Her expression shifts to one of surprise and then irritation as she realizes who’s actually standing in front of her.

“Hank, right?” she asks, her voice tight. “What are you doing here?”

“I could askyouthe same thing.” I fold my arms across my chest, trying to appear nonchalant, but my heart is pounding in my chest. “What are you doing on our land? Spying on us now, Mac?”

“None of your business.” She tries to pack her stuff away, but I reach out and grab her arm, holding her in place.

“Ben’s been meeting you here, hasn’t he?” I demand.

“One question at a time, asshole!”

“Okay. We’ll back it up. What the hell is going on?”

She pushes my hand away, her stunning eyes flashing with anger.

“If you must know, I’m here for work, and your brother has nothing to do with it.” She straightens her tank top, trying to regain her composure.

I can’t help but notice how her body responds to my touch, how her breath catches ever so slightly.

“Bullshit, princess.”

“He knows I’m here, Hank. He’s been helping me with my research.”

“Resc-”

“Yeah, research. People do it, you know? Try it sometime.”

The nerve of this woman! As ifI’mthe one in the wrong here.

“And what exactly are you researching? Our every move?”

She scoffs, rolling her eyes at me. “I’m here to study the wildlife in this area. You know, the animals? The ones whose habitats you guys have been destroying. Your paranoia is misplaced.”

“Oh, it’s not paranoia.”

I step closer to her, invading her personal space. “It’s called protecting what’s mine. And I don’t trust you, Mac.”

“Well, you know what, Hank? I don’t give a flying fuck. I’m here for my research and nothing else.

I grab her notebook and flip through the pages, my blood boiling as I see page after page of notes about us and our property.

“Care to explain this, Mac?”

“Give it back!” she lunges for the notebook, but I step back, keeping it out of her reach. “Those are private!”

“Oh, privacy? Funny coming from a woman who's been snooping around on our land."

“What are you so worried about?”

She pushes my hand away, she scowls as anger starts to appear on her delicate features. It’s hot as hell.

“Seems to me like you’re really worried about me being here,” she hisses.

“Seems to me, I’m just worried about what my brother’s doing with a woman like you,” I echo her words. I can play this game all damn day.

"A woman like me?" she scoffs. “What the hell does that mean?”

I cross my arms over my chest, staring down at her, letting her snatch her notebook back. “It’s not like you’re our friend.”