Page 76 of Legacy of Lies
“I thought you’d put me to work.” She grabbed the hand he offered. Holy Mary, the connection of his big, warm hand with hers set her heart fluttering like she’d met her high school crush. Oh wait, she had met her high school crush. In addition, she had enjoyed breakfast at his house.
“No promises I won’t make you rustle cattle or run fence line.”
“No promises I’ll know what I’m doing.”
Kerr snorted.
Garrison glared a hole into his brother’s head.
And just like that, Sara smiled.
Hours later, her mood wasn’t so positive.
Mud and assorted animal by-products caked the bottom of her once-white tennis shoes. Her back and shoulders ached from tromping all over the ranch, holding a bridle so Garrison could clean a horse’s hooves, handing him nails while he repaired loose boards on the house. She was pretty sure he didn’t need any assistance, but he seemed to enjoy the company.
She sure enjoyed his company. Damn. This was so bad for her future plans.
She had no problem appreciating how he concentrated on the task at hand, his gentleness with the animals, his raw strength as he threw around bales of hay. Garrison’s energy appeared to have no limits. She really had no problem studying the press of his mouth as he puzzled out how to fix something, and as a matter of fact, she’d like those lips on her, pronto. He even seemed unaffected by the bite of cold air and the muddy, snowy ground as he moved from one job to another like a Stetson-wearing Energizer Bunny.
So, if she liked watching him work, and she liked him, what was the problem?
Everything.
Even though she had grown up in Copper River, Sara was no rancher, wasn’t cut out for this life.
She had no future here. To follow her own plans, she shouldn’t form entanglements.
Sure as heck shouldn’t develop anything resembling roots.
Then why did she care what happened to Garrison and his family?
She shouldn’t.
Besides, the threat to the Taggarts would remain if she continued to see him. How far would the feud escalate?
Cold, harsh reality settled in: She needed to put an end to this ... whatever had begun between them before more than a barn got destroyed. Before she lost her heart and her future. Before someone else in this family got hurt.
• • •
Garrison studied Sara’s furrowed brow and stooped shoulders. Maybe she wasn’t into the ranching. Maybe he’d worn her out. Not everyone was used to the work here.
He’d tried to get Tiffani to enjoy life at the ranch, catering to her comfort and needs as much as he could. It was never enough. She had finally gotten a house in town to stay for “when the ranch got to her.” In retrospect, that act was the beginning of the end with them. Their relationship had been broken long before she left him, years before she had mailed the divorce papers.
Yet here he was, going down the exact same road with Sara.
Today’s “date” included repairs to the smaller barn on the property. Some romantic location. Setting down his hammer after pounding the last board, he turned toward Sara.
“Are you doing okay?”
All right, that was a lame line.
Her full lips curled upward, enough to grab his complete attention.
“Sure.”
The smile didn’t reach those beautiful brown eyes.
And damn him to hell, but he itched with the desire to use his power on her. Find out the truth.
