were no sounds coming from the log structure, the door was standing wide open, as were the two windows facing the front yard. Not that the space could actually be called a yard, she thought. It was mostly a thick carpet of pine needles with patches of bramble bush and Indian rice growing here and there.
At the doorstep, she shoved her cowboy hat off her head. A stampede string caught at the base of her throat, allowing the headgear to dangle against her back. After running a hand through her hair, she rapped her knuckles against the doorjamb.
“I’m here.”
Jerking her head in the direction of his voice, she spotted Noah standing a few feet away at the corner of the cabin. One look at his tall, dark image was enough to push her heartbeat to a fast, erratic thump.
Unconsciously, her hand rested against the uncomfortable flutter in her chest. “Oh, hello, Noah! I didn’t see you when I knocked,” she said.
“I was at the back of the house,” he explained. “I heard you ride up.”
Heard her? Casper hadn’t neighed or even kicked over a small stone. He must have superhuman hearing, she decided.
“I was out riding and thought I’d stop by to say hello.” The explanation for showing up on his doorstep sounded lame, but it was the best she could do. She could hardly tell him she’d purposely invited herself.
His sober expression said he didn’t believe a word she’d just said. Yet she found herself smiling at him anyway. Mostly because something about him made her feel good inside.
He said, “At least you’re not riding down in the canyon.”
She smiled again. “No. But that doesn’t mean I’ve marked that riding trail off my list. It’s too beautiful to resist.”
He looked different today, Bella realized, as her gaze took in his faded jeans and gray T-shirt. The few times she’d been in Noah’s presence, he’d always been dressed for work with long-sleeved shirts, spurs strapped to his high-heeled boots, and a gray felt on his head. She’d never seen his bare arms before and the sight had her practically gawking. She’d not expected them to be so thick and muscled, or his skin to be nut-brown.
“So you’re riding the gelding today,” he remarked. “Is the mare okay? Any problem with her foot?”
“No problem. I just thought it was Casper’s turn to get out for a while.”
He didn’t say anything to that and Bella figured he was waiting for her to say she needed to mount up and finish her ride. Well, that was too bad. She wasn’t going to let him off that easily.
“Uh, am I interrupting anything?” she asked politely.
He hesitated, then said, “I was just putting some meat on the grill. On Sunday I usually make myself an early supper.”
“Mmm. I don’t suppose you’d have enough for two, would you?”
His brows shot up, but Bella was determined not to feel embarrassed by her forward behavior. It wasn’t as if she was asking him to kiss her.
“It’s only hamburgers,” he said.
“I love burgers. Especially when they’re grilled. Are you a good cook?”
“I can’t answer that. I’m the only one who ever eats my cooking.”
She chuckled. “Then you really need for me to give it a try. I’ll give you an honest review.”
His attention lifted away from her to settle on Casper. Bella was glad to see the horse already understood he’d reached his destination. His head was bowed in a sleepy doze, his hind foot cocked in a relaxed stance.
Noah said, “Bella, I think—”
Bella quickly interrupted, “If you don’t have enough food to share, that’s fine. A cup of coffee will do me.”
He grimaced. “It’s not the food. I—”
“Don’t like my company?” she asked pointedly.
Dark color swept up his neck while the frown on his face deepened. And watching his reaction, Bella could only wonder if she’d gone crazy. The man clearly didn’t want her around. Any sensible woman would proudly lift her chin and walk away. But there was something in his eyes that made her stand her ground. A bleak, desperate look that called to her heart.
He blew out a long breath. “I wasn’t expecting you, that’s all.”
She stepped off the porch and walked over to him. “I apologize for showing up unannounced. But it’s a lovely afternoon and I was getting very tired of my own company.”
* * *
Then why didn’t she drive down to her brother’s house, where she could find plenty of company? Noah wanted to ask. Why didn’t she get on her horse, ride off and leave him alone?
If Noah was smart, he’d do more than ask her those questions. He’d tell her outright that he didn’t want her around here messing with his mind, making him feel things he didn’t want to feel. But he couldn’t bring himself to utter any of those things to her.
Just seeing her again was making his heart thump with foolish pleasure. Hearing her sweet voice was like the trickle of a cool stream to a man lost in the desert. He couldn’t forbid himself those pleasures. Even if they might eventually hurt him.
“Well, it just so happens I have enough food to share.” He gestured toward the open door. “If you’d like to go in, I’ll see about making another patty for the grill.”
“Thanks. I would like.”
Noah followed her inside the cabin and moved to one side as she stopped in the middle of the room to glance curiously around her. He could only wonder what she thought about the log walls, low-beamed ceiling and planked floor, much less the simple furnishings. But then, he’d not invited her up here for a visit, he thought. She’d invited herself.
“This is cozy. And so much cooler than outside,” she commented, then glanced at the short row of cabinets built into the east wall of the room. “Those are nice. Did you help build them?”
Did she actually believe he might be that talented? The idea very nearly made him smile, but he stopped himself short. What the hell was he doing? He didn’t smile at women. He didn’t even like them. Not after the hell Camilla had put him through.
“I helped measure and hammer a few nails, but not much more than that. When it comes to carpenter work I can do a few repair jobs, but nothing major.”
She said, “I made a little doghouse once with the help of my grandfather. It turned out pretty good, but the darned dog never would get in it. Probably because Grandmother kept letting him in the house.”
The main ranch yard of the J Bar S sat just across from Jett’s house. While Bella had lived there, Noah had often spotted her going to her car as she left for work in the mornings. And sometimes late in the evening as he’d dealt with barn chores, he’d seen her return. She would always be wearing dresses and high heels and carrying a leather briefcase. With that image fixed in his mind, it was hard
