Upon a Midnight Clear (Legend, Colorado 2)

"I like comfort."

"You like liquor and loafing," she muttered beneath her breath, the breeze snatching her words.

"What was that?"

"I'm not going to stand here loafing." ;

Isabel went past him and inspected the bushes. Very few berries were left. Either others had been here earlier, or John had shucked them naked. Since she'd come all this way, she began to pick what little there was.

Every once in a while, she checked to see if John still reclined on the boulder. He did. And she felt he dissected her every move. It was unsettling. Why didn't he just leave?

When she'd finished, she quenched her thirst with a long drink of lemonade. As she lowered the canteen, she noted John's gaze lowering as well. It was affixed to the canteen.

She walked toward him. "Did you forget to bring provisions again?"

"I left in a hurry."

Inhaling and straightening the kink from her spine, she bit her lower lip in contemplation. Then she slowly extended her arm. "Here."

"Obliged."

John took the canteen and drank. When he lifted his chin, she noticed for the first time that his eyes were gray-blue, like campfire smoke in twilight. Eyelashes the same tawny brown as his hair framed his eyes.

Just as she was admiring his handsome face and admonishing herself for doing so, his mouth soured. "What is :this?" He grimaced so visibly, she grew offended.

"Lemonade."

"I was expecting water." He handed the canteen back.

"Next time, don't expect anything."

He rose to his feet, towering over her with his inordinate height He looked down into her face, and she was helpless to turn away. There was something about him that just naturally pulled her toward him, an invisible magnetism that exuded more masculinity than a traveling rodeo's paste-up poster. "I apologize, Miss Isabel."

She hadn't expected that from him. To her dismay, the heat of a blush stole onto her cheeks. Anxious to escape from his arresting presence, she snatched her hamper and began walking down the hill but dreaded every step of the walk in this unrelenting heat

She'd barely gotten past the bend when the methodic clop of hooves sounded behind her. John and his horse fell in sync with her steps.

"Damn hot afternoon," he commented, pushing his hat back with his thumb. "One wouldn't think Christmas was coming."

Isabel held her tongue and kept on walking.

"Saw a lot of folks in town with baskets and the like going after the berries."

She kept silent.

"They're wasting their time. I'm going to win."

Minding her footing, her eyes remained on the trail.

"Probably buy me a plot of land and drill for oil. Calco isn't the only outfit in town who can get rich off petroleum."

The horse nickered.

"You aim to walk all the way back or are you going to let me give you a ride?"

"I didn't know you were offering."

"I was hoping you'd take the hint when I was talking."