Page 8 of Wrangling Her Heart
Her mouth fell slightly open at the feeling of his touch. She licked her lips and tried to ignore the tingling sensation the rancher’s touch left on her skin.
“Rex,” she softly exhaled.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
She jerked her hand back, her fingers tingling from the lingering warmth of his touch. As she pressed her palmstogether, she felt the lingering imprint of his hand on hers. Her mind raced with emotions as she tried to make sense of their brief encounter. Yearning, confusion, and a growing desire tangled up together and sat heavy in her belly.
“I... I’m fine, Rex,” she stammered, avoiding his probing gaze. “I just needed to talk to Sawyer. It’s important.”
His intense gaze locked onto her for a moment longer, causing her heart to flutter in her chest. With a slight incline of his head, he stepped aside to let her pass, the muscles in his jaw tensing and releasing as she moved by him.
She hurried towards the back of the barn where she saw Sawyer head just a few moments prior. Her eyes darted between the stalls until she spied him sitting on a bale of hay, fingering a leather harness.
“What do you want, Matilda?” he asked hoarsely.
Approaching him hesitantly, Tillie reached a trembling hand towards him. He glanced at it, then turned his attention back to the halter.
“I missed you, Sawyer,” she mumbled.
“Why are you even here?” he growled, throwing the halter aside. “How did you find me?”
Tillie lowered herself onto the bale of hay next to Sawyer, her heart heavy with the weight of his distrust. She clasped her hands tightly together, fighting back the tears threatening to spill over. Taking a deep breath, she mustered up the courage to speak.
“I had to find you, Sawyer. You’re family,” she started, her voice barely above a whisper. “George said...”
Sawyer’s head shot up at the mention of George’s name, his eyes darkening with anger. “George? What has he done now, Tillie?” His tone was sharp, with a hint of concern underlying hiswords.
“Nothing. You’re our family. The only family we have left.” When Sawyer didn’t respond, she continued. “Don’t you care Pa died?”
“I stopped caring after Ma passed.” He shifted and looked at her, his expression hard. “I got word that Pa died. Good riddance.”
“Sawyer!”
She watched him stand and pick up the halter, his fingers working the leather. “It’s true,” he muttered. He glanced up, his eyes meeting hers again, and there was something akin to fear in them. “I’ve got a new family now. I can’t have trouble finding its way here.” His jaw tensed, the muscle ticking in his cheek. “You and George need to leave as soon as you can. In the meantime, you stay away from Rex, you hear? He’s a good man.”
“We have nowhere to go.”
“Again, that is none of my concern.”
Before she could respond, a shadow fell over them, and George’s voice sliced through the tension. “What’s all this about?”
Sawyer jerked back, his muscles tense from the sudden interruption. Without another word, he turned on his heel and disappeared from the barn, leaving Tillie to face George alone.
George leaned forward; his eyebrows raised in eager anticipation. He was hungry for information, his gaze fixed intently on her as he waited for her response. Tillie’s heart pounded against her ribcage, her thoughts scattering like wild mustangs.
“Nothing,” she mumbled, her reply barely audible. “Just... catching up.”
But the weight of Sawyer’s words hung heavy in the air, andTillie couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more at stake than just a simple family reunion.
George’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing. Instead, he took a deep breath and placed a hand on his chest, as if trying to calm himself. “Well then, Tillie. If you say so.” He walked back to the barndoor. “Isn’t this just the place?” George’s voice boomed into the barn; his silhouette framed by the brightness of the new day. His grin stretched wide, and he clapped his hands together with a gusto that made Tillie jump in surprise. “We could use a good rest, and the Hartman Ranch has plenty of work for you to keep busy.”
“Keep me busy?” Tillie watched him, her heart hammering in her chest. She knew George was planning something. Her eyes lingered on the doorway where Sawyer had vanished, the echo of his warning still whispering through her mind.
George moved so close that Tillie could feel his hot breath on her cheek. She tried not to flinch as he leaned in, his voice a low whisper that sent shivers down her spine.
“You know what to do, Tillie. Keep them distracted. Stay close to Rex.” His eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint as he straightened up, his grin widening into a sly smile that made her skin crawl. “He’s the key here. Earn his trust, Tillie. We need him on our side.”
Tillie took a step back, her eyes darting around the barn for any sign of escape. “I don’t know...”
