Page 47 of Redemption

Her eyes dropped to my hands, and she cleared her throat, nodding. “What you gonna make?”

I glanced back at the cabin. “Well, you’ve seen my huge selection of furniture, I don’t have much room for anything else,” I joked and she snorted adorably. “I thought I’d try my hand at a dresser after I fix this porch.”

Her eyes lit up. “Oh yeah? Any design in mind?”

I winced. “I hadn’t gotten that far. I was just gonna start cutting and see what happened.”

“A man with a plan, I like it,” she mused, folding her arms over her chest and pushing her breasts up. I tried to keep my eyes off them, I really did. I’d been so good at not staring at certain parts of her anatomy, but I was a weak man at the end of the day. My eyes slipped briefly before flicking away.

We both saw it.

We both knew it happened and then just stood there in the awkwardness of it.

“I’m sor—”

“I’ll see you Monday morning,” she interrupted and turned, heading back to the house.

“Idiot,” I chastised myself when she was out of view. “Why can’t I be normal?” I asked Teddy who lay at my feet, staring up at me and panting with a big smile on his face. “That collar looks good on you, boy,” I said, and he barked at me.

I turned back to the porch and when I hammered too hard and put a hole in the bottom of it, I decided to take a break. My first attempt was enough for now. Besides no one was good at something on their first try.

All evening through my shift at the bar my thoughts plagued me, thinking about Kat and the closeness I’d felt between us. That she’d bought my dog a collar and come to give it to me. That she clearly wanted to talk until I ruined the moment. Every time the door to the bar opened I looked up, hoping to see her but she didn’t come in.

When I made it back to the ranch in the early hours—who knew Sunday was such a popular night at the bar—I couldn’t help but stare up at the windows of the house, hoping for a glimpse at Kat. The room was dark, she was nowhere to be seen and disappointment rocked me.

Dodging the dodging the porch hole I needed to fix, I let myself into the cabin. Pride bolstered me when the door didn’t creak as it opened, ecstatic with the results of my first project.

I showered, walking around in just my boxers, thinking no one would see me this late. I quickly grabbed something to eat and stood inspecting the fireplace.

Then I felt it.

Those telltale prickles on the back of my neck that had goosebumps spreading over my flesh. I knew what it meant.

It was her.

I looked out the cabin window towards Charlie’s office, where I’d seen her so many times before. It was pitch black, no light on inside but Iknew. I knew she was there.

Stepping closer to the window, I took a bite of the apple, swiping my tongue across my lip to catch a drop of juice. Almost like I could feel her eyes on my mouth, my dick hardened in my boxers. I couldn’t see her but I knew she was watching. I wanted her to watch me. I wanted to see her. I wanted to know if she felt this pull between us too. This pull that was surely headed for disaster.

Maybe she didn’t care, just like I didn’t. But there was a reason she did it in the darkness. She didn’t want to admit to this, whatever this was. That was fine with me, I’d take her stares any way I could get them.

I finished my apple, staring out into the dark but knowing I was looking at her. Then I nodded once, goodnight, and went to bed.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Katarina

He knew.

He knew I watched him. And I couldn’t help it. Couldn’t stop it.

He knew and he watched me too. He let me. In the dark of night when everything felt secret and safe. I couldn’t explain why I was so obsessed with him. I shouldn’t be, God knows I shouldn’t be. Any man but him, literally, but I couldn’t help it.

Something changed when he looked after me the other night. I was safe with him.

Protected.

Yes, I knew how that sounded, I was safe with my mother’s killer. But I found somethingcalming about him. I loved watching how he moved, the way his big body adapted to life outside and in the tiny cabin. How his muscles flexed, his veins moved, and flesh shifted.

---