The reaction.
His entire body shifted.
One step.
Just one.
Closer to me.
Protective.
Automatic.
The truck rolled nearer.
Near enough to identify.
Near enough to recognize.
Then the driver leaned out the window.
The youngest ranch hand's mother.
Holding a pie.
I exhaled.
Hard.
Beside me, Beast did the same.
For one brief second, our eyes met.
And suddenly we both realized the same thing.
I had been terrified.
And he'd been ready.
Not because it was his job.
Not because of some promise.
Not because Hank asked.
Because the thought of something happening to me genuinely scared him.
The realization seemed to hit him as hard as it hit me.
Neither of us spoke.
Neither of us looked away.
Then from the fence came a loud crash.
WHAM!
We both turned.
