Page 23

Only, he’s a stranger, and he’s on my farm to work, not to be hit on. Not that I would have any idea how to flirt with someone, even if they showed interest in me. Which I don’t think he is. He’s just charismatic. And friendly. And way out of my league.

“Ah, why are you up here?” I ask, not stepping out of his personal space. Sterling doesn’t move either. His smile widens before he drops to his haunches, bringing his face awfully close to my crotch. I hold my breath, only blowing it out when he stands up, my discarded gloves in his hand.

“I came to tell you about what I found on the beach. But I can help you here too, if you’d like?”

I shake my head. “It’s okay. I’ve got it all under control. And in any case, it’s Sunday. Why are you working?”

Sterling ignores my response and picks up the shovel. He continues clearing the area I had been working on when he interrupted me.

“I really don’t need help,” I say, sternly. “I am capable of taking care of things on my own.” I don’t mean to sound defensive, but I am, probably because both that fucking property developer and my own parents don’t think I’m competent enough to manage my own life. They all think I’m going to fail. That all of this is too much for poor Caspian.

“I never said you weren’t, swee-” he cuts himself off. “I am confident you are everything this farm needs and more.”

That strikes me as a rather odd thing to say – kind, but odd, but then a lot of what Sterling says, and how he says it, is odd, like he’s speaking in riddles.

Sterling continues, “I wanted to check on the beach after the storm. That’s what I came to tell you.” He stops, but keeps the shovel in his hand. “The sea lions were all gone when I arrived before dawn. Or so I thought.”

“What do you mean, gone?” I chew on my bottom lip, my anxiety spiking. All Pops wanted to do was protect them, and one storm wiped them out? Should I have done something to keep them safe?

Sterling must see the panic on my face because he’s quick to reassure me. “They’re all fine. They burrowed into the sand to take shelter.”

My eyebrows rise in question. “Burrowed? Like rabbits?”

He grins. “Yep. Just like rabbits.”

“Huh. I’ve never heard of sea lions doing that before.”

He’s quiet for a moment, an emotion I can’t decipher crossing his features before he opens his mouth to speak. My stomach chooses that moment to rumble loudly. My cheeks flare with heat as I bring a hand to my growling belly.

“You’re hungry,” Sterling says. It comes out as a statement, more than a question, his eyes boring into me intently. I have this strange urge to say ‘yes, Sir’, but I bite back my reply and nod instead. “You need to eat.”

He rests the shovel against the wall and stands side on, waiting for me to pass him. When I don’t move, he raises an eyebrow and points to the open barn door. “Come on. I’m going to feed you.”

“Oh, are you?” I take a step towards the open door, keeping my eyes locked on him as I cross the space. “What makes you think I’ll invite you in to my house? I already told you to stay away from the farm. Not that you listened.”

He moves closer to me and I swallow thickly. “Because I know you want to. You want to invite me into your home and you want me to cook for you.” He dips his head and brings his lips to my ear. “With the way your eyes are dilating, and your breathing is growing rapid, I’d say you’d probably even like it if I fed you, too.”

Oh God, he did not…he did. He dipped right into my fantasy. And oh fuck me, I think we’re flirting.

I pause. I should probably be more wary of inviting big, sexy strangers into my home. He could easily overpower me. He could have nefarious reasons for wanting to come into my house. That thought should scare me enough to put a stop to all of this, at least until I know him better. But the rumble in my stomach gives way to a flight of butterflies and a hint of that nice fear, and I find myself leaning into it.

I’ve never been great with people in general, but something about this feels different and today is a good day, so I say fuck it and step out of the door.

“Absolutely not,” I lie. “I hate that idea.” I turn my back on Sterling and wave a hand over my shoulder. “But fine. Follow me if you want. And I’ll let you make me breakfast.”

Sterling laughs but jogs over to my side. “How kind of you.”

I grin. “I’m very accommodating.”

FOURTEEN

STERLING

Caspian pushes the front door open, but then hesitates. He has his back to me and his shoulders straighten, tensing beneath his t-shirt. I can smell his fear – it’s not strong, but it’s there, under a mash up of arousal and anticipation. It seems my sweet human likes what he sees when he looks at me, but his intuition tells him that I’m dangerous. Or that I could be.

I can work with that.

“Is your roommate home?” I ask.