“Oh? Well, it was pretty uneventful.”I wish. She blinked, her throat tightening. “Is Leif going to the dance?” She placed the empty wooden hive box in the wagon, too.
“I didn’t know there was a dance till you mentioned it.”
Poor Leif. “I know it’s none of my business but I hope he is. I think he’s really making friends here and, if they’re all going, it would be good for him to go too.” She held up her hands. “Now I’ll go back to minding my own business.”
“You?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re always in my business.”
She glanced at him, ready to argue—
“But he’s there—or he will be soon. At the dance. With his new friends.” Dane studied her for a minute, then pointed at the nuc. “Need help with that?”
“No.” She strapped the nuc into the wagon, added a battery powered lantern and grabbed her gloves.
He paused, surveying the rack inside. “That’s custom.”
“I made it.” She patted the rack. “Keeps them from sliding around.”
He crouched. “You could sell these, you know.” He ran his hand along the wood, tilting it this way and that, to get a view from all angles.
“I guess.” She shouldn’t be so pleased with the interest he was taking, but she was.
“No, really.” He stood, resting his hand along the top. “You could make them custom, to fit different vehicles.”
“If I had the time and supplies, maybe.” She shooed him back and closed the van doors. “Or the manpower. But the bees come first.”
“I think you’ve mentioned that a time or two before.” He took the handle of the wagon, grinning down at her.
That grin sent her pulse into overdrive. “Really, I don’t need your help. Go...take care of whatever it was that had you so distracted.” She reached for the handle of the wagon.
“I am.” He stepped closer, his gaze sweeping over her face before locking with hers. “That’s why I’m here.”
The sheer intensity in his blue eyes knocked the air from her lungs.Breathe. It took effort. “Because I... I distract you?” Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
“You do.” He stepped closer. “There’s something I want from you.”
“And that would be?” She blinked, beyond rattled now. “I swear, Dane Knudson, if you say you want to take this nuc I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” He grinned, stepping so close—too close.
“Something...unpleasant.” She swallowed.
“Sounds ominous.” His eyes swept over her face. “You can keep it. I had something else in mind.” His hand rested against her cheek.
His touch was so warm. “Like what?” Tansy whispered.
“What I’ve been thinking about doing all day.” He swallowed. “I’m hoping, since there’s no one around, we could try this again.”
She was leaning into him then, aching. “You came here—”
“To kiss you?” His other hand came up to cradle her face. “Yeah, I did.” He ran his thumb along her jaw. “If that’s okay with you?”
She knew she should argue or laugh or think about all the reasons this was a veryverybad idea... But that’s not what she wanted. This was. All she managed was one word. “Yes.”
DANE’SHEARTHADbeen pounding since he’d gotten out of his truck, now it felt like a wrecking ball trying to bash its way out of his chest. As soon as he’d heard theysound, he pulled Tansy close. He’d tried to convince himself that he’d imagined how good their kiss in the barn had been. But the moment his mouth touched hers he knew that wasn’t the case.
The cling of her lips sent a wave of raw hunger over him. He’d been aching for her, for this, and it was everything and more than he’d expected. With a sigh, she pressed herself against him, her arms twining around his neck and her fingers sliding into his hair. Soft. Firm. Her touch making him burn all the more. For her. One kiss ran into another. Where the urgency came from, he didn’t know. He wanted this. More of this. More of her. When her mouth parted and his tongue trailed her lower lip, she swayed into him with a startled—delighted—moan.
Dane was rocked to the core. Tansy was in his arms. That little moan was for him. She was kissing him with the same hunger he felt burning through him. From her sweet sunshine-and-flower scent tickling his nose to the silk of her cheek beneath his hand, he was all too happy to lose himself in her.
