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“You knew I was upstairs taking a shower? And you came in anyway?”
“I knew the water was running. That’s all.”
“Nervy of you.”
He sighed and rubbed his jaw. “When’s Ivan coming back?”
“I don’t know, but you can’t wait here for him.”
“Why not?”
“Take a wild guess,” she invited, her temper flaring.
“I couldn’t begin to,” he drawled.
“Try.” At first she’d been surprised that he’d landed, dripping and ready for battle, in the middle of her kitchen, but as she slowly recovered, her shock gave way to anger. It had been over eight years since she’d seen him, eight years since he’d walked out the door of this very house! And now he had the nerve to straddle one of her kitchen chairs as if he owned the place!
“Why don’t you just tell me?” he drawled.
“Because I don’t want you here! I’ve had a long day and all I want to do is curl up in bed with a good book!”
“Don’t let me stop you,” he taunted.
“I’m in no mood for games, Colton.”
“Neither am I.”
“I’ll tell Dad you stopped by and he’ll call you.”
“Sure he will.”
She clenched her teeth. “Hasn’t anyone told you it’s dangerous to bait a woman holding a rifle?”
He laughed, a short derisive sound that conjured up half-forgotten images of a warm summer filled with young love. “I remember how good a shot you were, Cassie. You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.”
“I’ve improved.”
He cocked one dark brow, and his eyes glinted. “Have you, now?” he asked, his voice low, almost seductive.
“Get out, Colton!”
“You haven’t even heard why I’m here.”
“I’m not interested.”
“No? Not even if I told you Black Magic was missing?”
“Black Magic?” she repeated.
“You’ve heard of him?”
“Of course I have—the whole county has,” she said, remembering the fiery charcoal stallion with the jagged white blaze running the length of his nose. “I treated him once last year.”
“Oh, that’s right, you’re a veterinarian now,” he jeered, his lips twisting.
“And you’re a famous photojournalist, right?” she threw back at him, agitated. He had no reason to mock her career, no right to barge into her house and badger her! He’d left her life in shambles, and she’d managed to pull herself back together. Alone. “So what are you doing hanging around here?”
“Marking time,” he replied, never taking his eyes off her. She set the rifle against the wall and forced a thin, impatient smile.
