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He’d stuck around just long enough to see her prioritize Annabel and the friendship they had. That was enough evidence that she had changed.
When he arrived at Scarlett’s farm, it was quiet. The only sounds he could hear were from the livestock. Sheep bleated, cows lowed, and the horses whinnied. The scent of fresh-cut grass from earlier in the day hung in the air. The whole place was just… peaceful. This was the kind of place he could call home one day—perhaps with Scarlett by his side.
His little deal with Carlos didn’t seem nearly so villainous as it had even a few hours ago. If he and Scarlett ended up together, then the plan to take over this farm would be well-received.
A smile touched his lips as he hurried up the steps to her front door. He lifted his hand to knock, then thought better of it. Carlos had been looking a little more tired as of late. For whatever reason, he just didn’t seem like the man who had run this place before his wife passed. It might have been a combination of age mingled with grief. Or it could be as simple as the man not getting enough sleep.
Regardless, Elijah wasn’t about to wake him up from a possible slumber. He’d earned a well-rested night. Elijah backed down the steps and peered up at the second-story windows. They were also dark, and there was no telling which one Scarlett might be behind. His best bet would be to send her a message on her phone and ask her to come down to meet him.
He pulled the device out from his pocket and excitedly announced his arrival before pressing send.
For what felt like hours, he waited for her to receive the message and reply. The temptation to call her or message again filled his thoughts, and he glanced once more at the windows. Just before he’d made up his mind to send another text message, he heard footsteps behind him. Elijah spun around and came face to face with Scarlett.
She tilted her head slightly and crossed her arms. “With how much time you spend here, perhaps you would prefer that we set you up with a bed of your own.”
He couldn’t tell her how much that idea pleased him—though it was for different reasons than she might have realized. Elijah took a tentative step toward her. “While I love the sentiment, we both have to acknowledge that such a suggestion would only further sabotage our plan to keep our relationship secret.”
Even though it was getting dark, he could still see the flush that crept across her skin. Scarlett grinned at him and then glanced toward his truck. “Did you come all the way out here just to tell me you shouldn’t be here, then?”
“That’s what I probablyshouldbe doing.”
Her eyes flicked to him, locking with his gaze before her smile widened. “Then what reason do you have to be on my front porch at this hour?” Her teasing voice drew him nearer and nothing thrilled him more than realizing she wasn’t stepping back from him.
Elijah hooked his finger beneath her chin and tilted it upward. “So I could do this.”
He captured her lips, stealing her breath from her lungs as he attempted to show just how much he wanted only her in this moment. Out of all the quiet moments they’d shared during the past couple days, kissing her was his favorite.
Scarlett could make him feel seen, heard, and adored all at once. She gave him everything when she responded to his touch. He would never be able to explain in words how her kiss was different from other women he’d shared similar moments with; it just was. It was as if her soul was able to speak directly to his, power coursing between them, linking them like they were magnets.
She moaned softly, her hands grasping him tighter around the back of his neck. Fingers wove through his hair, ultimately knocking his hat to the ground. Elijah could lose himself when he was with her like this. There was only one thing that seemed to itch at him in the back of his mind.
Elijah couldn’t fully trust her. While he’d seen so much change in Scarlett—witnessed it first-hand—he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to believe she’d changed completely. Those intrusive thoughts were like a splash of ice water, dousing him from head to toe.
He extricated himself from her, fighting to catch his breath. There was no room for negativity right now. He had no reasonnotto trust her. This relationship was still new and developing. She’d never tried to settle down before.
Scarlett’s breathless smile brought him back to reality, to the present, where he could allow himself to give in to this joy he felt when he was near her. “So, what are youreallydoing here?” she whispered.
Pressing his forehead to hers, he stared into her eyes and returned her smile. “I wanted to see you—spend time with you so that we can see where this whole thing is going.”
“I’d like that,” she murmured. “What should we do?”
Elijah glanced around, then swung his focus back toward her. “What were you doing out here? All the chores were done.”
“I thought I’d take a little walk.”
“Was it nice?”
One side of her smile lifted more than the other and she released a soft laugh. “I didn’t get a chance to go because I heard a truck pull up.” She jerked her head toward his vehicle. “If you’d like to tag along, I was thinking of saddling up one of the horses.”
“Sounds great.”
In no time they were heading down a trail beneath the moon’s soft glow overhead. Every so often he’d glance in her direction to find her staring back. They continued to plod along until Scarlett led them to a small, familiar clearing.
Elijah tossed back his head and laughed. “I should have known.”
“What,” she said innocently. “This is one of my favorite places on the farm.”
“It’s also the place where we shared our first kiss.”
