Page 42 of Dangerous Attraction

He shrugs. "I was driving past."

"Oh…" I glance out the window, watching the fields in a blur. "I guess that makes sense."

We're shrouded in silence for the rest of the drive. His clipped reply rids the previous flirty playfulness between us, as if it never happened.

Every time I interact with this man, I never know what to expect.

When he parks in front of the clubhouse, I mumble a "Thank you," and then rush out of the car and up the porch steps.

Walking into the bar, I'm surprised to see one of the booths already filled this early.

Luxe sits on the end of the leather bench seat next to Chad, and another younger guys sitting opposite them.

"Hey, Trix. Come here for a minute," Luxe shouts, waving me over.

Sighing, I move over to them, choosing to ignore the way the annoying blond one from yesterday is staring at me.

"What's up?"

"I'm the better looking one out of everyone here, right?"

My nose wrinkles as I glance at them.

"Not really much of a competition, is it?"

Luxe whoops and hollers as he jumps to his feet, shouting joyfully as he wags his fingers at the other two. I shake my head and stroll to the bar.

Still feeling flustered and confused by the interaction with Reeve earlier, I decide to clean the living area upstairs. I should, hopefully, be able to get a few moments of peace, to be by myself while I overthink every word we spoke and dissect every look we shared.

Grabbing a spray bottle and a rag from a shelf under the bar, I cross the room and hurry up the stairs, sighing when I reach the top of them and see no one else.

The relief is short-lived when I hear loud footfalls on the steps behind me, but when I glance over my shoulder and see a head of dark auburn hair, and a smooth face coated with freckles, the tension in my body dissipates.

"Morning," I say, stepping aside to let Mouse move past me.

He tips his head in a way of greeting, then makes his way to the loveseat in the corner. Mouse drops his large body onto the plush cushions and opens the book he's carrying.

His silence today doesn't make me feel awkward like it did before, instead, it feels comforting.

I make my way around the room, cleaning everything down and collecting the few empty beer bottles scattered around, all while thinking about this morning with Reeve.

The fact he picked me up from the trailer and saved me from walking to work was sweet. The flirty conversation between us was smooth, and easy, albeit strange. Then when we got into the car, it was as if a switch had flipped, and he returned to being blunt, and grumpy.

Sighing, I shake my head as I trudge over to the trash can and place the bottles inside.

When I move back to the small coffee table in front of the sofa, I can feel Mouse studying my face.

Tucking my hair behind my ear, I glance at him, a smile tugging at my lips.

"Are you okay?"

Scanning my face, he nods, his scarred, thin lips parting for a second before he slams them shut again.

Wiping the rag over the table, I scrub at a sticky circular patch where one of the beer bottles had previously been sitting.

"Are you?"

His quiet voice shocks me, and my hand pauses as I drag my eyes to his.