t-shirt. She had an absurd amount of awareness for this man, noticing all sorts of things she shouldn’t.
Chemistry , some knowing part of her brain informed her.
It had been a piece that had been missing for her with Boone, as much as she hadn’t wanted to face it. Impossibly, she was even more reluctant to face the truth that she did feel it for this surly, bossy, reclusive stranger. What was wrong with her?
“What kind of enemies?” she found herself asking, grateful her brain had seized on some topic that didn’t involve attraction. Awareness. Pheromones.
Her mouth had gone dry in the last minute, however. She knew because she had to lick her lips to get even those few words out.
“You know how you have some secrets you don’t want to share, Red?” His voice rumbled between them, making her realize they were still too close.
Her hand went to her scarf, but she didn’t want to take the thing off. The hair underneath was far worse than having him call her Red.
“Don’t we all?” She turned her attention toward the carriage house before she leaned closer to him.
She didn’t even think she liked Heath, so it bothered her that she felt this…
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