Page 85 of Crossing Every Line

Possible tantrum, definitely with a million questions, and quite probably with tears. “It’s going to be a long phone call.”

He fired up the torch and put his protective glasses on. “Is there anything I can do?” Already his attention was on the large wood plaque under Doyle’s iron brand. The WD was an exact replica of the one on the center of the gates on the front of his house as well as the logo used on everything at the farm.

“I’ll take care of it,” she said.

“Are you sure?”

She leaned on the railing of the small cage they were in. With each pass of his torch, the grain in the wood bloomed to life. The engraved portion stayed in the stark-white pine. “It’s beautiful.”

His lips kicked up at the corner as he continued his gentle sweeps.

He cared. There was love in the work he did. The men inside the stables scurried around with intent. He didn’t micromanage them; he just made sure they knew that each job was important. Stern Shane was someone she would listen to as well.

She had listened. And she’d definitely obeyed a few orders. Her nipples tightened at that thought. She turned back to Shane and waited until he turned off the torch.

He pushed the glasses on top of his head. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

She flashed him her carefree smile and hoped to God it met her eyes. “How could I be anything but okay? I’m watching a hot guy play with fire. Can’t get much better than that.”

He frowned. Before he could question her further, she went on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Am I going to see you tonight?”

He looked over the chaos below, then swiped away the sweat on his forehead. “I’m not sure. If I want to keep to this five-day deal, then I have a lot more work to do.”

She crossed her arms. “Then I think I’m going to go into town with Evelyn. A bunch of people are going.”

“Good. I don’t want you sitting around up at the house.”

“It’s getting a little old.”

He mirrored her stance. “I’m doing the best I can, Kendall.”

She touched his arm. “I know you are. I’m just restless. You know, anxious to get back.”

“Right.”

All that mattered was getting through the next few days. Not her ridiculous epiphany, not the sexy way he stood there all confused and unsure of how to handle her, and definitely not her stupid mood this afternoon.

She gave him another smile and monkeyed her way under the bars to find the ladder. He gave her a quizzical look as she scrambled to the ground and headed for the main house.

THIRTEEN

Shane kneadedthe tight muscles along his neck and shoulders. All he wanted was his bed and five hours down. Three days of fourteen-hour shifts were getting to him. He didn’t mind pitching in, especially with the bonus Doyle was offering to get this job done ahead of schedule.

But the moment Kendall had left him that afternoon, he’d been preoccupied. He couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong, but he knew something was up. Maybe she was just worried about the end of the trip or explaining things to her mother, but his gut said it was more.

He swung open the heavy front door to the retro kitsch bar. STARRLA’S in a garish pink-and-blue neon that reminded him ofCocktail, the movie, filled the wall as soon as he walked in. And with the neon came hair metal that matched it.

Skid Row played at top volume, and a crush of women dominated the dance floor with a few straggler males on the outskirts trying to get into the action. He recognized a handful of the men from his crew.

The sharp tang of mixing perfumes and colognes exacerbated his headache. Instead of turning around and heading to his truck, he pushed his way to the bar. At least he could get a beer while he checked in on Kendall.

He’d lost track of the days since they’d started this trip. Every day felt like the same with a new backdrop. The Friday crowd was dense with people looking for a good time with a few troublemakers with short tempers sprinkled in. When he got elbowed in the chest a third time, he decided he was going to be one of the short tempers.

Christ, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in a bar on a Friday night. He wasn’t sure how he was going to find her in this place. It wasn’t a large place, but it was packed with people.

The sharp stomp of boots made him turn around. Blondie’s sultry and yet strangely crazy voice carried on a wave of girls who decided it was time for a sing-along. A whip of blonde hair drew his attention.

A howl of bawdy laughter sharpened his focus. A group of men surrounded a table along the edge of the dance floor. Two blondes and a brunette were on the table singing their hearts out.

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