Page 25 of Blackwood

His tone was almost pleading. “Don’t push me, because if you do”—His expressive eyes pinned me with a look so hot I tensed—“I’ll take you somewhere you’ve never been, and I doubt you’ll enjoy it. Not a girl like you.”

“Garrett, please…”

He closed his eyes at my words, as if my begging was a delicious treat. “I said no. Don’t bring this up again.”

Before I could resume my entreaty, he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. His steps retreated down the hall, and I heard another door slam.

I sat in shell-shocked silence and tried to digest everything he’d said, every emotion that had flitted across my mind. Something twisted lurked beneath his dark exterior. I should have been scared. Instead, I found myself more worried over the fact that every harsh word he uttered seemed to speak to a secret part of myself. One that wanted to revel in his darkness and sample every bitter promise in his words.

Over the next few days, Garrett only visited to drop off my meals. No small talk or flirtation, just a quick hello and a heavenly meal from Bonnie or a hellish one he’d made. Two weeks after the boar attack, he sat at the end of my bed and removed my stitches with painstaking precision. My left leg sat in his lap, my right behind his back. I tried to ignore the buzz his hands on my legs created.

Instead of imagining his hands roving higher, I focused on my new plan to survey his property. If he still wouldn’t give me permission, I’d decided I was going to do it anyway. He could call the sheriff on me all he wanted. I had a feeling, based on Sheriff Crow’s dislike of bad publicity, that all I’d get was a slap on the wrist for my trespassing ways.

“Ow!” I tried to keep still.

“Sorry. That one was probably the worst.” He pulled the thin wire from my skin and discarded it in a shallow dish on the bed. “I only have a few more to go.”

I fisted the blanket as he snipped another one and then another. By the time he was done, I’d left ugly wrinkles in the flowery quilt.

“All done.” He smoothed his hand over my calf. “Almost as good as new.”

I stretched my leg slowly and smiled when I realized the tight pulling sensation was gone. “Feels so much better.”

“I guess you’ll be taking off soon, then.” He rested his hand on my knee.

“Yes. Lots of surveying to do.”And finding my father.

He arched a brow at me. “On Blackwood property?”

“Well, Idohave a signed permission form and all.” I smiled.

“I thought you might say that.” He sighed. “What happens when you run into another wild boar?”

“I’ll shoot it.”

“With what gun? I’ve been through your pack.”

“Shit.” Sheriff Crow hadn’t gotten back to me about my car, which happened to have a gun in the glove box, and Garrett had a point. I frowned. “Don’t go through my stuff.”

“I figured it was only fair since you did that walkabout downstairs.” He gripped my knee tighter and pegged me with a knowing look. “And I know you’ve been trying to get into my room while I’m working in the library.”

How did he know?“I was just, um…”

“Right.” He placed my foot flat on the bed and stood. “So I think I’m entitled to check your pack. You need more water, obviously, and a weapon.” The top few buttons of his shirt were open, the dark hair showing through.

“I had a knife.”

“Yeah, a lot of good that did you.”

“I’ll pick up something else in town.” I shrugged and inspected his worn jeans, appreciating the way they sat on his lean hips. Even the way he stood seemed masculine somehow.

“You don’t have to. I have a .45 you can borrow.”

“Really?” That would speed along my surveying. One less thing to worry about.

“Yeah, just don’t lose it. I’ll get it out of the safe once you’re ready to go back out there.”

“Thanks.”

---