Page 106 of Trick or Tease

“Hey,” I said, stepping inside. “Thought you might want some company.”

He glanced at the clock on the wall, then back at his papers. “Actually, I’ve got a call with Ron in a few minutes. Client stuff. You know how it is.”

I nodded, forcing a smile. “Right. Of course.”

He didn’t look at me as he gathered his things and left the room, his shoulders all tense like he was going into a high-stakes business meeting. I stood there for a moment, staring at the empty chair, wondering if I’d imagined the tension between us.

The second time, I spotted him outside near the corn maze, talking to Billy and Lucy. I waved as I approached, but before I could get within earshot, Garrett patted Billy on the shoulder and said something that made them all laugh. Then he glanced at me, muttered something about checking on the tractor, and walked off before I could even say hello.

Billy gave me a sympathetic look, but I pretended not to notice.

The third time was the worst.

I caught him in the barn, stacking hay bales. His shirt was off, his skin glistening with sweat, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. He was beautiful. My panties had immediately gotten wet. He was all lean muscle and sharp angles. When I laid eyes on him, all I could think about was getting him on me.

“Hey,” I said, my voice husky despite myself.

He froze, then turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “Sabrina.”

I stepped closer intent on seduction. “Thought maybe we could take a break.”

He hesitated, his eyes darting to the barn door like he was planning his escape. “I’ve got a lot to do.”

“Five minutes,” I said, reaching for him.

He caught my wrist before I could touch him, his grip firm but not unkind. “Not here.”

“Why not?” I whispered, leaning in.

He took a step back, his jaw tightening. “Because.”

“Because why?”

He didn’t answer, just shook his head and grabbed his shirt from the hay bale. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

He walked out without looking back, leaving me standing there, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I checked my breath, thinking maybe it stank. But nope. Stilly minty fucking fresh.

What was his problem?

Maybe he was doing the smart thing. Maybe he was nipping this in the bud before it got too serious. And maybe I should have been grateful. After all, I knew this wasn’t forever. He had a life in the city, a career, a future that didn’t include me. I knew that.

But knowing it didn’t make it hurt any less.

He was right to end things. He was being practical. Responsible. But I needed to try one more time. See if my theory was right.

Maybe it was just in my head. I was being overly sensitive. Seeing rejection where it didn’t exist.

I waited until about an hour before opening, when I knew everyone would be running around doing last-minute preparations. That was when I found Garrett near the entrance, checking something on his phone with that serious expression he’d been wearing all week.

“Hey,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Can you help me with something in the haunted house? The lighting is all wrong in the upstairs room.”

He looked up from his phone. I caught that flicker of something sad in his eyes before his expression went carefully neutral. “Can’t Billy help you with that?”

“He’s busy with the tractor. It’ll just take a few minutes.”

Garrett glanced at his watch, then sighed. “Fine. Give me ten minutes to finish this up.”

“Perfect. I’ll meet you up there.”