I hadn’t seen or talked to Jethro in over two weeks, thus I decided to forgive myself for devouring him with my eyes. He stood as though relaxed, all weight on his left foot, his narrow hips slightly cocked to one side. He wore his ranger uniform of cargo pants, blue button-down shirt, boots, but no tool belt or hat.
Without his tool belt and hat, he looked oddly unadorned. The simplicity suited him. But so did his belt and hat.
When I lifted my eyes, his green and gold gaze locked with mine. Though his friendly grin was in place, something about it had altered. It struck me as less friendly and more predatory. I liked it, because I imagined I was looking at him in much the same way.
“Sienna,” he said, giving me a single nod.
“Hi.” I breathed the word, the air between us growing electric. Perhaps the feeling was entirely one-sided, but I didn’t think so. The crackling tension felt good, exciting, but also unwieldy.
“Sienna Diaz, that was mighty fine acting last night.” Cletus strolled over and passed me his bundle of blankets. “These are for you. Jethro thought you might be cold.”
“We thought you might be cold,” Jethro clarified.
“He’s been thinking on ways he might warm you up.”
Jethro ignored Cletus. “We were planning on leaving these with Henry,” Jethro said, like he felt the need to explain or apologize for his sudden appearance. “Didn’t want to wake you up or get in your hair.”
“Well now, I thought you wanted to get in her hair. Or at least you did two weeks ago.” Cletus smiled widely at me, then Jethro. His comment made Henry laugh, my face burn scarlet, and Jethro frown.
I saw Jethro slice his eyes toward his brother and administer a murderous look. “We’ll just be going,” he said, his voice hard. Then to me, much softer, “Where would you like your coffee?”
“Inside,” I responded automatically.
His mouth hitched on one side, his wonderful gaze flickering over me again. “I’ll leave it on the table next to Henry,” he said, but didn’t approach.
I frowned at him, at his reluctance to come any closer. A hot, uncomfortable lump formed in my chest, making it difficult to breathe. Neither of us moved.
But then Cletus placed his hands on Jethro’s shoulders and gave him a push. “You heard the lady. She’s got her hands full with blankets, least you can do is carry her coffee inside the trailer.” Then to me, he offered, “Let me get that door for you.”
Cletus jogged over, opened the trailer door, and similarly to how he’d manhandled his brother, he pushed me inside. Jethro, juggling the two cups of coffee, was pushed in next. And then the door was closed.
And then we were alone.
CHAPTER 15
“Lost Time is never found again.”
― Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac
~Sienna~
I don’t know who was more unprepared for alone time in close quarters, Jethro or me.
We stared at each other, which was all we seemed to be capable of doing¸ for several long seconds. And then we both recovered at the same time, speaking over the other.
“How have you been?” I asked.
“Your scenes last night were great,” he said.
We both started, paused, waited for the other to speak. And then we did it again.
“I’ve been just fine,” he said.
“Did you see them?” I asked.
And then we both laughed. Well, I laughed. He smiled, a big generous grin, his eyes trailing over me.
“That’s going in a movie.” I set the blankets down on the table by the door, then took my coffee cup from him, carefully placing my hands just where Jethro’s had been. “The awkward staring, the overly polite yet stunted and inane conversation, both of us speaking at once. You’ll see that in a movie.”
“I wasn’t awkward.” He dismissed the label with a teasing tilt to his lips. “You were awkward.”
I sipped my coffee and gave him a very dramatic frown. “It’s awkward to call someone awkward. You were just awkward.”
“But before that, I was smooth.”
“Oh, yes.” I agreed with my words but shook my head, my eyes communicating my disagreement. “Very smooth. You were the very picture of smooth. Like an ass.”
“An ass? Really?”
“You didn’t let me finish. Smooth like a baby’s ass.”
Now he did laugh. “Very smooth, Sienna. Not at all awkward. And for the record I’ve never heard anyone call a baby’s backside an ass.”
We were bantering, teasing, so of course I didn’t think about my words before I said, “Well then, obviously you need to spend more time with me.”