Page 48 of The Christmas Tree Farm

His brows rose in surprise. ‘I thought… You said we could come for a walk.’

‘Right. I know.’ She shook her head.He didn’t actually reject you, you lunatic. You made that up. Be nice.‘Sorry, I just meant, you’re really far out here.’

‘Oh, yeah.’ He glanced away from her, his gaze scanning the decrepit old barn. ‘You’re not using this building, are you?’

Apparently, he was here on a safety-inspection mission and not to see her, which is what she’d been stupidly hoping.

‘No, officer, I’m not using this building. Don’t worry.’

His hands flexed at his sides, his jaw clenched and released, like he was holding back.

Kira couldn’t help her smile. ‘It’s killing you, isn’t it?’

His gaze flicked back to hers. ‘You want to lecture me about this barn,’ she went on, ‘or offer to rebuild it or something equally insane. It makes you crazy that it’s just sitting here all dangerous and broken. I might walk in there one day and the whole thing could collapse on me.’

He visibly winced at that image, which Kira had to admit she found quite satisfying. A crease formed between his brows. She wouldn’t be surprised if he was sweating beneath that vest.

‘I’m not going to rebuild your barn.’

Kira laughed. ‘Are you telling me or yourself?’

He frowned at her. Good. It was respite from that perfect smile.

‘I didn’t come up here because of the barn. I just needed a longer walk today.’

‘Oh.’ Well that was a little bit … disappointing.

Bennett ran a hand over the back of his neck and Kira noticed that he looked tired today. Stubble was visible on his square jaw and his eyes had dark smudges beneath them. Teasing him was significantly less fun if he was upset about something.

He glanced up at the sky and then back at her. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it as though he’d thought better of it.

‘I should probably go,’ he said.

‘Right, the storm.’

He shrugged. The unimpressed gesture of a man who’d lived through many a snowstorm and lived to tell the tale. ‘Shouldn’t be too bad.’

‘Maybe not for you northerners,’ she said with a small smile, hoping he would return it, but that frown hadn’t left. He studied her a moment longer before letting out a defeated sigh.

‘Did you get the fireplace working?’ he asked, and why did that question make her warmer than the actual fire.

‘I did. I’m a real pro at lighting it now, too.’

‘Who showed you?’ There was an edge to the question like he was angry that it hadn’t been him.

‘You’d be amazed what you can find on the internet, Bennett.’

He gave another tense nod. His energy was weird today. What was going on with him? Wasn’t it just last night that he’d been all smiles with her at the skating rink? This whole conversation felt like a rejection, and she hadn’t even attempted her seduction. Is this what nice guys were like? Hot and cold and generally confusing?

‘I just…’ He shook his head. ‘Make sure you stay warm, okay? And that the flue is open,’ he added like he couldn’t help himself.

‘Got it,’ she said, stifling the urge to add that he could stay and keep her warm. This half- rejection was bad enough. She didn’t need an explicit one.

‘Good. And if you need anything…’

‘Yeah?’ Her dumb, recently enlarged heart paused, waiting to hear what he would offer.

‘… Call Logan. He has a plow.’