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He toyed with his lower lip for a second and then said, “I think it’s great that you’re staying here, in this house, since you’re a romance author.”
“Because?”
Hank sat down beside her, not crowding her, but close enough she could feel his warmth as Travis sat down on her other side.
“Because at least two ménage happily-ever-afters that I know of started in this house.”
That drew a happy gasp from her. “Really?” She knew several people had lived in the house recently but hadn’t talked much with Grace yet. Her days on the ranch had been consumed with writing…and she’d been reluctant to bother Grace because she had deadlines, too.
“Yes. Have you met Angel and Joaquin?”
“Briefly. They came by one day and offered to take me riding if I wanted. I haven’t had a chance to take them up on it yet. Michael was with them. He’s a cutie-pie.”
“Their relationship with Teresa started right here,” Hank said, gesturing around the room. “And Maya, Kendall, Boone, and Richard Warner had their start here, too. You asked about them at the reception, remember?”
“Oh, okay! I haven’t met Teresa yet. I didn’t realize they were in a ménage.”
Hank’s eyebrows rose minutely. “You didn’t? Haven’t you wandered around the ranch yet?”
She shook her head. “No. I have a deadline to see to first. Once I meet it, my plan was to take some time and get to know everyone.” A sense of guilt surfaced and she bit her lip.
Hank tilted his head. “And?”
Shoot. Is he a mind reader?
“And…I don’t want to distract anyone from their work. They always seem so busy around this ranch, with so many people coming and going.”
Travis lifted one of her hands, detangling it from the other one. She hadn’t realized she’d been clenching them together. Travis said, “You don’t want to get in the way?”
“No.”
Hank took the other hand and stroked her palm. “Are you worried they’ll ask questions about what you’re writing?”
“Maybe. It’s one thing to meet avid readers online who love romance novels and like talking about them. But out in the world, I’m more likely to be treated condescendingly and I don’t want to spoil my stay. I figured I would get to know them eventually, after I’m done with this deadline.”
“Is it that pressing?”
“Yes. I have to fulfill it in order to meet my goals for the year. It’s important to me. It’s why I’m up writing at night a lot.”
“Does Grace know that?”
“She asked if she could give me a tour but I explained and asked if we could wait. She understood.”
Hank seemed to see everything about her, the way she twitched at the questions, the way her hands grew clammy, even the way she bit her lip nervously. He turned her hand over and stroked her damp palm, sending a hot sensation up her forearm. “Are you worried about them noticing you?”
He is a mind reader! “Why would you say that?”
“Simply an observation, Nika. You’re a little shy, you don’t enjoy the spotlight and you seem to prefer the role of spectator.”
“Well, I…” She sighed. “That’s just…You’re right. I don’t like it when people stare at me.”
Travis chuckled. “It’s kind of hard not to stare at you, Veronica. You’re beautiful.”
She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “It’s these clothes. Grace has great taste—”
Travis nodded. “That she does, Nika, but I’m not talking about the dress or the shoes. I’m talking about your beautiful face, and the way you walk, and your hair, and the way your eyes twinkle when you laugh.”
She could hear his words but some part of her disconnected from what he was saying, the part that didn’t believe him.
“Stop shaking your head at us, Nika,” Hank suddenly stated. “Listen to him. Tell her, Travis, because she obviously doesn’t believe it.”
A cold, panicky chill swept through her but she focused on Travis, secretly wanting to run from the room and slam the door.
