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long, anxious nights riddled with mortar fire—the day he’d almost died.
    Everything he’d done, and everything he’d do now, was for her benefit. Because, God, he probably still cared about her more than he should. He probably still lov—
    A door slammed.
    “Levi Haywood, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Chapter Six
    Her voice lost velocity, because the moment Levi turned his innocent-looking smolder on her, she forgot how to function. Realizing her mouth was hanging open, Carrie pressed her lips together. She was tempted to ask him to step away from the light, on account that he looked like a freaking Greek god standing there, all swathed in a golden glow, and it was only making her angrier.
    Black hair and chiseled face, broad shoulders, and huge biceps showing beneath his shirt. The gleam in his eyes made her pulse quicken. He moved to her side with purposeful steps as if his sole intent was making contact with her body. She held her breath just long enough for his fingers to slide gently over her upper arm. And then she exhaled with a quick, low whoosh, shivers racing down her arm at the caress of his hand.
    “That’s an interesting way to say hello, Carrie Lynn.”
    An overpoweringly sweet scent wafted off him. She wrinkled her nose and without thinking about it, leaned into him to take a better whiff. Common sense came rushing back and she moved away before she did something really stupid, like grab his bare arm and lick him. Slowly.
    “Why do you smell like chocolate pudding?”
    He gave a stunted laugh and moved his hand to his front pocket. “Is it that bad?”
    “No, it’s delicious.” A flush heated her face even before the words were done tumbling out. Smoke replaced the light of humor in his eyes. Blinking hard, Carrie turned away from the glare from the window. It bothered her eyes…but also made a perfect excuse to put a little more distance between them. He moved along with her, keeping the proximity.
    “Carrie.” Levi’s breath washed over the back of her neck, and the warm electric sparks down her spine didn’t come from the sun. She could feel him there, his body, as he’d stepped up behind her. Her muscles tensed in preparation for his touch, but none came—both a blessing and a disappointment. “What can I do for you?”
    “You can start by telling me why the hell a crew is taking measurements for a campground on Agate Falls land.” She’d much prefer to talk to her dad about this, but since he was out and about, Levi was her only choice.
    “Do you want to sit?” Levi moved beside her, creating a trail of chocolate-scented air.
    “No.”
    He moved across the open living room and into the kitchen. “Soda?”
    “Are you stalling, Levi?”
    He sauntered back over with a can of Coke in one hand. “I don’t have a reason to stall. And I’m not quite sure you have a reason to be so upset right now.”
    “Are you kidding me? Does my dad know that you’re planning to tear up Agate Falls—?”
    “Why do you think he wouldn’t know?”
    “So you are planning to develop the land? And what? Turn it into another Paint River?”
    Her own vitriol confused and shocked her. This wasn’t her normal… She didn’t let go of her emotions like this. Figuring it was a reaction to him and not so much the circumstances, she willed herself to cool it.
    “It’s business, Carrie. We’re looking at options. Weighing choices that can bring long-term financial stability to Agate Falls. That’s all.”
    “That’s not all.” Not by a long shot. Developing the ranch would mean changing it, taking away the landscape of her childhood. The adult part of her understood that nothing stayed the same, but the little girl inside wanted everything to stay the way she remembered it.
    “Are you mad about the ranch, or is this about me and you?”
    There was no way she was answering that, even if she already knew the answer. “There is no me and you.”
    “Damn it, you know what I