Page 13 of Sunrise & Serenity

I wait to see if he’ll ask me the same question. He doesn’t. He just focuses back on the gravel road ahead.

Fine. It’s time to fight fire with fire. Or ice with fire, in this case.

“Well, it took me a little while to fall asleep.” I make my voice annoyingly perky. “But once I did, I was out like a light. Thanks for asking.” The smile I give him has extra sparkle.

The look he shoots me in return is what you might call disconcerted. “Good to hear.”

I barely keep my smile from sliding into a smirk. Maybe I’ve found a way to get under his skin without compromising my professionalism.

With my hands folded primly in my lap, I keep going. “Of course, finding out there was no coffee was a bit of a shock to the system. But I’m sure the fresh country air will wake me up just as well.”

He mutters something I assume is unflattering under his breath and rubs his hand over his stubbled chin. The rasp of his palm against the stubble does absolutely nothing to make him less attractive. Dammit. Why does he have to be so obnoxious and so attractive at the same time?

A moment later, the trees around us open up, and the valley unfolds before us like a panoramic photo.

My breath catches.

When we drove through last night, it was too dark to make out the scenery, but today, with the sun up, I’m treated to its full splendor.

The sky overhead is a pale-blue vault, so cloudless it’s almost impossible to believe a storm raged here overnight. Fields stretch out in front of us like a sea of green and gold, dotted with patches of colorful wildflowers. Farther away, a herd of cows grazes near a river that shimmers silver-blue in the misty morning light.

Beyond them, the fields give way to pine-covered foothills similar to the ones we’ve just driven through, with rugged mountain peaks soaring into the sky, still frosted with snow despite it being spring.

For someone more accustomed to cityscapes and sidewalk traffic, the sheer expanse of the earth laid out before me is almost too much. Too big. Too wild. The sky alone seems like it could swallow Manhattan whole. There’s something truly heart-stopping about it.

Without even thinking to ask, I press the button to lower the window.

The cool air that rushes in is clean and earthy, filled with the woodsy aroma of pine trees and the subtle floral scent of wildflowers. I fill my lungs with it. “It’s stunning.”

“It is,” Holden replies.

Only then do I realize I’ve spoken out loud. Tearing myself away from the world outside, I study him. Other than when he was treating my wounds, this is the first time he’s spoken to me without that edge of irritation.

His attention is fixed on the land in front of us, but the tightness of his jaw doesn’t match his words.

He must love living here, mustn’t he?

With his sun-browned forearms, a jaw roughened by stubble, and worn but well-fitting jeans, he looks like someone who belongs in a place like this.

He’s nothing like the well-groomed, urbane men I’m used to dealing with.

He’s not polite. Not refined.

Not Graham.

With a quiet exhale, I turn away. I need to concentrate on my job, on proving myself, not on how attractive my reluctant neighbor is.

Instead, I focus on the buildings we’re approaching.

Ahead of us is what must be the main ranch house. Set on a small rise overlooking the valley, it’s two stories of wood and stone, with a wide front porch.

Although it’s big, it’s not the least bit sleek or modern. It looks… warm. Large windows catch the morning sun, a wide stone chimney caps one end, and a swing seat hangs from the ceiling of the porch, practically inviting me to sit.

Past it are several long barns and smaller buildings whose functions I can only guess at.

Holden pulls up outside the house, jams the truck into park, and gets out. I linger for a moment. What kind of family lives in a home like this? One that’s very different from mine, I imagine.

With a deep breath, I reach for the handle, only to have the door open before I can do it myself.