Page 6 of Iron Heart Lost

I nod my head and I grunt. “That’s gonna take some work. Are you sure you’re ready for all this?”

He grunts and then shuffles his feet, his big fists hanging at his sides. He nods and he stands beside me, his hip brushing mine, setting off fireworks under my skin. I can feel him breathing shallowly beside me and unconsciously my body cycles to his. It always has. We’re two halves of a whole.

At least for me. Not for him.We’re just friends.I repeat that mantra over and over again in my head, wishing that I could make myself believe it.

I’ve always felt like we were meant for something more.

“I’m ready for whatever comes, Heather. Anything.” My brow crinkles when I hear his strange words. His bright blue eyes are focused on me like he can see right through me and I sure as hell hope that that isn’t true. A girl needs her secrets.

“O-0kay.” I stutter the words out. “You’re acting kinda weird, Cody. Did something happen?”

He shakes his dark head and plops his hat back on his hair. “Nope. Not yet.”

I eye him silently, almost angry that it seems like he’s bound and determined to act as strangely as possible.

But I push it all aside and hold out my hand. “Finally, let’s do this, Cody. I can get ahold of my aunt and get you an appointment so you can sign the papers and get everything set up. How soon do you think that you want the website done? And when do you want to start on the house and grounds? Maybe pick up some more horses?”

“I think we should start as soon as we get the money so as fast as possible. Can you get me in to see your aunt within the next few days?”

I nod my head, my eyes focusing inward. “Yeah. I’ll talk to her today.”

He nods jerkily and groans. “I really hope that this works. Obviously if we use a big part of that money for the balloon payment we don’t have to worry about the two month limit. But then there’s all the work we need to get done on the old bunks for the guys.” The barns need fixing up and suddenly I’m way too excited about what I know is going to be a lot of work.

I hold out my hand and he takes it, lifting it to his lips and kissing my fingers like some kind of southern gentleman. My mouth drops open. He laughs loud, his head tipped back so that I can see the strong cords in his throat. He slaps his hat on his thigh.

“I like to surprise you sometimes, Cricket. Keeps you on your toes.” I nod my head and move back a space.

“Ha-ha! Funny, Cody.” My grimace makes him laugh harder.

He turns to the door and when I follow he turns quickly so that I almost plaster my body to his wide, muscular chest. I stumble back and he catches me in his arms, lifting me until I’m so close to him that I can count the little wrinkles alongside his stunning eyes.

“Watch what you’re doing, Cricket. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” Those words make me ache. I already hurt every time I have to see him but I can’t make myself stay away.

Every little second with him is agony and ecstasy but I’d never give it up.

He chucks me under the chin and then slams his way out the door.

Dammit. My heart falls. He still acts like I’m his little sister. Frustration eats at me and I turn and slam my fist into the wall, gasping and pulling it back to my chest when it fucking hurts.

But at least the physical pain pushes the emotional pain to the back for a few seconds.

CHAPTER5

Cody

It’s been weeks of hard work and the house and outbuildings are all fixed up and ready for guests. Heather’s got the website up and running and she’s already accepting reservations. There hasn’t been any action yet on the auction but we only put it up a few days ago.

“Hey, Cody? You seen Heather around? That little filly that she was interested in was just brought around.”

I grimace at Sawyer. “You know that horse isn’t ready yet.”

“I know. But she wanted to see it. Not ride it. I thought that would be alright.”

“You thought wrong. I’ll let you know when she can look at that horse.”

“What was that, Cody?”

Sawyer pulls a face and then disappears like a damn shadow. I turn around to face Heather. There’s a look on her face that says she heard me say that she can’t see the horse. But she wants to hear me say it.

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