Chapter Fifteen Savannah #3
Seconds later, the pump motor dies out. My brows furrow. “What just happened?”
“The pump’s cycling every few minutes, trying to maintain pressure. But it’s failing.”
“Okay, but why?”
“The system is losing pressure somewhere in the line. That means you’ve got a leak in the underground connection.”
“The pipe that connects both wells,” I mutter.
“Bingo.”
I cover my face with my hands, groaning. “Dammit, so we have to dig it all up? That’s going to take forever. And do you even know how to do it?”
“Yes. Jesus, Savvie. Isn’t that why you called me?” He takes off his hat, swipes his forehead with the back of his hand, and puts it back on.
“I’m really trying here, Blaze.” My voice is soft as I raise my eyes to meet his. “I want to learn. I want to do everything I can to save this place.”
“Yeah, well, this won’t be the last thing that breaks.
” He straightens up and offers me a hand.
I take it, and the surge of electricity that flows between us is enough to power the whole town.
His eyes glitter with something bordering on hunger as he stares me down, that same pent-up hunger swirling through my insides.
I step closer, prickling with lust and completely entranced as if he just cast a very carnal spell over me.
Heat coils in my core, goose bumps shooting up my arms and down my legs as I move toward him, toward the man I once knew. Because he’s here. I can feel him.
Then he takes the toothpick out of his mouth and clears his throat, and the moment dissipates, almost like it never existed.
“You could learn this stuff, but it takes years. And you don’t have that kind of time,” he says gruffly, turning away from me.
His dismissal stings. I can’t lie. But I was the one who said we need to keep things professional.
“I’m sorry for snooping around in your room,” I blurt. The shock in his expression makes me wish I could swallow the words, but it’s too late. They’re already out.
But at least this topic will help avoid the big-ass elephant in the barn.
That kiss.
He takes a few steps over to the fence and leans his tall, muscular frame over it, his thick arms folded along the top. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way. It wasn’t right.”
I shrug. “It’s okay. I didn’t think it would upset you so much.”
I watch his gaze travel to the white-capped peaks in the distance. Pink-and-orange streaks paint the horizon, early-morning sunlight casting a glow on his features.
“Liam was my best friend on my squad. He died on our last tour.” His voice tears a little at that, but I don’t dare ask for details. I already learned that very harsh lesson. I’m actually a little surprised he said anything at all and that his words were actually civil.
Progress. Definitely didn’t see that coming.
I move my hand to his arm and give it a gentle squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”
He nods. “Thanks.”
The cattle move away from the water troughs, and I let out a breath. At least they’re not dying of thirst anymore, but as soon as the sun blazes down on the fields, they’ll be back for more to drink. “Okay, so what happens next?” I ask. “How do we get this done fast?”
His lips lift into a crooked smile, the same one that used to undo me completely. “Oh, you’re gonna help with this?”
“Hell, yeah,” I say, chuckling. “You can’t get rid of me that easy. Not this time. Besides, I need to learn.”
The smile fades quickly, like it was an illusion. My heart plummets when his expression hardens. “It wasn’t easy the first time,” he mutters under his breath as he turns away from the fence. But my eyebrows fly up because I heard every word.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I say, grabbing his arm and forcing him back around.
He looks everywhere but at me for a minute that stretches into what feels like a damn hour.
“Blaze?”
“I shouldn’t have said that. Forget it.”
“Well, it sure seemed easy for you. You think you can say that to me, and it’s supposed to make everything better? Especially after last night?”
His lips pull into a tight line. “Things won’t ever be better.”
I slap my hands against my legs. “Can you ever give a little more explanation? You and your freaking cryptic, zero-information-given one-liners. Don’t you think I deserve more than that? After everything?”
He inches toward me, the familiar scent of his cologne floating in the air under my nose, making me remember things long buried in the dark recesses of my mind. The silence stretches between us, the air so thick with tension that I could choke on it.
“Every minute we waste talking, your cattle are getting more stressed.”
Cue the record-scratch sound effect.
My eyes pop open wide, and I give my head a shake. “What?”
He turns on his heel. “I’ll get the parts. I know a guy who owes me a favor.”
“You’re just going to go?” I throw my hands into the air. “And shut me out again?”
Blaze stops short, his boots landing hard in the dirt. He slants me a look over his shoulder. “Trust me, Savvie. I’m doing you a favor, just like I told you last night. Because if I let you in, you might not find your way back out.”