His voice was carefully controlled, but she caught the under-edge of pulsing anger flowing through it.
“What’s up with you?” She kept her voice calm as she let him help her into the jeep, meeting his gaze as though there was nothing out of the ordinary with their conversation. “I was unaware this was any of your business.”
He stilled. Just like that. He didn’t even blink as he watched her for long moments. Just watched her. There was no anger in his face, no determination, but there was tenderness. What was it about that one, almost non-existent light in his eyes that stilled her anger?
“I’m making you my business, Sarah-love,” he told her softly. “All my business.”
Sarah blinked. His gaze was suddenly hot and possessive, searing over her flesh as he watched her closely.
“You’re supposed to wait for an invitation, Brock,” she told him coolly. “The world does not belong to the August men.”
“No, it doesn’t, but you just may,” he told her cryptically. “Now buckle up. I want to get you home so I can return to the ranch and get back here before nightfall.”
Get back? The door closed on her question. Reaching behind her, she pulled the seat belt forward, clipping it with a jerky, tense movement.
“You are not moving in with me, Brock August,” she bit out as he jumped into the jeep.
She watched his hands tighten on the wheel, then they relaxed and he was closing his door, fastening his own seat belt and starting up the vehicle.
“I don’t recall asking to.” His voice was smooth as honey, but he couldn’t hide the underlying edge of tension.
“I have a feeling you rarely ask for anything,” she grumped, settling against the seat as he drove towards her small house. “I bet you just walk right in and take over when you want something.”
She noticed the shuttered glance he gave her; despite the fact he appeared to be trying to hide it.
“Is there another way to do it?” he asked her, grinning as he navigated trough the sparse traffic of Madison’s main city street.
Sarah rolled her eyes.
“Why haven’t I heard about this dominant streak of yours before now?” she asked him testily. “None of your other women complained about it.”
He shot her a surprised glance.
“What the hell are you talking about?” His forced laughter was a bit strained.
Sarah looked at him mockingly.
“You think your other women haven’t talked over the years?” she asked him softly. “Gossip makes the world go around, Brock.”
“Hm. Cade says money does that.” He stared straight ahead.
Sarah hid her own nervousness now. She could tell that the subject of gossip bothered him. It made her wonder how many of the rumors were really true. Were the ones that had caused her the most concern years before more than just talk?
He took a deep breath.
“Which rumors are you talking about, Sarah?” He seemed to clear his throat.
Nervousness didn’t sit well on him, so it was easy to read as it crossed his expression. Sarah wasn’t certain she wanted to go any further with this now.
She shrugged, staring out the windshield, wishing she hadn’t said anything. There was obviously something Brock was concerned about her hearing. Did she really want to know the truth about the dark tales? She decided quickly that she didn’t. There were some things a woman just couldn’t handle after a night like the one she had spent with Brock.
“Nothing.” She shook her head, refusing to glance over at him. “So why do you have to return to the ranch, then come back here?”
It didn’t make sense to her. She thought she knew everything there was to know about Brock August, but the man sitting beside her in the vehicle was nothing like the man she thought she knew.
He glanced at her, his expression considering.
“You aren’t staying the night.” Sarah crossed her arms over her breasts. Enough was enough. “It’s bad enough you kidnapped me last night, but this is ridiculous.”