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Fisting his hand on the table, he fought the urge to follow her and force her to tell him who the fuck had harmed her. But he couldn’t do that. She’d just shut him out more.
He’d bet the house he sat in that whatever had made Savannah react like that had everything to do with why Lionsgate—or Red Eyez, if Rami was wrong—had pushed them over a cliff. And he’d get to the bottom of it. But not now. He’d give her some space, collect his thoughts, and see if Rami could find out more details. Then he’d get answers from Savannah.
After taking their dishes to the sink, he made his way to the main bathroom and turned on the shower. Fifteen minutes later, his beard was trimmed, his teeth brushed, his hair slicked back. He got dressed then snagged his keys from the counter and positioned the 9mm comfortably at his back. He walked to the bottom of the stairs and listened for a few seconds. No sounds came from the loft.
“Hey,” he called. “I’m heading into town. I left a phone on the kitchen counter. My number’s the only one in there. Call me if you need anything.”
Seconds passed.
“I should be back in an hour.”
Again, silence met him. He sighed and scrubbed his jaw in frustration. He’d just gotten her to a point of not loathing him and he’d fucked it up. Not that it was his fault. Christ. He’d never been good with this shit, kissing and making up or whatever the hell this was.
Biting back any further unsolicited comments, he made his way outside and locked the front door behind him. He inhaled deep, but the crisp morning breeze didn’t do a damn thing to settle his nerves.
Savannah would be the fucking death of him.
***
Savannah sat onthe wooden planks, her feet hanging off the low deck to dangle above the grass. The fresh air had helped her control the emotions Toth’s question had stirred up. At least now she could face him and keep her composure. But god. It was getting harder and harder to keep up a wall around herself.
He had the most examining stare. Not in a creepy way. More in a I-can-read-you-like-a-book way that was both invasive and... caring? Except, no. He didn’t care about her. He didn’t even know her. If he did, he’d run for the hills. He might think he had a handle on who Savannah Carrington was, but if he really knew how much baggage she carried, he wouldn’t flirt.
She heard a car rolling down the gravel driveway, and the atmosphere surrounding the cabin was so peaceful that the quiet hum of the garage door startled away the birds. A few minutes later, the back door squeaked.
She glanced over her shoulder as Toth came out onto the porch. “Getting some sun?”
She squinted at him. “We going to do the awkward small-talk thing?”
He snorted. After lowering a plastic bag to one of the two deck chairs flanking a small table, he put his hands in his pockets. “Guess not.” He took a few steps and rested his hand on the railing near her head. He kept his gaze on the trees surrounding the property. His thumb rubbed his fingertips, telling her he probably had something else to say. Tension pulsed in the air between them.
“I got steaks for tonight. Hope you like meat.”
She nodded, and her stomach growled at the idea of a big meal. She’d eat just about anything right now. “What’s in the bag?”
He smiled, revealing even, white teeth. He’d cleaned up. Although he’d looked bedroom-hot in his briefs, now he was even more droolworthy. He’d landscaped his beard, and the neat trim made his jawline more prominent and masculine. His hair waved back from his face. Even the butterfly bandage didn’t diminish his hunky exterior. He wore jeans, a black T-shirt, and a brown flannel jacket.
A sexy killer lumberjack.
She refocused on his smile and it only widened, damn him. Desire pooled between her legs.
“It could be a peace offering,” he finally said.
She screwed her lips to the side. “I’m listening.” Most people didn’t get to see her good side. Hell, she probably didn’t even have a good side. But he was difficult to stay mad at. Besides, she wasn’t reallymadat him. It wasn’t his fault he’d crossed a line he hadn’t known existed.
“I might have burgers and fries,” he continued. “If you’re... open to talking.”
Her smile fell and alarm rushed in from all sides. She pulled up her feet and stood, but Toth blocked her escape with a hand on her forearm. “Easy now.”
She shook off his hold and crossed her arms. “I’m not a horse.”
He grinned, sending an exasperated eye-roll to the woods. Then he looked back at her. He was so much taller than she was, and his frame was easily twice the width of hers. The heat between her thighs intensified, causing a deep ache in her womb.
“No, you’re not,” he said. “But I’d like to know what I did to upset you.”
Just like that, her resolve melted like butter on warm toast. She kept her gaze on the weathered floorboards beneath their feet. “It’s nothing you did, per se. It’s just—”
“Something you don’t want to talk about?”
