Page 73 of Resisting Isaac

“Elena.”

I glance at him. Big mistake.

“You gonna tell me what’s really going on?” he asks quietly.

I let out a breath. “I was just…surprised is all. You left. Without saying anything. And now you're back. Just in time to hook up with Mikayla, so yay for you.”

His jaw tightens, and for a beat, he says nothing. Just drags his eyes from me to the horizon like the land might give him clarity.

“For the record, I just got back. And for what it’s worth, I wanted to say goodbye. I just couldn’t,” he finally says.

“You couldn’t?”

“Wyatt thought after what happened with Eli, I needed some space,” he continues. “That getting away for a few days would give me perspective.”

“Did it?”

He gives a slight shake of his head. “All it did was make me realize that space doesn’t fix shit when the thing I’m trying to avoid is the only thing I want.”

I swallow hard. “Isaac . . .”

He holds up a hand, his eyes serious now. “I’m trying, Elena. To do the right thing. To keep my hands to myself. But when I’m near you,” His voice drops to something that feels like a confession. “I can’t stop remembering. The way you feel, those sweet sounds you make when you come. Howmuch I fucking ache to please you and see that breathtaking smile on your beautiful face.”

Speaking of breathtaking, breathing is becoming increasingly difficult.

But before I can say anything, a familiar voice cuts through the air.

“Well, damn,” Lane Colter drawls, sauntering by like he didn’t just interrupt the hottest moment of my life. “What are you two doing over here? Were we supposed to be working tonight?”

Isaac straightens.

I take a step back.

We both blurt, “No,” in urgent unison.

Lane smirks. “I’ll just be moving along then. Have a good night, folks.”

Then he keeps walking, muttering something that sounds like,no fraternization policy my ass, and I swear I want the earth to open up and swallow me whole.

Isaac shifts his hat, rubs the back of his neck and shakes his head.

“For what it’s worth,” he says conspiratorially, leaning closer to me. “I caught Mikayla sneaking out of the bunkhouse visiting him recently. So, I think you might’ve overheard her talking about hooking up with that cowboy, not this one.”

Relief eases the tension in my chest. I work extremely hard not to let it show on my face.

“Oh. Well, like I said. Whatever.”

He meets my eyes with a knowing look. “Okay, then.”

We might be pretending nothing’s happening.

Butsomethingis. And when this lie we’re holding together bursts open at the seams, I don’t know what it’s going to do to us, Isaac’s family, or this show.

My guess is nothing good.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

elena