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Chapter 7
Brent
I have to smirk as I sit at the edge of my bed, thinking back to the look on Sydney’s face as she watched me from a distance. She may have thought I didn’t notice her, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. Who wouldn’t notice her? You’d have to be blind not to see the brightness shining from her.
There was nothing but pure heat in her eyes as she stared at me, watching as I did my physical therapy, and something about it made me excited. That excitement doesn’t last long though when I realize she’s getting into my head, something that’s becoming a very big problem where she’s concerned.
I’ll sleep off the emotions rolling through me and be back to normal tomorrow. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. I lean back onto the pillows behind me, fluffing them just right before getting comfortable, then pull the blanket over me. The chill that flows through the opening of my window provides a calm atmosphere and I sink into the darkness that comes with sleep.
* * *
It’s later than usual when I finally make it out the front door with my crutches and my eyes widen at the sight of Sydney standing out by the horses. There’s a big smile on her face, making her shine brighter than she has been, and I can’t help but wish I could see her like this more often.
Her smile doesn’t last long when I make my way over to her, stopping just at her side. She takes a deep breath, giving me a forced smile. “Brent, sleep good?” Her eyes fall to my shoulders, lingering there for a minute longer than they should, and my skin heats up at the stare.
I clear my throat, smirking when her gaze darts back up to mine, then nod. “As good as I can with my knee.” Being injured means that it doesn’t take long for me to get uncomfortable in bed and it only makes me wince from the ache when I toss around. “You?” I’m not about to let her know I caught her snooping on me, even though I’d love to know why she was.
She shrugs. “Yeah, I guess.” The way her eyes dart away from mine tells me everything I need to know about her night. What images did she conjure up as she thought about me in that bed? Would I be able to do any of them justice?
“You like horses?” I ask, pointing to the space that had her attention before I interrupted.
“Grew up with them, I’d be stupid not to love them.” That admission has my mouth parting and she rolls her eyes at me. “Don’t act so surprised.”
“Not surprised, just intrigued.”
Nathan watches us curiously from inside the fence, his gaze coming to mine with a silent question. I know what he wants me to do and I’m not sure I’ll be able to. This is the one thing he has asked of me though, so I may as well get it over with. I clear my throat and glance at her, giving her a friendly smile. “How about you join Nathan and me for dinner tonight?”
She snaps her gaze to mine, studying my face for a few minutes before deciding I’m being honest about my question. “I’d hate to impose.”
I shake my head. “Nonsense, there will be plenty to eat. Come enjoy a meal with us, I’m sure you’re sick of eating alone when you come here.”
“It does sound tempting,” she says, rocking on the heels of her feet. “Are you sure it’s okay?”
I chuckle, the sound foreign when it comes to being around her. “I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t.”
“Alright, what time should I be there?”
“Dinner is usually ready around five, so you can come around then.” I’m getting nervous as I stand here, so I quickly turn around and hobble back to the main house. When I glance back at her, she’s got her eyes focused on me until Nathan says something and she turns to him instead.
What the hell was I thinking?
I should’ve told Nathan that we don’t allow strangers into our home, no matter if they’ve already been here once before. She’s slowly worming her way into my life and I’m not sure I like that very much. I’ve already invited her over though, so maybe I can force her to leave when dinner comes around.
Nathan would be upset with me though, so maybe I should be polite. The chef is standing at the kitchen counter when I walk in, completely engrossed in whatever recipe he’s picked out for the night, and he jumps when I take a seat on a wooden chair. He places a hand on his chest until his breathing is under control, then he gives me a small smile before turning back around.
“We will be having an extra guest tonight, so please make sure to have enough food for three people,” I say softly.
He nods in response, mumbling a few words to himself as he chops vegetables on a cutting board. Since he’s clearly in the zone, I silently step away from the table and make my way through the large open walkway and into the living room. The fireplace is going, which feels great after standing outside in the cool air, and I throw a blanket over my lap with my eyes closed.
I’ve come to realize that the cold doesn’t quite agree with my knee injury, so it doesn’t usually take long before I’m aching from the wind — that’s why I’m not attempting to do any ranch work this morning. Instead, I’m sitting here with the TV silently playing whatever show is on, while my gaze keeps darting out the front window.
Sydney is still standing by the horses and I watch as she takes hold of Nathan’s hand, letting him lead her to one of the tan horses. She gets on effortlessly as if she’s done it her entire life and my heart skips a beat at the sight, wondering where the hell she came from and why she’s just now coming into my life.
I’ve never seen her here before, so what made her visit this ranch? There’s nothing particularly special about it, so maybe she just needs the time away — horses to interact with every so often.
* * *
It’s quarter till five when the doorbell chimes through the house, the echo forcing Nathan to lift from the couch and answer it. There’s laughter coming from the entryway and my gaze connects with Sydney’s as Nathan leads her through the house. She doesn’t have a coat on right now and all I can see is the way the dress she’s wearing clings to her skin.
