Page 39 of Passion in Bloom

After a long shower and light dinner, I felt like I was a caged animal, pacing in a too-small container. I’d been antsy before, but when I stopped and realized that it was Roarke hogging all my thoughts, I had to appreciate how little I’d been obsessing with fear and worry about David.

“You just had to get under my skin,” I muttered as I grabbed my phone and keys, needing to move and get some fresh air. I couldn’t stay cooped up in this cabin for a long night, being home earlier than usual. And I couldn’t stay cooped up with my conflicting and increasingly confusing thoughts, either.

“You just had to get into my head,” I mumbled as I stepped outside, planning to do a little walk outside. Setting foot out here was a risky move. Being in the open made me feel vulnerable, like David could just pop up, tuck me over his shoulder, and carry me away.

He couldn’t. Not like that. I’d fight and scream, for one thing.

He’d need a car to abduct me, and I saw no sign of any parked nearby.

It was just the crisp, cool, clean air greeting me out here.

And you.

I narrowed my eyes at Roarke walking through the thin woods than blocked a direct view of his cabin from mine. Dressed in jeans and a light jacket, his hands in his pockets, he seemed to be out on a simple walk. Just like I was.

I sighed, wondering that he could’ve been hung up on me all evening since realizing I’d overheard him talking to Todd.

Instead of being confrontational, instead of rushing back into my cabin, I gave in to this stupid pull to approach him.

Without a word, as if we both understood we were drawn to the other, we walked over the leaves and crunched them with twigs.

I met him in the middle, and as he stopped and opened his mouth, I held up my hand.

“Why?”

He whooshed out a long breath. “Why what?”

I shook my head, stepping up close to him and narrowing my eyes at the swelling on his cheek. “Why’d you fight him?”

“Because I didn’t like his attitude.”

I huffed, fighting not to smile. “That’s no excuse.”

“Do I need an excuse?” he challenged.

Needing to move, and feeling far too exposed with his warm gaze on me, I walked slowly, further from my cabin. It wasn’t a conscious plan to go toward his place, but it was easier to stick to the path.

“My reason was to defend myself. In case it matters, he punched me first.”

“Oh. And I’m sure you weren’t aggravating him.”

“Of course not. I was merely...talking to him.”

I shook my head, hating how good and comforting it felt to have him walking alongside me. “I would prefer it if you didn’t make this a big deal.”

“If I didn’t make what a big deal?” he asked.

“David being here. His attitude.”

He shook his head, giving me a stronger whiff of his spicy yet clean soapy smell. The damp hair on his head told me he had just showered, and stupidly, I wished I could see him like that. Bare and wet. It should’ve frightened me how quickly my mind shut up and desire took over around him, but I was sick of trying to resist it.

“I’m not ‘making a big deal’ out of anything, Heather. If he came in here harassing anyone, for what seemed to be no righteous reason, I would stand up for them.”

“You always root for the underdog?” I challenged.

“Are you the underdog?”

“Stop changing the topic.”