Page 32

“Yeah. It’s always louder this time of day when the breeze carries it. Good fishing spot.”

I tried to read, but found myself distracted. It was hard to take my eyes off Shep and the way he wielded the ax with ease. The force behind each stroke made it look like he was slicing through honeycomb. I’d tried chopping wood once, so I knew it was difficult.

I gave up trying to take in the words on the page and settled on pretending. As Shep got through the logs, his brow glistened and his tee clung to his abs.

He put the ax down for a moment to remove his sweaty shirt.

Don’t stare, don’t stare, don’t stare.

Why weren’t my eyes listening to my brain? It might have something to do with how every muscle in Shep’s arms and torso bunched with each powerful swing, or maybe it was the way his jeans hung tantalizingly low on his lean waist.

Ugh! What the hell is wrong with me?

Ogling Shep was all kinds of messed up, but you’d have to be a week-old corpse not to notice.

He glanced up, but I was quick to avert my gaze to the book. I needed to remember to flip a page once in a while.

Why were lines becoming blurred with Shep? Perhaps it was his assurances that his targets were awful people who deserved their fate. Perhaps it was the kindness he’d shown me today. Or perhaps it was that he had gone to extreme measures to save my life, because somehow, I was able to look beyond his checkered past and see a person who didn’t horrify me. I was still cautious, but warming to him with each passing moment. And that scared the heck out of me.

When the last of the wood had been stacked, Shep walked up the stairs, the sound of his heavy boots thumping on each tread. He snatched his shirt from the railing and flung it over his shoulder before coming to stand next to my chair.

My skin prickled at his nearness. Oh, God, he smelled good, like leather and sawdust. The heat radiating from his body was overwhelming, and I stifled the urge to squirm in my seat. I kept my nose buried in the book because if I looked up now, he’d notice that his shirtless presence flustered me.

He panted. “Good book?”

I took my time answering and did so in a lazy tone, even though my heart hammered in my chest. “Mmm hmm. Riveting.”

I turned a page and continued pretending to read. He stood so close I could reach over and poke him in his stupidly perfect abs. Damn him to hell.

“It’s a good one,” he said. “What part are you up to?”

Crap!I didn’t realize there’d be a quiz.

“What part? Ahh… the part where they send him to prison.” My voice picked up at the end making it sound like a question rather than the answer it should have been.Idiot. It was lucky I’d seen the movie in high school.

I checked to see if Shep had bought the fib and found him smirking. “Fast reader.”

“I am, actually.”

He headed for the front door with a boyish smile still on his face. I closed my lids and swore under my breath.

“It’s getting cool out. I’m gonna head on in and wash up. You should come in, too.”

If it was chilly, I couldn’t tell. I used the book to fan my heated cheeks. “Okay.” I followed him on unsteady legs that had nothing to do with my injury.

He held the door for me as I hobbled in with Ranger close behind.

“How’s that ankle?” he asked.

“Still sore, but much better than last night.” I moved to the sofa so I could sit with it elevated on the coffee table.

Shep loaded the fireplace with kindling, then lit it. “If you want to wash up before dinner, I could run a bath for you.”

I shifted back in the seat. “Will I have privacy?”

His mouth tilted up into a half smile. “I reckon you could have some time to yourself. I might’ve been an asshole last night. Sorry.”

“Then a bath sounds nice, thank you.”