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“Been having a hard time sleeping lately.” Ben exhaled out with exasperation.
Hayden nodded his head, a knowing grin slowly creeping up his face. Cocking his head to the side, he considered his brother for a moment. “Could this disruption in sleep have anything to do with the lovely Ms. Wolton? She sure is gorgeous!”
Ben looked up at his brother and gave him a searing look squinting his eyes.
“Just calling it like I see it, bro!” Hayden exclaimed, holding his hands up in the air.
Ben swallowed dryly and returned his attention to the milk boiling on the stove. Turning off the burner, he poured the milk into a large mug and took a seat at the island.
Hayden took a seat next to him and pivoted to survey his big brother, continuing his interrogation. “She’s got you all bent out of shape, hasn’t she?” Hayden asked pointedly with an amused smirk.
Ben looked up from his mug then took a long sip of the creamy warm milk, feeling it soothe him. Resigned, he nodded in answer.
Hayden leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you going to ask her out?” he asked.
Ben looked up at Hayden quickly, meeting his brother's eyes, and let out a huge guffaw. “I can’t! She’s technically my boss.”
Hayden followed his answer with a chuckle. “And…” he trailed off.
“What if I do and it doesn’t go well? What if we get serious and break up?” he questioned.
Hayden gave his brother a broad smile, stood from his stool and patted him on the shoulder. “What if it works out?” He asked, playing devil’s advocate. “I would ask her, Ben. If you don’t, I am sure someone else will.” Hayden added, exiting the kitchen.
Ben stared into his mug in contemplation. Would she say yes? Would things get awkward? So many questions and scenarios were running through his head all at once. If he were to be bold and take a risk in pursuing Ever Wolton, without question, she would be worth it.
CHAPTER 4
Ever turned down the gravel road leading to Prairie Sky. The unmistakable orange of her father’s Kubota tractor came into view, with Ben at the wheel. Ever’s jaw dropped, taking in the scene. Ben aloft the tractor, shirtless in all his tantalizing sweaty muscled glory. His tanned skin glowing in the warm May sunshine, a light smattering of hair above his perfectly formed pecs, and a thick cinched waist. Was that a 6 pack?
Ever could feel the drool pooling at the corner of her mouth and she bit her bottom lip in appreciation. “Dear God, give me strength.” She muttered out loud to herself as she parked her car.
Exiting the car, naughty thoughts of Ben burned in her brain. Ever retrieved several bags of groceries and carried them into the house. As she put down her bags on the kitchen table, she heard the loud rumble of the tractor and glanced out the kitchen window to see Ben parking it beside the barn. Ever shook her head and blew out a breath slowly. How can one man be so incredibly sexy? She asked herself. Shaking her head, letting out a giggle at her inappropriate thoughts, she went back out the front door, hopped down the porch stairs, and made her way back to her open trunk to get the rest of her groceries. Spotting movement in her peripheral vision, she turned to see Ben leaning against the house, watching her with a friendly smile, still in all his shirtless splendor, work pants sitting low on his hips, the delicious V of his hips on full display. Ever nervously took a deep breath and exhaled quickly to steady her pounding heart. She turned to him and asked huskily, “Done for the day?”
“I am,” he replied as he drifted over to meet her. “Do you need help bringing in your groceries?”
“I think I can handle the last of the groceries, but I could use your help with carrying in the box and easel.” She replied, gesturing to the backseat of her car. “It’s a little heavy for me.”
Ben opened the back door and grabbed the large box with ease, holding it with his left arm and grabbing the easel with his right, his amazing muscles flexing.
Ever looked on in awe and let out a little nervous laugh. “I had a hard time just getting that into the car! Should have brought the muscle with me to town today, I see!”
Grabbing the last of the groceries, she swayed past him, giving him a teasing wink, climbed the porch stairs and entered the house, with Ben following closely behind.
“Where do you want this?”
“Just put that box down in the corner by the living room window and can you set up the easel in front of the picture window?” she asked as she made her way to the kitchen to deposit the rest of the groceries on the kitchen table.
Rejoining Ben in the living room, she watched as he positioned the easel in front of the large window overlooking the front lawn.
“What is all this stuff?” he asked, gesturing to the large box he’d carried in.
Ever strode over, crouched down and opened the box to show him the paint, palettes and brushes she ordered.
His eyes brightened, giving her an approving smile. “Are you preparing to paint?”
“I am.”, she replied. “Or hoping to, I think would be more accurate”, she said, looking down at the box and over to the easel.
Ben pursed his lips together and gave her a slight frown, acknowledging her struggle. “What type of painting do you do?” he asked with genuine interest, wanting to brighten her mood. “Not that I know that much about art.”
