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But the second Beth pulled away, thought and anything related to it vanished.

Eli wanted. And he hadn’t felt that kind of want for longer than he could remember.

“I should go,” Beth continued when he still hadn’t uttered a word. “I just remembered a thing I have to do. Maybe see a man about a horse?” She released a nervous laugh. “Anyway, I’ll just…you know…” She took another step back and stumbled as her foot caught on the leg of the desk.

Eli grabbed her hand, then kept her from falling by wrapping his arm around her back.

She stared at him, eyes wide, her chest rising and falling with trembling breaths.

“Don’t. Go.” His voice came out rough, the words caught somewhere between a plea and a command.

“Are you asking that as my boss or my landlord?” she whispered, her eyes locked on his.

Eli’s jaw tightened, and he dropped her hand. But because she wasn’t entirely standing upright, he couldn’t exactly let go without letting her fall. “Shit, Beth, I didn’t mean…”

Her lips parted into a smile before he could finish, and he blew out a relieved breath.

“You’re messing with me.”

Beth shrugged.

His panic receded.

“I don’t even want this job or to be living in this middle of nowhere town,” she told him. “So I’m hardly worried about the consequences of a kiss.” But her breathing hadn’t yet returned to normal. She cared about the job, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

Eli straightened, bringing her with him so that now her chest was pressed to his.

“You’re good at it.” His thumb slipped beneath her shirt, skimming the soft skin above her pants.

She sucked in a sharp breath, and his pulse raced at her reaction.

“I know,” she said, grinning. “Doesn’t mean I like it.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. What was it with this woman, making him want to smile when he could so easily let the darkness win?

“You like it a little,” he teased. “You wouldn’t be that good if you didn’t.”

“I’m a good dancer.” She shrugged. “Maybe that means I’m a good actor too.”

Maybe she was. And maybe this was all an act as well. It didn’t change his reaction to her, his unfaltering need to see this moment through, however it played out.

“And I’ve liked knowing you’re in the guesthouse this week,” he admitted. “Even though you’ve been pissed at me the whole time.”

“Aww, Dr. Murphy. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you missed me even though I’ve been right beside you almost every day since I got here.”

Eli had perfected his poker face over the years after losing Tess. He’d learned so well how to hide in plain sight. Yet one week had given Beth the ability countless others lacked. She saw right through it.

Or maybe he wanted her to see.

She pressed a palm to his chest, and Eli’s heart hammered against it.

“I’m not mad anymore.”

He heard no teasing in her tone.

“Yes,” he admitted, his voice rough. “I…missed…”

He couldn’t put it into words. It didn’t make sense. How could he miss someone he barely knew?