Christian couldn’t tearhis eyes away from Maizie’s bouncy ponytail as she walked away. Maizie had the innate ability to drive him mad, but the way her cheeks flushed when he teased her was beyond attractive. Of course, finding Maizie attractive and being attracted to her were two different things entirely, and even though they’d had a few moments of normalcy between them, Christian refused to fall victim to the latter. But he couldn’t help remembering the way his heart raced when she fell into his lap. And her cute puffy eye . . . she probably shouldn’t drive home.
He slowed the tractor to a crawl next to her and opened the door. “Do you want me to drive you home?”
“I’ll take my chances,” Maizie threw over her shoulder. The four-wheeler was close, and she’d be on it soon, heading home with one good eye.
“I really don’t think you should drive with your eye swollen like that.” He tried again.
“Are you just looking for an opportunity to throw me off another moving vehicle?” She turned toward him, and even from where he sat, he could see the discoloration around her eye. He shut off the tractor and hopped down next to her. He’d promised Eric he wouldn’t break anything. Apparently, that didn’t include the farmer’s beautiful daughter.
“Maybe.” He winked. “But the gentleman in me won’t let you drive like that, so I’m taking you home.”
She coughed. “I’m sorry. Did you just say, gentleman?”
Christian turned toward her. “Hey, I am a gentleman.”
She pointed to her eye.
“Sometimes,” he relented.
“Really, I’m fine. I can. . . see” Maizie said, looking around as if she were “seeing” something right now.
Christian hopped on the four-wheeler first, giving her no other option. “Yeah, I can. . . see that.” He mimicked her. The closer she got, the worse he felt. That eye was going to be bad for a while.
“Fine,” she said. “Only because I’m half asleep already.” She yawned and placed a hand on his shoulder and swung a leg behind him. Electricity coursed through his body at her touch, and he shivered beneath her fingertips.
He started the four-wheeler and turned it around.
Every second this close to her felt like a lifetime. He could drive faster, but his thumb didn’t change the moderate speed.
“My grandma drives faster than you,” she said with a laugh.
“I’m not hurting you again,” he said. “At least not today.” He smiled at her over her shoulder.
Had he just imagined it or had her cheeks been rosy?
Five minutes later they unfortunately made it back to Maizie’s house.
“Thanks for the ride,” Maizie said, pushing against him to get off.
“It was the least I could do, after doing that.” He pointed to her eye.
“I just figured it was payback,” Maizie said, studying her boots.
“What?”
“I was. . . really rude the other night. I was emotional and shouldn’t have said the things I did.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes, and Christian’s heart stopped beating momentarily.
Because he’d seen a lot of things from Maizie, but he’d never seen her genuinely apologize.
He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to get rid of this itchy feeling. “We all say things we don’t mean when we’re upset.”
“But that’s still no excuse. I should have apologized sooner, and I’m sorry I didn’t.” Her hazel green eyes spoke nothing but honesty.
“Well, then I guess we’re even.” He said, already forgiving her. Her words had hurt for a time, but he knew what it was like to lash out because of pain.
“Would you at least let me apologize next time before you try to throw me through the tractor’s windshield?” She tried to smile, but the movement must have hurt her bruised cheek, and she grimaced instead.
“Don’t take so long to apologize,” He said with a smile. It was fun actually talking to Maizie. Teasing her, and fighting with her were equally exhilarating.
