He had to give her a second take—not only because she stole his hat, but that voice! Gah, that voice that shattered any resolve he might have had to go easy on her. What he wouldn’t give for the chance to drag her behind this barn, push her against it, and kiss her until she couldn’t stand upright.
Noah shoved those inappropriate thoughts to the side and grinned at her like he was fully prepared to play the game she’d started. But he wasn’t. Already, he knew he was in too deep. “Actually, Bo is busy today, so he’s gonna have me show you around.” He cocked his head, and his grin widened. “But you’re gonna have to keep up. That okay with you,sweetheart?”
His pet name for her threw her off guard, but only for a moment. Maybe it was the way he emphasized it that made it feel less personal, or maybe she was just in a good mood. Either way, she leaned into their little flirty game. Her fingertips dug into his bicep as she shifted closer. “Oh, I think I’m more than capable of keeping up.”
He muttered a curse under his breath as she brushed past him and headed for the barn. She was toying with him! That’s what this was. Jane still had no intention of acting on it. And Noah couldn’t bring himself to care. He knew how easy it was to slip from friendship into something more when secure defenses weren’t put into place. He was determined to find the weaknesses in Jane’s and get past them.
Noah hurried after her, sidling beside her in no time. “Today I’ll show you around—let you see where we keep the tools and such. For the most part, you’ll be working with the horses since you won’t be here in the mornings.”
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “And if I could be here in the mornings? What then?”
He shrugged. “Then you’d have to brave the little demons with feathers.”
Jane stopped and turned to face him. Then she threw back her head and laughed. “You’re not talking about the chickens, are you?”
Her laughter made it hard for him to keep a straight face, but he managed it. “Oh, I’m definitely talking about those little devils. You don’t know just how bad they are. They’ve got talons and beaks that will rip you to shreds if you so much as touch one of their eggs.”
She laughed again. “Have you forgotten that I collected the eggs from the chickens my parents owned? I think I could handle some egg gathering.”
He snorted. “Those chickens were pets. These guys?” He let out a whistle and shook his head. “They’re a different breed.”
Still, she seemed amused. “Well, perhaps I should make it a point to stop by here in the mornings and gather the eggs so some poor soul doesn’t have to brave those little misunderstood angels.”
He scoffed. “They’re far from angelic. I haven’t had to collect their eggs in a while, but last time I did, it wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
Jane snickered but didn’t comment.
He led her into the barn. “Since you’ll be working with the horses, you’ll be responsible for mucking out their stalls, refilling their hay, and brushing them down. You’ll want to check the water levels, too. Come on. I’ll show you the grooming supplies and where you’ll find the stuff to clean the stalls.” Noah brushed past her, his hand grazing hers.
It was just a moment, the barest of touches, and yet sparks of electricity seemed to shoot through his bloodstream like he’d stuck a fork into a socket—at least this electrical current could be enjoyed.
Noah glanced back at her, noting she hadn’t reacted.
In time. Be patient. She just needs to warm up to the idea.
He had to keep reminding himself that he’d witnessed the evidence of her attraction. He couldn’t forget it.
The door to the tool closet was ajar, and he pulled it open to reveal the shovels, rakes, and pitchforks among other objects they had. “This is where you’ll get what you need to clean out the stalls. I’ll help you with the first one so you get the hang of it.” Noah let the door close, and then he moved toward an area with buckets. “You’ll use these, too.”
Jane kept her attention on him the whole time. Dang, she was good. No wonder his team at the charity had hired her. That sort of attention wasn’t something that they found frequently.
“Here are the grooming supplies. For the most part, you’ll only need to use the brushes and the hoof pick. But occasionally, you might need to utilize this.” He held up a metal loop attached to a handle. “This is a shedding blade. It will help release loose hair and mud if the horse needs it.”
She nodded, her eyes shifting from the blade to his face.
Boy, she was beautiful. Those full lips, her high cheekbones, and those eyes. They were the warmest shade of brown he’d ever seen, and when she smiled, they practically glowed.
Jane nodded. “And the hay? Where do I find that?”
He startled, realizing she’d interrupted his staring. Clearing his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck and then jutted his chin in the right direction. “The guys usually bring in a couple bales so they’re easier to access. We store the rest of it outside under tarps, so it doesn’t get wet. Here, I’ll show you. You’ll need the pitchforks to move it.”
“This is so much fun,” she murmured, and he arched a brow, unable to bite back the smile.
“You really like this sort of thing?”
“Of course I do. I told you, remember? Living a simple life? I would be all over that. Sometimes I wonder if I was meant to be born in another time period—when we didn’t have electricity or cars?—”
“Or plumbing?”
