"Hmm," I answer, popping bread into the toaster. So that's how he gets all those well-defined muscles. Boxing.
"Have you ever tried it?" Sawyer moves to the fridge, grabbing a carton of eggs.
"No," I answer, peering down into the toaster at the hot, red coils.
He reaches for a bowl and begins cracking eggs. It's my chance to peek at his abs, and I take it.
Oh, yes. Just like I thought. Rows upon rows of abs. There’re no way fingertips, or a tongue for that matter, could glide easily over that. Those areruttedabs, the kind that make for a rough path downward. The best kind.
Pop!The top of the toast peeks up. I grab it, wincing at the heat, and drop it on a plate.
"What are you up to today?" Sawyer pours the egg mixture into a pan. He's speaking so casually, it's like he doesn't realize he's half naked.
I spread butter on my toast and take a bite. "I'm going to the homestead to force Wes to let me work on the ranch."
Sawyer looks at me while he stirs the eggs. "Doesn't seem to me that Wes has spent much time being forced into anything."
I frown, not because I disagree, but because I know he's right. "I know what I'm up against."
His eyes warm the longer he looks at me. “Do you know what you are?"
I swallow and sigh. "Headstrong. Inflexible. Obstinate. Stubborn.” I tick the characteristics off on my fingers, then drop my hand.
He shakes his head. “Those are all basically synonyms of the same word. And I think you might be some of those things, to a degree." He smiles, but I watch him with cautious eyes. I don't know where this is going.
"But isn't determination just varying degrees of stubbornness? Someone might call you headstrong, but someone else might say you'redriven. Are you obstinate, ortenacious?" He grabs a plate and slides his eggs onto it. "It's two sides to the same coin. All I'm saying is that I've never met a person as determined, driven, and tenacious as you. And if you've spent your whole life hearing you're headstrong, inflexible, obstinate, and stubborn, let me be the first to flip the coin over for you."
Oh. My heart. Maybe all the things I'm so known for are actually good.
Sawyer walks toward me, the plate in his left hand, and reaches out with his right. My breath halts in my throat. Is this it? The moment he finally grabs me and kisses the breath from my lungs?
His hand sails forward, toward my hip. The hip I have pressed to the drawer. The drawer containing the silverware.
Sawyer jiggles the drawer and it moves against me. "Are you guarding the forks? Is there a password?"
I step aside. "No password," I mumble, grabbing my second piece of toast. "Thanks for saying all that nice stuff about me. Wish me luck with Wes." I turn around and walk from the room, taking all my patience with me.
I cameto the homestead looking for Wes, but I encountered my parents first and decided to let them know about Sawyer staying with me. They haven't been to town in a few days, so I know they haven't been informed by the rumor mill. I have no idea if they're going to show up to my cabin unexpectedly, or worse, see Sawyer around my place and assume he's a trespasser.
"You've done what?" My dad tips his ear closer to me, like he's heard me incorrectly.
"I asked Sawyer to move in with me. He needed a place to stay. The Sierra—"
"I know about The Sierra. Are you trying to tell me there was no other place in Sierra Grande for a person to stay?"
"Not really. He probably could've rented an apartment or something, but he needed a place right away. I have plenty of space, and I like him. So I asked if he wanted to stay."
"Usually you date for a while before you move in together." My mom rubs a hand over her eyes.
"We're not even dating, Mom. I mean, we've gone on one date. If you're worried about us moving too quickly, don't. He takes things at a snail’s pace." I hope they're getting the picture without me having to draw a diagram.
Relief floods my dad’s face. He looks quite happy the assumption he made when he found Sawyer at my house that morning was wrong. "I still don't like it, Jessie." He and my mom share a deep, knowing look. They're doing that thing where they talk with their eyes.
"Everything is fine, Dad. I promise. Plus, this way Sawyer can spend more time helping Colt. And that benefits everybody."
"Hey, guys. Family meeting?" Wyatt walks into the living room.
He says hello to my parents and gives me a side-hug. "Why are you here?" I ask him.
