Page 4 of Branded Mine

He crouched in front of me and wrapped one big hand around my ankle. The contact was unexpectedly warm. I pressedmy palm behind me against the house to balance myself while Ryder turned my foot into the light. His scarred fingers were firm but careful as he pulled a pocketknife from the back of his jeans.

My body tensed, and Ryder looked up. “You think I’m gonna cut you?”

“No.”

“You went stiff.”

“You pulled a knife while holding my foot.”

He held my gaze for a long second. “I ain’t ever hurt you, Lila.”

The words landed heavier than they should have, and I was the one to look away first.

Ryder used the tip of the blade to lift the splinter free. He was careful, quite gentle, for hands that looked capable of breaking bone.

“There,” he said.

He released my ankle and stood, and for a moment, he towered over me, close enough that I caught the scent of leather, sweat, and sun-warmed skin.

“You need boots,” he said.

“I own shoes.”

“Then wear ’em.”

“You’re awfully bossy for someone trespassing on my property.”

He picked up the hammer. “Ain’t trespassing.”

“You don’t live here.”

“Close enough.”

“That isn’t how property law works.”

“Never cared much for laws.”

I snorted because, yeah, that was Ryder alright.

He returned to the railing while I tried not to watch the flex of his forearm with every swing of the hammer. Fourteen years hadturned the boy I remembered into someone harder and quieter. It made me uneasy how fluidly he moved around my land like he had every right to be here.

“What else have you decided needs fixing?” I asked.

“Roof over the tack room. East pasture fence. Water pump’s leaking.”

“You inspected all that without asking me?”

“Didn’t need to. Place is falling apart. Not like you planned on fixin’ the shit, right?”

My irritation sharpened. “Maybe, maybe not. But I know what it looks like.”

“Do you?”

I stared at him, instantly annoyed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ryder drove another nail before answering. “Means you been gone fourteen years. And your dad was worthless and couldn’t keep up with anything.”

“I didn’t forget how a ranch works. I grew up here.” I stepped closer. “My great-grandparents built this place?—”