And look at the way her mind worked. Even while eating breakfast, she was in scientist mode, asking questions about diseases. Frowning, he thought back over the conversation. The notes in her voice were off when he questioned her curiosity. Not quite a full-on lie, but not the full truth, either. Shaking his head, he shrugged it off. The point was, her intelligence level was off the charts. His was probably bottom line.
There was no way he would try to pursue her now. Ignoring the hiss his leopard let out inside him, he pried another rotting board off the wall. The gap between them was too large. Shifters’ animals couldn’t be right one hundred percent of the time. Surely, other shifters were wrong when choosing their mates. Besides, his leopard was a dick. He wouldn’t be surprised if it picked the worst possible mate for him on purpose.
Even knowing it was a bad idea to pursue her, he couldn’t help being disappointed. She was gorgeous. Shoulder length black hair, hazel eyes, a pixie face, tall but still possessing curves in all the right places. It was more than that, though. Something about her drew him on a level he hadn’t experienced before. Hell, maybe his leopard really was right in naming Amelia his mate, but it changed nothing. He acted like a fool multiple times a day, was a fuck up of the highest order, and she was not only beautiful, but a scientist on top of that. She deserved more than him.
He finally got the stubborn board off, and reached for a new one, cursing when he realized he already used the last one. Getting up and striding outside, he grabbed an armful of lumber and made his way back to the barn.
“How do you manage to carry so many of those at once? They look heavy.”
Jerking in surprise at the lyrical English accent coming from behind him, he cursed as he lost his grip on one of the boards, and it fell on his toe. Two days in a row, that was a record for him. He turned and glanced at Amelia, his breath catching as he saw her. She had her glasses on, her face still bare of makeup, and the sun was hitting her just right, making her skin look like it was glowing. Shit, she was so beautiful.
“I’ve been doing work like this for years. I’ve gotten used to carrying heavy loads,” he replied as he picked the board up, hoping she’d buy that. In truth, he was carrying more than any human could manage. He shouldn’t have been using his shifter strength when he knew she might come upon him.
“I came to see how things were coming along, but you look busy. I can come back later if you’d rather.”
Eyes narrowing, he searched her hazel gaze, wondering if the suspicion he saw briefly was really there, or if he was being paranoid. “Now’s as good a time as any.”
Seth gestured for her to go in front of him, and he followed her to the barn door, where he quickly dumped the boards. He didn’t worry about any of the guys doing things that couldn’t be explained, because they would have heard him and Amelia talking.
“You guys work fast. It’s looking so much better already,” Amelia said as she looked around the barn.
Smiling, unable to help his chest puffing up a little with pride, he replied, “There were a lot of rotted boards in here, but we have most of them replaced. We’ll probably be starting on the roof tomorrow, and be done the day after that.”
“Done with the barn entirely?” she asked. He heard surprise, and something else in her tone he couldn’t quite interpret.
“Yeah, I mean unless you want us to fix the bleachers. They’re not in too bad shape, but they could use some TLC. I wasn’t sure you’d want us to, since you’re probably not planning on staying here in Eagle Creek.”
With a small frown, she looked around the barn, and then nodded. “Yes, fix them. I’m not quite sure when I’ll be going home, and I won’t be stopping the fights while I still own this place.”
Nodding, Seth studied her as she continued looking around the barn. If he were a betting man, he would have said she’d be on a plane back to England before the ink was dry on the sale papers. Hell, sooner than that. As soon as the place was listed with an agent. Yet she was talking like she’d be here almost indefinitely. His heart leapt a little at the thought, but he squashed it down. Her staying longer than he thought wasn’t a good thing. It would only make his leopard even more unmanageable when Seth refused to give in and claim Amelia.
Especially since she owned the Anderson ranch. There was no way he would be able to avoid her while she was here. He had to get the barn repairs done as soon as possible.
She placed a soft hand on his arm, and he fought not to stiffen at the unexpected touch as well as the electric zing that raced across his skin. Glancing up, his eyes caught on her lips, parted and glistening like she’d just wet them. He forced his eyes up to hers, taking in her surprise. She obviously felt the same electric shock as he did, and no, this wasn’t good at all.
It damn near killed him to end the touch, but he pulled back, turning away to look around the barn. “Is there anything else you want me to show you?” he asked, glancing at her. She swiftly lowered her eyes, but in the brief glimpse, he thought he saw disappointment in her gaze.
“No, that’s all. I don’t want to keep you from your work. I’ll catch you some other time.”
Exhaling, he rubbed the back of his neck while he watched her leave. Her short curls were bouncing with her steps, and when he glanced down, he was almost mesmerized by the sway of her hips and the sight of her ass showcased in her snug jeans. Watching her until she was out of sight, he sucked in a breath, only realizing then that he hadn’t been breathing.
“What the hell is going on? What’s wrong with you? A few months ago, you would have been all over her. You just did everything you could to push her away.” Jax asked, coming up beside him.
Blowing out a breath, he slumped down on the bleachers, staring at the ring where he fought for the last few years. So much of his sweat and blood was in the dirt of that ring, so much of the frustration, anger, and worthlessness he’d felt so often was released during those fights.
What was wrong with him? The better question would be, what was right with him?
“Nothing,” he finally answered. “I’m fine.”
“We both know that’s a lie. Why did you send Amelia away like that? She’s interested in you.”
“Not like you’re thinking. She’s interested in me helping her fix this barn, that’s it.”
“That’s a lie. I just can’t decide if you’re lying to me, or trying to lie to yourself.”
“Since when do you talk so much? Go back to being all broody,” Seth replied irritably.
“I talk when my friends are acting weird. What’s going on with Amelia?”