When he reached her, his gaze searched her face as he stepped into the doorway. He moved in close enough that she could hear the whisper under his breath. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head and worked for a smile. “Nothing. You have customers. Two Englishmen, and a servant and guide outside.”
For a heartbeat, his eyes still searched her face. Barely more than a handsbreadth separated them, which meantshe had to tip her chin upward to look at him. This would be the perfect position for him to lean his mouth down and...
She blinked to clear away that impulse, and the action seemed to propel him forward. He touched her upper arm as he slid past her, then turned to greet his guests.
“Gentlemen, welcome to our trading post.”
As the viscount and baron introduced themselves, Lorelei’s mind tugged back to the feeling of Tanner so close. What would he have done if she’d lifted up on her toes and pressed her lips to his? Not in that setting certainly, with two strangers and her honorary brother looking on.
But if they ever found themselves alone . . . and in the same nearness . . . what would he do? Did he feel any attraction toward her at all? There were times it seemed he did. Times he’d meet her gaze and not look away. But then his eyes would shutter, as though he put up a barrier between them.
Did he think her too young and naïve? He was likely a good seven or eight years older than she was, but that was a common age difference. He’d clearly experienced much of the world, though—far more than she had. He might want a lady more sophisticated.
But if by a remote chance thatwasn’tthe case, did he hold himself back because he thought she wasn’t interested? Initiating a kiss would certainly tear down that wall.
But to do something so bold...
No. If he felt anything toward her, he’d have to take the first step.
Conversation between the men had ceased, and she tugged herself from those thoughts long enough to see what was happening. Their visitors were again perusing trade goods, but this time they sorted food supplies.
Tanner gave her a soft smile, and his voice gentled when he spoke to her. “I left something for you on the table in the cabin.”
Her heart leapt. Something from the supply room? Perhaps he was only giving her an escape from the presence of these strangers.
She nodded with her own smile of thanks. “There’s food on the shelf.” She nodded toward the plate she’d tucked under the counter.
He mouthedthank you, then she turned to go. As she slipped out the door, she glanced back into the room once more. Tanner still watched her with the warmth in his gaze that always made her feel seen and appreciated.
But Lord Fitzgerald also studied her. She gave the man a polite nod, and he returned the gesture. At least it wasn’t the snooty Lord Brevard.
Then she backed into the safety of the courtyard and closed the door.
sixteen
The thunder of hoofbeats made Tanner’s body tense. He dropped the knife handles he’d been sorting and strode to the trade room door. The late afternoon sun glared in his eyes as he stepped outside, but he turned northward toward the oncoming riders.
Two horsemen, riding through the pass that led toward the Collins’ ranch. The sharp sun wouldn’t let him make out more than that, but the knot in his belly pulled tighter.
White Horse was already running toward the newcomers, so Tanner lengthened his stride as he studied the riders.
Rosemary. And her brother-in-law, Riley. He rode a bit behind her, as though not able to keep up.
As White Horse reached the pair, Rosemary barely slowed her horse, only acknowledging the man with the motion of her hand. She seemed to be aimed toward Tanner.
Behind her, Riley slowed his horse to a walk and spoke to the brave.
“Rosie? What’s wrong?”
He jerked a glance back at the sound of Lorelei’s voice, just behind and to his right.
Rosemary reined in hard in front of them and jumped to the ground. Anger clouded her face as she marched the final steps to stand in front of him and Lorelei. The fierce glare she aimed at him made him nearly step back. The worry that had knotted his insides shifted into something a little too close to dread. What had happened? Had he done something wrong?
“I want to know”—she nearly spat the words at him, then turned almost the same look on her sister—“why the English lords who showed up at our ranch were talking about the proprietor of the trading shop and his lovelywife.” She put so much emphasis on that last word, she practically shouted it.
Riley finally stepped up to her side, his voice a welcome moderating tone. “We assume there’s been a misunderstanding. But we’d like to know what gave them that assumption.” As level as his tone was, the look he sent Tanner was far from even-keeled.
