Chapter 73

Once at the farm, Andre went inside to tell Bella about the state of their abode while I remained behind to brush down the horses. A few minutes later, he joined me again.

“Bella feels better now,” he said. “I think my disposition was showing, and that scared her. She’s more confident now.”

“Good. She needs to be as sure of herself as you are.”

“We can go up to the loft when we finish with the horses.”

I looked over Patch’s back at the wiry, attractive man. Muscles played in his shoulders as he rubbed down the sorrel, setting off a desire that almost staggered me. A sudden image of James steadied my resolve. Even so, the words I had to speak were hard to squeeze through my throat. “Nay. We cannot do that again.”

Andre turned to face me, eyes wide. “I thought you liked it.”