Page 39 of Unexpected Entanglement

The big guy beamed at Rowan. “It’s my pleasure, Rowan. Anything for you—I mean, Bright Head. You know you can count on me.”

Chris glanced at Rowan, trying to gauge if she knew Greg had a crush on her. He detected a “staking” air from the other man, and Chris thought it prudent to back out and give them space. He turned to leave when a hand suddenly clamped around his wrist, stopping him on the spot, then pulled him back.

“I appreciate it. We’ll set up a time for that,” Rowan said, but her smile looked strained.

“I can go through the main house after I fix this. Then maybe after that, you and I can—” Greg offered.

“Ah, sorry, Greg,” Rowan interrupted apologetically. “Chris and I have tons to do.”

Chris creased his forehead as Rowan's hand shifted from his wrist to his hand. The faint prickle that happened when she touched him heightened when she entwined her fingers with his and tugged him near her side.

Greg’s smile faded when he saw their clasped hands. His eyes locked on Chris, who attempted to maintain a neutral expression.

What the fuck is she playing at?

“We have a…” Rowan squeezed his handfor help to fill in the blank.

“A meeting with the bride,” Chris supplied.

“Right!” She threw another smile at Greg. “Thanks again, Greg.”

Not waiting for a response, Rowan hastened Chris along, tugging him behind her, hand still clasped in hers. She couldn’t walk out of there fast enough.

thirteen

“What the hell was that?” Chris questioned as soon as they were out of Greg’s earshot and line of sight.

“Sorry. I had to think quick.” Rowan dropped his hand and squeezed hers as tingling heat still crawled up her arm.

Mistaking her reaction as discomfort, he asked, “You’re okay? Is it your cut?”

“No. Uh, yeah,” she quickly covered. “It’s nothing.”

“You want to explain what that’s all about?” he returned to his original question.

Rowan grimaced. “He has a crush on me.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Chris gave her an eye-roll.

“He’s had a crush on me since we were kids. And I thought he was over it since we’re all adults, and he got married and all,” Rowan added. “He’s recently divorced. And since I came back to live on the island full-time, he’s been trying to ask me out.”

“Why don’t you just tell him you’re not interested?” Chris asked, as if it was the most obvious solution.

“I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

“So you just pretend to have a boyfriend instead?” He seized her hand in the same way she’d taken his and raised it to her eye level.

“Technically, I just implied—”

Chris laughed. “Implied? You might not lie through your teeth, but you seared the idea into his brain. I might have to watch my back from now on. Did you see the death stare he gave me?”

“You exaggerate. Greg might look like this big burly guy, buthe’s—”

“Sweet?” he cut in. “Yeah, on you. Why don’t you go out with him then?”

“He’s not my type.” Rowan stomped up the steps to the porch, ready for this conversation to end.

“Then let him down easy. The guy is obviously smitten with you. He dropped everything to come to your rescue and wouldn’t even charge you for services rendered. Do you really think he was in the neighborhood? There’s no neighborhood within a five-mile radius. There are woods and water.”

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