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“I have an empty barn right next door. You have six horses who need shelter and a quiet place to rest after what they’ve been through. It’s really not a problem.”
“Well then,” I said with a small, tired smile of gratitude. “I’d appreciate it. Thank you.”
Landon didn’t say anything more but he fixed his gray eyes on me with a long, steady look. Liquid heat pooled in the pit of my stomach. Why did my body keep reacting so strongly to him?
I liked Beau. We had fun together. He was attractive and charming and…
And he simply wasn’t Landon.
There was no denying the fact that my heart kept tugging back to Landon, like a compass with a magnetic pull forever north. I could spin in circles, seeking out a more enticing direction—east, west, south—but I always found myself back here. Drawn due north, to a man who was frigid cold on the outside with a big, brave heart on the inside.
Tentatively, I reached out and tugged at the strap of his oxygen mask resting in his hand.
“You should keep that on,” I whispered.
He kept watching me, studying me with those somber, serious eyes. I detected none of his usual wariness. No barely concealed hostility or guarded expression. He seemed…cautious. Hopeful in that bittersweet way, as if he wanted to say something, wanted to act, but he’d already convinced himself it would amount to nothing. So, he sat with the longing instead and let it rot in his gut. It was easier to bear the burden of longing alone rather than enduring the sting of being unwanted.
I took a step closer, momentarily giving in to that pull between us. Landon brought his hand up and cupped my wrist. He didn’t tug me closer, but he held me like that. Sweeping his thumb in mesmerizing little circles over my skin. Ashes and dirt were embedded beneath his fingernails and the acrid scent of smoke still clung to him.
“I’m sorry,” Landon said softly.
His words hit me hard in the chest.
“What? Why?”
He shook his head.
“Couldn’t save your barn.”
“Landon, you…” Without thinking, I placed my hands on his shoulders. He tensed beneath my touch. “If it wasn’t for you, my horses would have died. Hell, I might have lost my house, too, if the fire had spread. I could have lost everything.”
Landon remained quiet, circling his thumb ceaselessly over my wrist. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to soothe me with the motion or soothe himself. Either way, I wasn’t complaining and I had no intention of stopping him.
He moved his hand up my arm to the singed edge of the sleeve on my dress. For a moment, he ran the ruined fabric through his fingertips. Then he cradled my chin with a surprisingly gentle touch.
“Are you…hurt?”
My throat felt thick. My world narrowed to the pressure of his thumb on my chin and two fingers resting as lightly as butterfly wings on my jawline. It struck me how close our position was now while I practically stood between his knees, and Landon touched me with all the familiar fondness of a lover.
“No.” My voice came out a dry rasp as I shook my head. “I’m…I’m okay.”
Landon gave a slight nod. And his gaze fell to my mouth.
My breath caught in my throat. As he strayed his thumb across my lower lip, I could have sworn my heart stopped beating altogether.
He’s going to kiss me.
I was sure of it. My body craved it, too, judging by the way I leaned toward him, ready to climb into his lap if he gave the slightest hint at welcoming me with open arms.
“Landon, time to go.”
The sound of Beau’s call from outside was like a splash of icy cold water. Landon rose from his seat so abruptly that the chair rocked onto its hind legs. I stumbled back a step, shocked.
In a flash, he ducked out the door. I watched his figure retreat across my yard, falling into step beside Beau. Would this brief moment we had shared only complicate things between us? Would he be more standoffish than before after he realized what had happened?
Beau got Landon settled into the ambulance. Then he tapped a tall, dark-haired firefighter on the shoulder and gestured to me. They made their way over together.
“Callie, this is a friend of mine, Lieutenant Desmond Cross,” Beau said. “We went to school together, raised all kinds of hell for years. I’m taking Landon to the hospital but you’re in good hands with Des, I promise. Call me if you need anything, all right? I’ll be back later today to check on you.”
