Page 41 of A Montana Fake Marriage

She gasped, and her hands immediately flew to capture those which had taken her off guard.

“Surprise.” Warm breath tickled her ear and her neck, sending pleasureful shockwaves through her body.

Sammie pried his hands away. The first thing she saw was a smirk on Katrina’s face. It was that knowing look that Sammie had gotten used to since moving to Sagebrush. Katrina wasn’t anything if not a romantic. She’d commented before that she thought it was sweet Caleb had befriended her before falling for her.

Sammie turned, her eyes snagging on Caleb as he took the seat beside her. His arm draped around the back of her chair, and he glanced to his cousin. “What are the two of you chatting about?”

Katrina glanced at Sammie, but her smile didn’t waver. “I think Sammie might be a little distracted lately. But too much work and not enough play can do that to a person. You two should go out. Have some fun before spring rears its ugly head and Bo really runs you ragged.”

Sammie could feel Caleb’s eyes on her, but she refused to meet them. He’d grown still—not so much that Katrina might notice, but enough that she could sense it.

“You need a night out?” Caleb asked.

He’d probably asked it so she would look into his eyes, and he’d be able to gauge whether or not to be worried about her. Why did he have to be so in tune with her? It wasn’t fair.

Sammie focused on her food and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s too cold to do anything besides stay in, anyway.”

Katrina scoffed. “I’m sure you could find a place to go dancing. See a movie. Go to dinner. Even wandering through town all bundled up?—”

Caleb interrupted her. “I think you’re forgetting that Sammie grew up in Alabama. They don’t typically get the lower temps we do here.” He reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

She shifted her focus to where he held her hand, and she marveled at how perfectly they seemed to fit. This was what she’d always wanted, wasn’t it? When she thought about her future husband, she hadn’t wanted someone like her father. She’d wanted someone who made her feel special—worth loving.

That’s exactly what Caleb brough to the table.

Katrina pushed away from the table with a grin. “Well, I’m going to head out. I have some errands to run before I get back to work. I’ll catch you two later.”

Alone with Caleb, Sammie suddenly lost her nerve. She wanted to tell him right now, but it was hardly the time. He had to get back to work, as did she. If she opened up that conversation, she had a feeling they wouldn’t be able to finish it before their breaks were over.

She glanced up at him with a smile. “I didn’t know you were going to have lunch with me. You’re usually busy.”

He shrugged. “I saw you come in here for lunch, and I thought I’d join you. Katrina’s right. We’ve been a little too busy lately. I’ve missed you.”

Her breath caught at his words. She didn’t dare hope that there was a deeper meaning behind them.

Caleb’s thumb traced over the back of her hand. He hadn’t released her yet. His touch was soft, teasing. Her skin flushed,and her pulse reacted to his nearness. She took in a slow, shuddering breath and lifted her eyes to meet his.

She’d heard him tell her he loved her. It might have felt too good to be true the other day, but today, she felt the truth of it in the way he watched her and the way he touched her. It was more than that, though. Caleb had protected her from things she hadn’t realized were a threat to her happiness. He’d stood in the path of destruction her father had set out for her. He sheltered her from his harsh words. He gave up his life for a year, just to make sure she’d be taken care of financially.

If that wasn’t love, then she didn’t want it.

A weak smile tugged at her lips as her heart flitted against her ribcage. She opened her mouth, but then Mack entered the kitchen. He glanced at the two of them.

“Afternoon,” he grunted, pulling his hat from his head. He tore his gloves from his hands and moved to the fridge. “Any good leftovers?”

Sammie blushed. She’d nearly told Caleb everything in front of an audience. Part of her wanted to pull her hand free from Caleb and cover her face to hide the embarrassment that no one would understand. But a bigger part of her wanted to cling to his touch as long as possible.

“I think there’s some lasagna,” Caleb said, his eyes never leaving Sammie’s. Something burned in his gaze, making her blush hotter. “Can you tell Bo that Sammie and I had something we needed to do? Have one of the other guys take care of the rest of Sammie’s chores, would you?”

Mack’s only evidence of surprise came in the glance over his shoulder, but then he nodded. “Sure.”

Sammie’s mouth dropped open, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask what he was doing. He pulled her to her feet and tugged her away from the table. “What about my lunch—” she finally stammered.

Caleb glanced down at her nearly empty plate then swiped it from the table and deposited it on the counter before he removed her from the house. He strode so fast that she nearly couldn’t keep up with him.

They sped across the yard toward the cousins’ homes.

“Caleb!” she murmured breathlessly. “What are you doing?”

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