Texas Showdown. Barb Han

work can’t come between us now,” she said, referring to the fact that she was being forced to take time off until she got medical clearance.

      “True,” Austin said. He meant to smile but couldn’t seem to force it.

      “What are you really worried about? The ranch? Is it really that bad there?” she asked. “And don’t say it’s me.”

      “We’ll figure out what’s going on with the calves. What makes you so sure I’m concerned about something other than your health?” He took a seat on the edge of the armchair and sipped his coffee.

      “You always get this line across your forehead. It’s deep because that’s the way you care about things. Your eyes widen just a little and your irises get bigger, the opposite of what happens to most people,” she said. “And you don’t look me straight in the eye when you talk to me. All other times it’s like you’re seeing right through me and I can’t stop wondering what happened to make it go away.”

      * * *

      MARIA COULDN’T IMAGINE what had transpired between her and the handsome Austin O’Brien to make things seem so awkward at moments. But it had to be something serious. And he was covering up whatever it was. Maybe they were in the middle of a fight and he didn’t want to bring it up or stir up negative memories? It would’ve had to be something bad for him to react to her so stiffly. She feared there was a whole lot more to the story of her moving into the loft. All of that was frustratingly patchy.

      Even so, that’s not what she remembered most about their relationship. There’d been a physical attraction, sure. His emerald green eyes, strong squared jaw and black-as-night tight-clipped hair were the first things she’d noticed about him. What had kept her coming back for more was his laid-back laugh, that infuriating sparkle to his eye that had melted her heart every time she looked at him and been so good at seducing her. And then there was the way it was so easy to be around him.

      From the moment she’d met Austin, he just felt like home. And that was weird because she couldn’t remember the last time she truly felt at home anywhere or with anyone before him.

      And now it was just...off.

      They’d shared so many similar interests in music and books. And then there was the way he made her laugh no matter how hard her day had been or how sour her mood when she walked through the door. Within minutes of being around him, her entire disposition changed. The stress of the day would disintegrate and a sense of calm, of being right where she was supposed to be, would settle over her.

      Those were the things she remembered about being with him.

      Another feeling was present now and it had nothing to do with the handsome, virile cowboy.

      This was the sensation of someone or something lurking in the shadows, just out of sight, waiting...

      She couldn’t shake the hairs-standing-up-on-the-back-of-her-neck feeling no matter how hard she tried.

      And she’d tried.