Read Heart of Rockies 03 - More Than a Feeling for Free Online Page B

cupcakes for dessert, and a campfire complete with s’mores and songs. It would be the perfect evening, a way for them to forget Thomas’s injury and have some fun.
    Satisfied with the cupcakes, she turned to Elsie. “Can I do anything else to help with din—”
    The back door opened and cut her off.
    “Hey.” Sawyer sauntered in, this time in a crisp navy-blue uniform that fit snug around his broad shoulders.
    Ruby’s heart dove straight into her molten stomach. What was he doing here?
    “Sawyer!” Elsie rushed over to hug him. “That pantry’s a miracle, I’ll tell you what. You’re so talented.”
    He seemed to brush aside the compliment with a shrug. “It was the least I could do, seeing as how that no-good son of yours won’t let me pay rent.”
    “Rent! Don’t be ridiculous. You’re family, dear. You can’t pay rent,” Elsie gushed, and Ruby was grateful he had a distraction. Maybe he’d leave her alone.
    “How about a triple chocolate cupcake?” the older woman tempted. “Ruby just finished frosting them.”
    “I do love Ruby’s cupcakes,” Sawyer said. The compliment had a formal ring to it. He could’ve been offering it to a complete stranger, but the words still stirred something in her heart. Her face heated again. She turned back to the counter so he wouldn’t notice.
    “Did you hear that, Ruby?” Elsie asked from behind her. “Sawyer paid you a compliment.” Not responding was rude, and if there was one thing Elsie Walker didn’t tolerate, it was rudeness.
    “Thank you, Sawyer,” she murmured, her throat thick with fear. Why had he come back? For the past year he’d hardly been in the kitchen at all, and now in one day, she’d seen him twice.
    “You’re welcome,” he replied through a mouthful of cupcake. “Oh, and by the way, I’m sorry I scared you this morning.”
    “What?” Elsie broke in. “How on earth did he scare you?”
    Knowing there was no way out of it, Ruby turned around, but she didn’t dare look at Sawyer. “I wasn’t expecting to see anyone when I got here.” She shot him a quick glare but found it difficult to look directly into that beautiful, calming blue for too long. “That’s all.” She narrowed her eyes in a plea for him to agree. That was all. Don’t bring up the rolling pin incident. Please. Then Elsie would wonder why she’d attacked him.
    Sawyer shot her a small smirk full of understanding. When their eyes connected, it turned into a full-fledged tempting grin. Except she couldn’t be tempted. Not by a cop. Not by anyone. She couldn’t risk her secret.
    Before he could say anything else, Ruby turned back to the cupcakes and started to stack them on the tiered cake plate.
    “So what are you up to this evening, Sawyer?” Elsie asked as she clanged a spoon around the pot on the stove.
    “Actually I’m going for a hike,” he said, and why did it feel like he was still staring at her?
    “Bryce asked me to run up to the waterfall and get the gear they left behind this morning.”
    Footsteps got louder behind her. Sawyer leaned into the counter and looked her over.
    “Don’t think I can get it all myself, so I thought I’d stop in and see if you could come with me.”
    “Now there’s an idea!” Elsie chirped.
    Ruby squeezed her eyes shut. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. “I can’t,” she answered without looking at him.
    “Of course you can,” Elsie insisted. “You never get out, and Sawyer needs help.”
    Somehow she doubted that. The man was built like a lightweight boxing champion. Surely he could handle a couple of backpacks.
    “Yeah. I need help.” Sawyer’s smile grew like he knew he’d just trapped her.
    The heat from her face traveled south. She looked around frantically. “But…I…don’t have any hiking boots or anything.”
    “You can borrow mine!” Elsie retrieved a pair from the cabinet near the back door and handed them to her. “They might be a tad big for your petite feet, but they should work just