Page 41 of Some Cowboys are Off-Limits

“Believe what you want, but even I can see it. And if I can see it, it will only be a matter of time before Anna sees it too. If I were you, I’d nip this thing in the bud. You either need to convince our sister you are a good fit for her friend, or you need to find ways to hate her.”

He already had reasons to hate her. But they weren’t doing him any good at the moment. Every logical reason he had for keeping Scarlett at arm’s length wasn’t enough anymore. He was beginning to rationalize why he should give her a chance.

The biggest reasons included her obvious attempts to make right by her father and her friends.

Elijah continued to scowl. “Well, you can believe what you want,” he muttered, using his brother’s words against him. “But nothing is happening between us, and nothing ever will. We’re too different, and like you said, Anna would hate it.” He tossed back his water, swallowing it in two large gulps, then put his glass down. “I’ve got a long day ahead of me tomorrow. I’m heading out.”

“But you just got here.”

“Goodnight, Lucas.”

* * *

The more timehe spent on Scarlett’s farm, the more time he wanted to spend with her. He did what he could to keep his distance, but ultimately, he found he was failing at even that. Elijah just wanted to hear her laugh—to chat with her. When a whole day came and went without getting his fix, the only thing that helped him was supper time. Carlos invited him to eat with their family several times, and that was when he’d get to hear her talk about her life in Germany.

Her absolute love for the people of that country and those she worked with shone through brighter than the stars in the night sky. Her eyes lit up with an enthusiasm the heavens would be jealous of.

But it wasn’t just her stories of what she’d been up to for the last decade. He could listen to her complain or rave about the animals she was caring for and not tire of it. Scarlett seemed to have found a fresh zest for life being home again with her father, and it was intoxicating, to say the least.

He’d simply grown attached to her.

Elijah wanted to blame this newfound interest on their kiss—the kiss he knew had changed everything—but he couldn’t. He could tell she wasn’t quite the same person she’d been. Her choices lately had proven that. It didn’t mean she would stick around, but he was beginning to doubt himself on his prejudices.

They’d gotten into a routine around the farm, working side by side but not speaking much. It was easier to step back and give her some space when Lucas had done the same. Thankfully, he’d found someone new he’d set his sights on for the time being. That could change, but until it did, Elijah would keep an eye on her—make sure she was doing okay.

Lucas’s accusation of Elijah’s crush still hovered like a stormy rain cloud, but Elijah refused to let it affect the way he acted around Scarlett and her father. He was still a professional, and besides that one day when they’d nearly gotten into a juvenile water fight, he’d remained as such.

It had been about four weeks since their little moment on the balcony of the country club. And on more than one occasion, he’d caught her watching him with an interest that wasn’t there before.

The more time that passed, the harder it became to sleep. She visited him in his dreams when she wasn’t taking over his thoughts.

Lucas was right about one thing. He really needed to come up with more reasons to hate her or he was going to continue to suffer.

The door to the main house banged open. “I won’t be back until after supper. I’ve left you some food in the fridge you can heat up!” Scarlett called into the house. There was a muffled response, and then she hollered back, “Love you too.”

The door swung shut and Scarlett hurried down the steps and toward her car. She was still driving around that silly, expensive thing that probably wouldn’t get her anywhere if there were serious weather conditions. He’d been meaning to convince her to trade it in for something more practical, but it was the last shred of evidence she hadn’t put down roots yet. She could always have it shipped overseas with her, should she choose to leave.

Her eyes met his, then darted away, footsteps going quicker. He stood by the barn, watching her leave, thankful that he didn’t have to deal with her presence for the rest of the day. At least with her gone, he wouldn’t have to fight the temptation to speak to her.

Scarlett pulled open her car door, climbed inside, then went to start it. But the poor excuse for a car didn’t turn over. Again, she turned her key, but the engine whined at her instead.

She stared at her dash with confusion and what appeared to be disappointment. It figured that her trip would be thwarted by a fancy new car that had no business being here in the first place. There went his day of solace.

Elijah continued to watch her until her eyes met his through the glass. She scowled at him before shoving the door open and stepping outside. “Elijah!” she yelled. “Can you come here?”

He shook his head.

“What do you mean, no? You’re a car guy. You can probably tell me what’s wrong.”

“Sounds like a bad battery.”

She stared bewildered at her vehicle. “The battery? But this car is new.”

He shrugged. “Don’t happen too often, but sometimes they go bad sooner than they should. Then again, you might have left some lights on. Who’s to say?”

Scarlett released a groan. “This can’t be happening.” She gestured toward the car. “Can you jump it or something? I have to get to Colorado Springs by four.”

Elijah shook his head again. “I ain’t lettin’ you drive all the way out there without knowing if that battery needs to be replaced. You could get stranded and then someone would have to come get you.”

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