Page 51 of Chasing the Sun

“It sure is.” Her grin widened. “But when you say it like that, Cal, it almost sounds like you’re sweet on me.”

I ignored the warmth spreading low in my stomach and kept my arms crossed. “What the hell is all this?”

“Oh, you know.” She gestured vaguely at the mess she was creating. “Just a little facelift to the entrance.”

I narrowed my eyes. It was too close. She was too close.

“This road is supposed to stay clear,” I said. “You’ve got trucks blocking access to the inn, and if they keep cutting through, it’s going to screw up the entire driveway.”

She tilted her head. “So what I’m hearing is that you don’t like the road being messed up?”

I exhaled slowly. “That’s exactly what I just said.”

Elodie made a thoughtful noise, crossing her arms and nodding. “Right. Interesting.”

I frowned. “Interesting how?”

She bit her lip, looking entirely too amused. “Just ... you know. I was expecting you to say something more dramatic. Like, ‘Elodie, you’re ruining everything’ or ‘Elodie, I can’t stand you’ or maybe even?—”

“Elodie,” I gritted out, my patience hanging by a thread.

She grinned. “Ah. There it is.” Her laughter was easy, effortless, and worse—it was nearly contagious.

My lips twitched, and I killed the impulse immediately. There was no way I was giving her that win.

The morning sun hit the golden strands of her hair as she shifted her weight. The hem of her shorts rode up just enough to?—

Damn it.

I needed to get my head on straight. I shook her from my thoughts, taking a slow breath, and dragging my focus back to why I was here. “I need the road cleared.”

“Mm. I don’t know.” She tapped a finger against her chin. “That sounds like ayouproblem.”

My jaw ticced. “It’s a problem for everyone using this road.”

Her smile didn’t waver. “That’s funny, because last I checked, that was your bed-and-breakfast and my farm. Two separate businesses, remember?”

I inhaled through my nose, hands curling into fists. “Stan’sbusiness is causing my business problems.”

Elodie’s gaze flicked to my hands, then back to my face. Her own expression softened, just slightly. “I get that this is hard for you.”

I scoffed. “This?”

She nodded. “Yeah. The whole ... me succeeding thing. It must be tough.”

My teeth actually ground together. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet,” she mused, “here you are.Again.”

She was baiting me. I should have turned around and left.

But she was standing there, all bright eyes and flushed cheeks, the heat from the morning pressing around us, making the air thick and heavy.

And for one terrible, fleeting second, I remembered what it felt liketo kiss her.

Did she think about it too?

I didn’t know what was worse—the fact I’d lost sleep over akissor the fact that Elodie seemed completely unfazed by the whole thing.