Page 15 of Buckin' Around

Something that shouldn’t be there.

Somethingwarm. . .

Woodsy scents infiltrate my senses as I stumble backward. I snap my focus up. “You couldn’t wait for me to answer the door?” The words are sharp.

Blue eyes and blonde hair over a playful half smile and angled jaw?—

“Sorry. You said come in, so I... did?” Spencer runs a hand behind his neck. His playful expression falls, giving way to concern.

His gaze drops before he tugs it back to my face quickly and takes a full step back, eyes diverting to the kitchenette.

Oh, bollocks.

Right.

I wrap my arms around my body and lunge for the sofa before sliding my sweater around my shoulders.

“For your information, I called outcoming. Not come in. But since you’ve barged your way in regardless.” I pad to the coffee table where the hat sits and pluck it up. “Here’s your cowboy hat.”

He’s turned around to face me.

I’m being rude.

In my defense, he startled me, walked in on me half dressed, and then that look on his face... There was no malice or ill intent in it. In fact, it was disarming. In an alarming kind of way.

Nope.Not going there.

Not with Stacey’s older brother, of all people.

“If that’s everything,” I say, extending the hat to the man currently lost to speechlessness.

I’m sure the feeling is unfamiliar to him.

He looks like the type who has women clawing to get a glance or a single word from him.

Notthiswoman.

“Ah, thanks,” he rasps, taking the hat by the brim. He lets it hang in his hand.

We suffer a moment of awkward silence before I tilt my chin up. “Well, I have study to get back to. See yourself out.”

He huffs a strained chuckle and nods. “Sure. See you ’round, Riley.”

I tamp the need to roll my eyes at his old western vernacular.

Clearing his throat, he turns for the door. I stand rooted to the spot. The man absolutely can see himself out.

His hand slides around the edge of the door as he pulls it closed.

God, I was an utter ass.

“Ye blithering eejit,” I mutter to myself. I’m not usually rude. I’m also not usually affected by people I’ve barely met.

As heavy boot-laden steps fade down the hall, I let out a groan.What the hell was that?

Nothing the dull torture of Economics 101 can’t cure.

Chapter 5