Her eyes gave away the inner battle. Bruce’s training in body language came in handy. The quick blinks and the way she tugged on her shirt indicated uncertainty and nervousness. She opened her mouth, only to shut it again.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m…not sure what time you get here in the morning, but breakfast will be ready at six.” She crossed her arms and rubbed them.
Shit.
He’d been sure she was about to open up, but she’d chickened out just as fast. His spirits fell. He couldn’t help her if she wouldn’t tell him what was going on. Then again, he hadn’t exactly made himself approachable. Whatever scared her had to be major because the fiercely independent woman he’d worked around all day had gone down the rabbit hole.
“That’s not what you were going to say, and we both know it.” He shook his head. Couldn’t force her to talk. “I don’t get here that early. See you later.”
He made his way to his truck, resisting the urge to go back and try again. As he drove, he couldn’t erase the haunting image of Sarah’s face when she’d burst into the kitchen. Something must have terrified her in town. She’d even walked differently after she returned. Her graceful movements had turned stiff and tense.
Could be an ex-boyfriend. Anger at whoever caused her to live in fear made his blood stew. She complicated his life by making the horses skittish and possibly bringing a threat to the farm, yet he wanted to dig deeper and find out more about her. The exact opposite of what he should do if he intended to keep everyone at the ranch safe. She had grit and guts, and she cared for people, but she didn’t belong there.
Growing up, he’d been the one that people always turned to for help. He’d spent five years of his life fighting for people’s freedom. But no war or tactical plan could keep everyone safe. And he had no idea what had spooked her. He couldn’t help unless she opened up.
He slowed to allow a car to pass him. Scared as she was, she would no doubt run away soon. If he let her get too close, he’d be left with another gaping hole in his heart. No way. Not again. He’d do what he could to keep an eye out for her while at the farm. Beyond that, his hands were tied. He stopped for a red light and set his jaw.
Better to keep his distance.
Sarah yawned, flipped on the lights, and threw on some clothes. She’d made sure all the ingredients for the morning meal were in her suite refrigerator and the proper cookware on the counter. Today’s breakfast consisted of banana pancakes, scrambled eggs, and a cheesy hash brown bake. True to her word, at six o’clock she had the food on the counter, plates and utensils out, and coffee brewed. Hard as it was, she had to act like nothing worried her and put on a happy face. She couldn’t let her nerves show. She’d failed horribly at it yesterday. Today had to go better.
Debbie strode into the kitchen and stopped short. “Oh, I forgot about this.”
A second later, Joe and Greg came in from the mudroom. Warmth spread through Sarah. They’d shown up. “Help yourselves. It’s all ready.”
Greg’s eyes widened, and he licked his lips.
“Leave some for us,” Joe said, making his way to the coffee machine.
Greg dragged his gaze from the food to Sarah, his face flushing.
The front door opened, and Bruce marched in. He must have changed his mind about coming. As usual, a shiver ran through her body at the sight of him. Damp hair, shirt snug against his pecs, she couldn’t help but stare. Her stomach flip-flopped.
He raked a hand through his hair and turned to Joe, who stood by the coffee maker. “Your text was pretty cryptic. What did you need me for this morning?”
Joe handed Debbie a filled mug and dumped some sugar in his own. “Help with the trailer.”
“Now what’s wrong with it?”
“Need to replace some rusted springs.” Joe took a sip of coffee.
“Are you serious? This couldn’t wait?” Bruce frowned. “And since when do you need my help?”
Joe sauntered to the counter, where Greg stood piling up his plate. “I want to use it this afternoon, and two of us will fix it faster.”
Huh, maybe she wasn’t the only one who got under Bruce’s skin. She smiled as Greg poured so much syrup his eggs floated and then took a seat at the table.
“Might as well eat since I am. We can’t start until I’m finished.” Joe grabbed a plate.
“I’m not done with this conversation.”
“Then talk while I’m eating.” Joe brought his food to the table and sat. He took a bite of the hash browns. “Mmm. These are great.” He waved his empty fork at Sarah. “You put cheese in them?”
“Yup. Cheddar.”
Greg swirled his eggs in the syrup. “Sure don’t get food like this in the morning at home.”
“You put onions in here?” Joe inspected the potatoes on his plate.
“Yes. You like them?” Sarah snuck a look at Bruce, who stood stiff and stoic. Grouchy didn’t begin to describe his demeanor.
Bruce’s gaze went back and forth from her to Joe. “I can’t believe this.”
Joe glanced at him and finished chewing. “What’s got your skivvies in a wad?”
“Really?” Bruce glowered. “I got up at five thirty, took a shower, rushed over here to help you, and you’re sitting here swapping recipes.”
“Well, that’s just stupid.” Joe took a sip of coffee and dished up some eggs. “Taking a shower before coming to work at the farm.”
Greg choked on his drink, spitting out juice.
Sarah bit back a grin at Joe’s not-the-least-bit-intimidated attitude.
Bruce scowled across the room at Joe, who continued cutting up his pancakes. After a beat, Bruce snatched the newspaper from the counter and stomped through the door.
This could be trouble. Sarah stepped to the screen and peeked out at him as he smacked the paper down on the wicker table.
“He’s gonna be a pain in the ass to work with if he doesn’t get some food,” Joe said. “You mind fixing him a plate, Sarah?”
“Throwing me to the wolves?”
“You can handle him.”
Debbie brought her coffee to the table and took a seat next to Joe. “I figured I’d wait to eat until all the commotion was over.”
With Bruce’s current mood, it might not be over. Sarah loaded two plates and took them out to the porch. Bruce had opened the paper, but he gazed at the fields.
“You didn’t have to bring me that.” He stood.
Sarah scanned the area. The morning sun reflected off something shiny near the tree line. She squinted. Nothing natural in the woods should reflect light. Her shoulder blades pinched together.
Bruce crossed the deck and stopped in front of her, blocking her view. He took one of the plates. “Come, sit down.”
She wanted to go inside, but he might ask questions if she refused. No one would mess with her while Bruce sat inches away. She nodded and followed him to the table, sneaking a glance back at the woods. The reflection was gone. A smidge of tension eased.
He put his plate down and pulled out a chair for her. “Joe pisses me off sometimes.”
“He does seem to push your buttons.”
“I don’t know what the hell he was thinking. This isn’t an emergency.”
“No idea.” Sarah shrugged and took a bite of hash browns. She’d stay out of it.
Bruce dove into his plate. “The potatoes are good.”
“That’s because there’s cheddar and onions in them.”
“Smart-ass.” He forked some eggs, but the side of his mouth twitched. “You realize you just made things worse with Greg, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“The kid has a major crush on you. And now you’re not only pretty, but you can cook.”
Bruce thought she was pretty? Heat flushed through her body. “Well, I’m glad my trick to get him here early worked.”
“Judging by the way he enjoyed the food, he’ll be back tomorrow.”
“And judging by how annoyed you are today at getting up early, I imagine you won’t.” She popped a piece of pancake in her mouth and licked the syrup from the fork. She glanced at Bruce, whose gaze fell to her lips.
He muttered under his breath.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He stabbed at his eggs.
For some reason, she brought out the grumpy in him. He sure didn’t pull any punches asking her questions. Maybe she should ask him some. He still owed her an explanation from when he’d walked out without answering her question in the barn. “You never told me what I do that annoys you. I’d like to know.”
He paused, fork halfway to his mouth, and syrup dripped onto his shirt. “What?”
“Hold on.” That would leave a stain. She dipped the edge of her napkin into her water and leaned over to dab at the spot. Resting a hand on his thigh for balance, she rubbed the napkin against his shirt but lost focus as his firm leg muscles contracted. She glanced down at her fingers on his inner thigh, way too close to other parts of his anatomy she dared not touch, and her mouth went dry.
He shifted in the seat, and God help her, her hand slid farther down his thigh. She pressed the napkin against his chest for balance to avoid slipping closer to…well…that…and raised her head.
Heat radiated from his body, and his rib cage rose as he drew in a breath, bringing her face to within a whisper of touching his. Afraid to move, and lost in the sensations, she clung to the space separating them like a life ring and gazed at him.
He stared back with pure, unmasked desire. When he lowered his head a fraction closer, his breath drifted across her lips.
The front screen door slammed.
With a start, she pushed herself off Bruce and settled back in her chair.
“Best breakfast I ever had. Thanks.” Greg rubbed his belly and strode toward them.
“Good.” She inwardly cringed at the high pitch of her voice. “Come back tomorrow.” She shot a glance at Bruce, who wiped a napkin across his mouth and dropped it in his lap. “Bruce probably won’t make it, and I hate to waste food.”
“More for me if he doesn’t. I don’t like to share you.” Greg’s eyes widened, and he clamped his hands over his mouth. His face turned redder than ripe raspberries. “Food! I meant I don’t like to share food.”
She couldn’t help but smile despite his embarrassment. Poor kid.
“I gotta get to work. Bye.” He stumbled down the steps.
Silence followed, which brought her right back to the still-charged energy in the air, and the larger-than-life man beside her. Bruce drove her crazy. She could swear he’d been about to kiss her. And she’d wanted him to. However, the moment had passed, and he had his mannequin-like mask back on, neutral with no expression.
She avoided eye contact, stood, and picked up her plate. “I better take these inside and clean up.”
Bruce grabbed his dish, and his footsteps sounded behind her as she headed to the door. A breeze blew the soap-fresh scent of his recent shower across the porch.
She stopped and inhaled. Her lungs shouldn’t crave the unique, masculine smell of him, but they did. And her body shouldn’t long to experience what it would be like to kiss a man with such passion for her in his eyes, but it did. With her entire life in chaos, it might be nice to feel something besides fear and panic. The strong need overcame common sense. “You know, Joe was wrong about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
Her heart rapped in a staccato. Keeping her back to him, she spoke before she lost her nerve. “You taking a shower? Not stupid. You smell amazing.”
She pushed through the door to the kitchen.
Thump.
She turned.
Bruce grabbed the edge of the door, his mouth slightly agape. He regained his balance, squared his shoulders, and followed her to the sink.
She bent over and dumped her plate in with the other dirty ones. He came up beside her, and she held her breath. Her brain really needed to take more control of what came out of her mouth. If her face got any hotter, she’d combust. She kept her head down as she reached for his plate. “Thanks.”
When he didn’t let go, she glanced up. He hitched an eyebrow and held her gaze for a long moment before he finally released the dish.
Oh God. She had no clue what to make of that look. It could be a challenge, a question, or amusement.
“Ready to work on the trailer?” Joe scraped his chair against the floor as he stood.
“I’ve been ready. Thanks for breakfast, Sarah.”
She nodded and rinsed the plates. When everyone left, she let out a big sigh. Sooner or later, she’d have to face him alone, and then she’d find out if she’d made a complete fool of herself.