She stopped inside the barn and turned to him. "Thank you for taking us all to lunch. You didn't have to do that."
He shrugged. "I wanted to do it."
She looked him in the eye. "I reckon to you it was just takin' a client out - good salesmanship."
He looked startled for a moment. "Actually, I thought of it more like a family gathering." He shrugged, looking a little disappointed. "But then, I'm not family, am I?"
She felt ashamed. Why had it never occurred to her that he might be hungry for family attention? "You don't have to be related to be family."
For a moment his gaze traveled over her face, probably looking for a trace of humanity. Finally his gaze came to rest on hers. "I suppose not."
His somber expression put butterflies in her stomach. Part of her wanted him to leave, but a bigger part wanted him to stay. When his gaze focused on her lips, she brushed them with the back of her hand.
"Do I have food on my mouth?"
His gaze riveted on her eyes for a moment. "No…" He blushed. "I was just thinking…that you have beautiful lips."
Instantly her thoughts went to the tale of Little Red Riding hood - all the better to kiss you with. Who was the big bad wolf here?
Okay, things were getting out of control. She turned and headed into the barn. It was too early to milk the cow and she didn't have the bucket with her anyway. She came here to escape him, but suddenly she didn't want to. She stopped and turned to the door where he was standing, watching her with a wary expression.
She started to walk past him and he gripped her elbow, turning her to face him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten or offend you."
She gave him a nervous smile. "Well that's good, because you would have failed at both."
His hand moved from her elbow upward in a caress that triggered a sudden race in her pulse. She pulled her arm away and stepped through the door. "I wish I knew what you really wanted."
He frowned. "You still think my only interest is chopping down your trees."
She looked up at him. "They aren't mine, so don't you think you're wasting your time flirting with me?"
She was shocked by her own blunt response. It wasn't that she resented his attention. No, that wasn't it at all. What she resented was the idea that his attention was a ploy and he thought she was stupid enough to fall for it.