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“Technically, you used the word amazing.”
He faced her, gesturing to the picture. “I’m not playing around. I can’t believe you did this. Is this what you went to school for?”
She snorted. “I don’t think my folks would have been too thrilled if they thought I was taking art classes. The majors at my university were the boring ones, and let me tell you, I’m so glad I left.”
“Are you going to find a school that can cater to your abilities? Please tell me you’re not going to let this talent go to waste. You could do so much with it.”
Her expression didn’t change one bit from the moment he’d first complimented her to now. Perhaps she thought he was teasing. Mason reached for her hand, tugging her to sit beside him again. “If I had this talent, I would guarantee that you wouldn’t see me out here working on a ranch.” He wanted that to sink in. She had to accept that she had something great here. Unfortunately, she was distracted.
Harley stared at their hands. His fingers interlocked with hers.
And she wasn’t pulling away.
18
Harley
Harley forgot how to breathe.
Her heart refused to do its job.
Every muscle in her body had gone numb.
Mason was holding her hand, and for once, she didn’t feel the need to make a snarky comment about it or run away. None of her past attractions had ever lasted. She could blame it on her own internal feelings of inadequacy or the fact that most of the guys she’d spent time with weren’t exactly boyfriend material. Mostly, she chose not to think about it too hard.
Right now, that was proving difficult. Mason’s hand was slightly larger than her own, but not so large she felt dwarfed by it. His fingertips were calloused, but that was to be expected with his line of work. His nails were trimmed short so they could be kept clean. The longer she stared, the more she realized something.
Their hands fit together like they were made for each other. That was ridiculous, wasn’t it? They were just hands. It wasn’t like they were divinely created to come together.
The small flutter in her chest intensified as she slowly dragged her gaze up his arm and locked with Mason’s eyes. She would have given anything to know what he was thinking.
No, she didn’t want to know what he was thinking. What if he was attracted to her? Or worse? What if he wasn’t?
Harley snatched her hand from his grasp and jumped to her feet. She scurried toward the door just as he called after her.
“Where are you going?”
“Out,” she called back.
“But it’s dark out.”
“I don’t care.” She needed to clear her head. It had cooled down today with signs of a storm that might arrive early tomorrow morning. A stiff breeze should be enough to help her make sense of what she was going through. Harley pulled on her boots and only got to the edge of the porch before Mason grabbed her hand.
He pulled her around to face him so swiftly that she stumbled up against him. Mason covered her hand against his chest as her other one grasped at his forearm to prevent her from falling. Against her better judgment, Harley met his gaze. His eyes were warm and safe. She didn’t know what had gotten into her.
“Did I say something?” he murmured.
“What? No, of course not. You didn’t say anything,” she stuttered.
“Then why did you take off like a little white rabbit back there?”
Harley scowled at him. “Because I needed some fresh air.”
“Well, you have it now.”
She glanced around them. “So?”
“So, you don’t have to escape.” His brows creased as his eyes delved into her. He was unwrapping all of her secrets so effortlessly.
