Page 33 of Whispers Of Horses

The sound of a door closing caught my attention, and I glanced at the doorway just as Mathis stepped through it. With his hair in a disheveled mess, his white T-shirt covered in dust and stretched taut over his hard chest and a five-o-clock shadow covering his jaw, he was every bit as mouthwateringly sexy as always. My heart did a somersault, just like it did every time I laid eyes on this man. He was looking out across the lawn, not yet registering my presence.

“Afternoon, Mrs. Blumberry. Sorry I’m late, had to get a kitten out of the air duct in the barn. You want me to pick up where I left off yesterday, behind the coops?”

Mathis reached up to run his hand through his deliciously dark waves of thick hair, his gaze roaming leisurely toward us before widening as he registered the two of us seated on the porch. He stopped abruptly, dropped his hand to his side, and frowned.

Mrs. Blumberry never missed a single thing. I was beginning to think the woman was younger than she appeared. “Ah, Mathis. I had forgotten you’d be by today. You already know Callie, don’t you?”

Mathis’ golden gaze narrowed. “Yep. Sure do. I’ll just get to work, if you ladies will excuse me.”

Okay, so he was clearly still upset with me. A lot upset. Well, it was better that way. At least this way I didn’t have to worry about him trying to do anything or say anything. I felt his gaze rove over me like a caress of warmth, and when I looked up again, the anger had lessened in his face, and concern was quickly replacing it. I realized he must have noticed the evidence of my tears. It was time to leave. Now.

“Well, Mrs. Blumberry, I had better be going. Thank you, so much, for the visit, the tea, everything.” I started to stand, but she stopped me with a pale hand on my thigh.

“Calamity, my girl, you are welcome here anytime, for anything. If you find its too hard to be there, you come right back here, understand?”

I was touched, yet again, by her kindness. I felt my eyes water, and I nodded my head quickly before scooping up my puppy and making my way around the porch and to my truck without a backward glance. I couldn’t face Mathis, not today when I was already so emotional. I knew my resolve would be shot and I’d be no match for the connection we seemed to share.

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans for me, as always. Putting my key into the ignition, I turned it, waiting for my trucks engine to fire up. Nothing happened but a gurgling sputter followed by silence. All I could think was…no, no, no! Banging my forehead on the steering wheel, I hit my fist on the dash. Come on, don’t do this to me now!Cranking the key, I pumped the gas, trying again and again to get it to start. The sputtering noise became a choking cough before the truck fell silent once more and made no further noises. I was so screwed.

When I lifted my head from the steering wheel, sure I now hosted a bruise from banging my head on it, the first thing I saw was Mathis standing in front of my truck, arms crossed over his wide chest, a look of annoyance plastered on his face. I swallowed, because, let’s face it, I was a coward, and I was weak and damn, he was sexy.

Opening my door, I stepped out and sighed. “My truck won’t start.” Lame. I was completely lame.

Mathis assessed me, but for the faintest moment, I could have sworn his lips twitched as if he wanted to laugh. “So, I heard. Pop the hood and I will take a look.”

A few minutes later, Mathis straightened up from beneath my hood, pushed it closed, and wiped his hands on his pants as his hazel eyes looked me over in a way that made me blush from head to toe. “Sorry, I think your fuel pump is busted. You’ll have to get it towed to a yard, or I can get the part and try to fix it, but I’m no mechanic.”

I slumped against the driver door. “Shit.” Shoving my hands into my face, I groaned. I didn’t want to call my dad, or Cody, that was for sure. I knew Sammy was already going through her own nightmare, so calling her to rescue my pathetic hide wasn’t going to be an option-not that she wouldn’t drop everything for me-but because I didn’t want to drag her into my mess when she had enough on her own plate.

Across the yard, Mrs. Blumberry called out, “Mathis, would you be a dear and give Ms. Callie a lift? She’s had a terrible day, and honestly, I’m due for a good long nap. We can work on the garden another day, if you don’t mind?”

I wanted to scream,NO! but I kept my lips firmly pressed together. Lifting my gaze to Mathis, we locked eyes, heat flooded my body, and his eyes seemed to smolder with suppressed fire.

“Uh…” my voice was so shaky it was pathetic. Clearing my throat, I tried to keep it even and calm. “That’s not necessary. I can walk to…well, somewhere.”

Mathis’ eyes sparkled with ill-suppressed anger, and he stepped toward me. “Over my dead body. Get in my truck. I gotta grab my hat and I’ll be right there.” he started to walk away, and yes, I watched his perfect ass in those wonderful wranglers, until I realized he’d looked back, and I was caught red handed.

With a smirk of awareness, he called over his shoulder, “Oh, and if you try to walk while I’m inside, Iwilltoss you over my shoulder and throw you back in my truck.”

I sputtered for a moment, stuck on what retort to throw out. On the porch, Mrs. Blumberry waved to me, looking like the cat who drank all the milk with her Cheshire smile. I shook my head. Was the whole world conspiring against me? Sputtering mad, I grabbed Billy, and walked grumpily to Mathis’ truck to wait for him. I was tempted to take off down the driveway on foot, but I had very little doubt that Mathis would do exactly as he threatened.

Mathis hopped into his truck, shoved his black Stetson onto his head, and fired his truck up. Putting it in gear, he pulled slowly down the drive. Glancing over at me, he asked, “You don’t really want to go home, do you?”

My heart lurched in my chest. Why did this one man have such a dramatic effect on me? Very slowly, I turned to look at him, but instantly regretted it. There was too much heat in his gaze. “Mathis, I think I made myself clear the other day…”

Mathis laughed. “Callie, don’t. All I’m asking is if you really want to go home right now. Don’t read so far into it, okay?”

I heard the edge to his words, and I knew he was hurt, and I felt terrible. “Maybe you can drop me in town, and I will call someone when I’m ready to go home.”

Mathis shook his head in annoyance. “Are you always so damned stubborn, Callie? Can’t you just accept a small gesture of friendship, ever?”

Stung by his words, I turned away from him. “Just take me home, please.”

Mathis growled-that was the best way to describe the noise he made. “No. Damn it, Callie, No.”

I spun about to glare at him, just as he sped off down the drive. I had no idea where he was taking me, but I breathed a sigh of relief when he passed the entrance to his ranch, because we all know exactly how that would have likely ended up, with me naked.

18

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