gently he treated every animal on the ranch. But she had to remember he’d not been as fortunate as she and Jett. They’d had a very loving mother, who’d worked hard to make sure her children had a normal home. From what Noah had told her, he’d not even had that much.
Not wanting to sound preachy, she simply said, “I’m sorry, Noah.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry, too.”
They finished the meal with only a few exchanges of small talk. Afterward, Bella helped him clear the table and wash what few dishes they’d used. As the two of them moved around the small space, an awkward tension began to build and she decided it was probably time for her to say goodbye.
With the last plate dried and put away in the cabinet, she folded the dish towel she’d been using and placed it on the end of the cabinet counter. “Thanks for the meal, Noah. I think I’d better be getting Casper back home before it gets dark.”
She expected to see a look of relief cross his face. Instead, his expression remained stoic, making it impossible to discern his reaction to her announcement.
Who are you trying to kid, Bella? His reaction is as clear as a cloudless day. He could’ve offered you coffee or pointed out that the evening was still young, anything to invite you to stay longer. Face it, he’s had all of your company he can stand.
Bella was trying to ignore the insulting voice going off in her head, when Noah said, “Right. It wouldn’t do for you to meet up with a bear or mountain lion in the dark.”
As far as Bella was concerned, he was much more dangerous to her well-being than any wild animal. Because she was drawn to him in ways she couldn’t quite understand. She only knew that being in his presence quenched a need deep inside her.
She moved to the open doorway, then paused. “I keep a little bear bell tied to my saddle horn. The jingle helps ward away any predators.” Now that she thought about it, the little tinkling bell was probably the sound that he’d heard when she’d first ridden up on Casper.
He hardly looked impressed by her safety measures, but he didn’t say anything and Bella quickly stepped out of the cabin and walked over to Casper.
She was untying the get-down rope from the tree limb when she sensed Noah walking up behind her. The fact that he’d followed her out of the cabin surprised her and as soon as the rope fell loose, she turned a questioning look at him.
A frown was on his face and his gaze connected with hers for only a brief moment before it dropped to the ground. He said, “Before you go there’s something I need to say.”
Her heart was suddenly pounding with foolish hope. Maybe he had enjoyed her company after all, she thought. Maybe he was going to tell her he’d like to see her again.
“Yes?” she asked.
His gaze returned to hers and she gave him an encouraging smile.
He cleared his throat. “I—uh, just wanted to say it was nice having you here.”
She couldn’t remember the last time a man’s words had filled her with such warm pleasure. “I enjoyed it very much, too, Noah.”
A frown pulled his brows together and as he swiped a hand through his thick hair, it became clear to Bella that he was carefully trying to choose what he was going to say next. Could it be he was trying to decide how best to ask her out on a date? It was crazy how much she wanted that to happen.
Finally he said, “Look, Bella, you’re a nice lady. And I have to be honest with you. I—well, I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t do this again.”
Certain she must have heard him wrong, her head moved stiffly back and forth. “This? What are you talking about?”
The confusion in her voice only seemed to frustrate him more and he raked a hand over his black hair as his eyes evaded meeting hers.
“Coming here to the cabin—my home.”
The direct meaning of his words hit her so hard she felt like someone had whammed a fist to her stomach.
“Oh.” Pain spread through her chest as she quickly turned back to Casper and began to tighten the saddle cinch. Oh, Lord, she’d made a giant fool of herself, but strangely that wasn’t the reason for her pain. No, it was the fact that he was so callously rejecting her. “Guess I’ve made a pest of myself. Sorry.”
She’d fastened the end of the latigo neatly in its holder and was backing the horse away from the tree in order to mount him, when Noah spoke again.
“It’s not that, Bella. It’s—just for the best. Can we leave it at that?”
She supposed she should have felt embarrassed. After all, she couldn’t remember any time in her life when a man had so bluntly spurned her. Even Marcus with all his cheating and lies had vowed he loved her and had desperately tried to hang on to her. Even her old boss, who’d recently gotten married, had liked Bella as a person. But for some reason, Noah just flat-out wanted no part of her. The realization made her want to cry, or scream. She didn’t know which. In the end she chose to do neither.
“Sure, Noah. You don’t have to explain. I apologize for making a nuisance of myself and ruining your evening. Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”
Not daring to look at him, she crossed the split reins over Casper’s neck and started to lift the toe of her boot to the stirrup when Noah’s hand suddenly wrapped around her elbow.
Insulted even more, she shrugged his hold away. “Thank you,” she said stiffly, “but I don’t need help getting into the saddle.”
To her surprise, he wrapped his hand around her upper arm and she twisted her head to look at him. His blue eyes were partially hidden beneath the scowl of his brows, but there was a fire, a glint of life in them that she’d not seen before.
“I know I’m not the sort of gentleman that you rub shoulders with, but I do have manners, Bella.”
She’d never been a mean-spirited person, but she did have her pride, even though he was trying his best to crush it.
“Really?” she asked, her voice etched with sarcasm. “Well, if you had, good manners would have been telling me that you enjoyed my company—even though you didn’t.”
She expected him to drop his hold on her arm and move aside, but he clearly had other ideas. He tugged her around to face him and Bella’s knees went weak as his steely blue gaze grabbed on to hers.
“Don’t twist my words, Bella. I didn’t say anything about not enjoying your company.”
“But you just said—”
“I don’t want you back up here. I know what I said. And I meant it.”
No man had ever shaken Bella as much as Noah had at this very moment. There was something about his dark, brooding presence that reminded her of a stormy night, when shutters slammed and every shadow seemed to lurk with hidden dangers. And yet just to have him touch her was wildly exciting.
“Why?” she asked quietly.
“You little fool,” he muttered. “Don’t
