Page 10 of Dust and Desire
I’d been running for so long that sometimes I forgot what I was running from. Or maybe I just didn’t want to remember. The fight. The blood. The look in his eyes when I told him I was leaving and wasn’t coming back. Some things were better left behind, buried deep where they couldn’t reach me.
A twig snapped somewhere nearby, and I jerked upright in thewater, suddenly alert. Rusty hadn’t moved, still contentedly grazing at the edge of the creek, which meant it probably wasn’t a predator. But something, or someone, was definitely there.
“Hello?” I called out, treading water as I scanned the tree line. “Someone there?”
Silence answered me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The hair on the back of my neck stood up despite the heat. I swam toward the bank where I’d left my clothes, keeping my eyes on the surrounding trees. I stood up and walked out, cold water streaming down my body.
There was movement in the shadows between the trees, just a flicker, but unmistakable. Someone was watching me.
“Who’s there?” I demanded, my voice sharper now. I wasn’t particularly modest, but I didn’t appreciate being spied on either.
The figure darted away, a blur of motion that disappeared into the denser woods before I could make out any details. Man or woman, I couldn’t tell, just that they’d been there, watching, and now they were gone.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I gathered up my clothes at the shore. Water dripped down my naked body as I emerged, warming quickly in the sun. If whoever it was wanted a show, they’d certainly got one. Instead of rushing, I stood in the sun for a moment, letting the heat dry me off.
“Fucking perfect,” I muttered, scanning the trees even though I knew the person was gone. “Nothing like having a stalker my first week on the job.” I paused for a moment. “Or Bigfoot.”
Could it have been Dustin? The thought flashed through my mind, bringing with it a confusing mix of irritation and arousal. But no, after the way he’d bolted from the diner last night, I doubted he’d be seeking me out, especially not like this.
But then a new thought struck me, one that filled my chest with anxiety. Couldhehave found me already? It didn’t seem possible with how much distance I’d traveled in just a few days. And I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. I didn’t even forward my address.
No, it couldn’t be him.
Rusty shifted nervously, sensing my unease. Still damp, I got dressed quickly and untied him, swinging up into the saddle. The wet denim chafed uncomfortably against my thighs, but I hardly noticed as I urged the horse back toward the main ranch buildings.
As we rode, I kept scanning the treeline, half-expecting to see my voyeur again. But there was nothing, just the rustling of leaves in the light breeze and the occasional bird call. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had settled over me like a shadow.
It wasn’t until we crested the hill overlooking the ranch that I allowed myself to relax slightly. The sight of the buildings, solid and real in the afternoon sun, grounded me. I was being paranoid. It was probably just one of the other hands taking a shortcut through the woods, or maybe even Caroline checking up on me without wanting to interrupt my break.
But as Rusty carried me down toward the stables, a memory surfaced, unwelcome and sharp as a knife.Himstanding in the shadows outside my apartment in Oklahoma City, watching me through the window. The bouquet of half-dead roses on my doorstep the next morning. The whispered promise that had made my blood run cold.
I shook it off again. That couldn’t be it. It just couldn’t.
I dismounted at the stables, my wet clothes uncomfortable against my skin. Rusty seemed eager to get back to his stall, and I couldn’t blame him. The heat was oppressive, even in the shade of the barn.
“How’d the fence check go?” Caroline’s voice startled me as I was removing Rusty’s saddle. She leaned against the stall door, her dark braid draped over one shoulder, streaks of dust on her face and arms.
“Fine,” I said, trying to sound casual despite my lingering unease. “Found a few spots that need patchin’ on the north side, but nothin’ major.”
She nodded, her sharp eyes taking in my damp clothes and hair. “Decided to cool off, I see.”
“Creek looked too invitin’ to pass up,” I admitted, hanging the saddle on its rack. “Though I might’ve had some company.”
Caroline’s eyebrow arched. “Company?”
“Someone was watching me. Ran off when I spotted them.” I kept my tone light, like it was just a mild curiosity rather than something that had set my nerves on edge. “Y’all don’t have a bigfoot around here, do ya?”
“Not that I know of. Probably just one of the hands taking a shortcut,” she said, echoing my earlier thought. Then her lips quirked into a half-smile. “Or maybe Dustin. His tiny house isn’t far from that creek.”
My stomach did a little flip at the mention of his name. “Dustin? The lawyer guy?”
“The very same.” Caroline’s smile widened. “He likes to wander the property sometimes. Says it helps him think.”
I tried to picture the buttoned-up lawyer I’d met last night skulking through the woods, spying on me while I swam naked. It didn’t quite fit.
“Didn’t seem like the peeping tom type,” I said, brushing Rusty down with more focus than necessary.
Caroline snorted. “He’s not. That man’s so proper he probably averts his eyes when he sees his own reflection in the shower.” She paused, studying me. “You went to bed in quite a hurry last night.”
