Something About You

by Bridget Anderson

  “Why not? Every time I see you, I reminisce about your visit to Chicago.”

  “That’s not fair,” she said, and returned to picking tomatoes before someone noticed they were bickering.

  Miles stopped working. “Can we go someplace and talk?”

  She looked around him at the group of people pretending not to hear them. Had he forgotten where they were? She shook her head. “No, right here is as good as anywhere. We have tomatoes to pick.” They were still within earshot of the group, so she knew he wasn’t going to say anything crazy.

  He crossed his arms and nodded. “Okay, I just wanted to say I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the night we made love.”

  She dropped her tomatoes and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him out of the greenhouse. “What are you trying to do? Somebody’s going to hear you.”

  He looked around, shaking his head. “I don’t care if they heard me or not. Did you hear me?”

  “How could I not? Miles,” she confessed before crossing her arms. “I don’t know why you checked in here. I don’t know what you expected from me. I made myself perfectly clear when you left last Saturday. You’ve already given it your best shot.”

  His whole face tightened up, and he slowly backed away. “Okay, so you want to play hardball.” He turned around and headed back into the greenhouse.

  She lowered her arms and whispered after him. “No. I don’t want to play any kind of ball.” The only reason she didn’t just come out and ask him to leave was because she knew her parents were considering accepting his offer, and she really didn’t want to do anything to make him take it back. But she didn’t know if she could handle having him underfoot all over again, and this time under different circumstances.

  After they returned to the farm and everyone vacated the truck, Miles held his hand out to help Kyla down.

  “Thank you, but I can get off the truck myself. I’ve been doing it for years now.”

  “I know you can. But I’m offering you something you’re not used to taking—a helping hand.”

  She looked down into his gentle eyes and saw nothing but sincerity. She gripped his hand and jumped down from the truck. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  He held onto her hand like he didn’t want to let go. A rush of adrenaline ran through her body, and she remembered what it felt like to be swept up into his arms and carried to his bed.

  “Excuse me, Kyla, but Mrs. Tayler asked me to find you. She’s leaving now and ready for you in the barn.” Ben’s eyes went from Kyla’s and Miles’s faces down to their hands. She snatched hers away from Miles.

  “Okay, tell her I’ll be right there.”

  Ben took two steps back, then spun around before taking off. Kyla could see the questions in his eyes. He was going to bug her all afternoon, so she quickly said, “I have to go cover the U-pick store. And Miles, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t come along.” She didn’t give him time to respond before she turned and walked away. As much as she didn’t want it to, being around him gave her wild thoughts. When he smiled over his shoulder at her, or touched her, she remembered the explosive love they’d made that first night together.

  He was playing the role of concerned lover too well. Everything felt real to her body, but her mind knew better. He was an actor playing a role to get a part.

  * * *

  Tayler had extended the U-pick store hours this afternoon to allow local garden clubs to come out. The van arrived, and business in the barn exploded. Kyla had Ben, Sean and Kevin helping her, since Rollin and Tayler left to attend a meeting at the local Chamber of Commerce. For a brief moment, Kyla had been able to get Miles off her brain. That is, until she spotted him carrying a bushel of green beans out to a customer’s car. She met him at the door when he came back in.

  “Miles, what are you doing?” she asked. “You don’t work here.”

  “This is a working farm, though, right?” he asked with a wink.

  She clenched her jaws. “It is, but guests are given work assignments. They don’t just walk in and start working like they’re on the payroll.”

  “Then why don’t you give me an assignment?” he asked.

  Ben walked past with a box full of small bags.

  “Whatcha got there, Ben?” Miles asked.

  “Fresh chocolate chip cookies from Ms. Tracee. She said to put them with the brownies. There’s another box in the kitchen if you wanna help,” Ben said, giving Kyla a raised-brow look.

  Miles grinned at Ben and then Kyla. “Looks like I’ve got an assignment. I’ll be right back,” he said, walking backward. “You know, I love your sister’s chocolate chip cookies. Maybe I can talk her out of a few.”

  Kyla crossed her arms and watched Miles’s broad back as he walked toward the house. So now he was going to try to charm Tracee some more. If he thought all this work was going to impress her, he was wrong. He was going to wear himself out for nothing.

  Several minutes later, Kevin pulled up with the last truckload of happy customers for the day, eager to weigh their haul. Kyla was happy he came in and helped, which allowed her time to run to the back cabinet for more bags. She pulled out a large bundle that needed to be cut open.

  “Want me to get those for you?”

  She jumped and a hand flew to her chest when Miles appeared out of nowhere. “Oh, God, you scared me. Don’t sneak up on me like that.” Because of the amount of time it had taken him to get back, she was sure Tracee had served him cookies.

  He held the cabinet door open. “How many of those do you need?” he asked, as he reached down and snapped the plastic strap with one hand.

  He was turning into her shadow again. “I don’t know, uh...about fifty. That way, Tayler won’t need any tomorrow.”

  He counted out fifty bags and handed them over. She tried to take them, but he wouldn’t let go. She tilted her head and pressed her lips together. The look in his eyes was serious as he studied her face, as if he were counting her freckles. She tugged on the bags again, but he held them tight.

  “You know what you’re doing to me, right?” he asked. He bit the side of his bottom lip and grinned at her.

  “Miles, I’m not doing anything to you. You won’t admit that it’s not actually me you want.”

  “You know that’s not true. I don’t want anybody but you. I want you lying next to me all night again. And don’t tell me my feelings are one-sided.”

  This was getting ridiculous. “Okay, I fell for you, and I did something I regret, but you’re acting like we were more than we actually were.”

  “Do you really regret it?” he asked, letting go of the bags. A pained expression passed over his face, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. If there was anything she truly regretted, it was what she’d just said.

  He shook his head. “I didn’t break my vow for the wrong woman. I know I didn’t.”

  Kyla held the bags close to her chest and remembered the vow he’d made with God. To remain celibate until he found a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She lowered her head as she struggled with what her heart wanted and what her head told her was true. When she looked up, Miles was gone.

  Chapter 22

  Instead of Kyla’s usual Saturday workshop, the farm played host to twelve energetic kids and two chaperones on a field trip from the local community center. Their chaperones tried to keep them in line, but the children gave everybody a run for their money, especially Miles.

  Kyla had set up several educational stations around the farm, with interactive activities at each one. Miles fell back into his teacher’s assistant role, helping her out. The only problem was that she didn’t want his help.

  “Where do you want these?” Miles asked as he walked into the barn with a long folding table in each hand.

  Due to the s
corching heat, Kyla had asked Ben—not Miles—to set the last activity up in the barn behind the house. “You can set them in the middle of the floor. That’s the best place to catch a breeze.”

  He set both tables up himself while she walked over to the counter where all the pots sat. She figured if she ignored Miles, he’d go away.

  She’d figured wrong.

  “Ben said the chairs were already in here somewhere,” Miles said as he looked around the barn.

  Kyla stopped counting seeds, a little peeved now that Ben hadn’t taken care of this already. “They’re stacked back there.” She pointed to a corner of the barn. “Where’s Ben?” she asked.

  “I sent him to help Sean with something,” Miles replied as he walked over to grab a few chairs.

  Kyla folded her arms across her chest and cocked her head to the side. Who did he think he was? “Why did you do that?”

  “Because this is the only way I can spend time with you,” he said as he placed two chairs at the table and then walked toward her.

  Kyla shook her head and took a step back. Please don’t come over here, and don’t touch me. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was still weak for Miles. That was one of the reasons she didn’t want him there. “Miles, those kids are going to come running up the path any minute now, and I’d like their seats to be waiting for them.”

  He closed the distance between them. Kyla couldn’t look up into his eyes. Her heart beat so loud, it rang in her ears. The hairs on her arms stood up, and his magnetic energy pulled her in. She swallowed and opened her mouth to breathe.

  “Don’t do this to us,” he whispered in her ear.

  She closed her eyes as his warm breath bathed her neck and she ached for him to kiss her there. Her body trembled as a stampede of little voices sounded in the barn. She immediately looked up, placing her fingers over her lips before moving her hand down to her chest. Miles had walked over to grab more chairs for the little people gathering around the tables. Kyla took a deep breath and pulled herself together.

  Once everyone was seated, she explained that, while they learned about seeds and soils, they were going to plant pea seeds to take home. Under Miles’s watchful eyes, she managed to successfully complete the activity with all the children writing their names on their pots. Between smiles and playing with the kids, Miles had made every effort to let her know he wasn’t going to leave her alone.

  The end of the field trip was celebrated with a game of croquet. While Kyla and Miles were helping the kids plant peas, Ben and Sean had been setting up the game. In order for everyone to play, Kyla amended the rules a bit, and everyone paired up on teams. She had one team and Miles had another. The kids were having the time of their lives trying to hit the balls through the hoops, and so was Kyla, until Miles issued her a challenge.

  “I bet we can beat you to the stake,” Miles proclaimed, as he and his little buddy Kenny stood next to Kyla and her new friend Abby.

  Kyla shook her head. “I doubt it. I’ve been playing croquet all my life. I’m going to teach her how to win.” She smiled down at Abby with little pink ribbons in her hair.

  Miles grinned. “Well, I haven’t played since college, but it’s like riding a bike. I still remember a few tricks I can teach my little buddy here.” He handed Kenny the mallet and instructed him on how to hit the ball. After a loud crack, the ball sailed through the first two hoops.

  Never one to back down from a challenge, Kyla instructed Abby, and the game was on. They took turns chasing the ball all over the yard while the kids tried to get the hang of a game they’d never played before. Other teams followed right behind them. At one point, both Kyla and Miles were positioned to go through the same hole.

  Miles stood behind Kenny, grinning over at Kyla. “This is sudden death, you know. We hit the stake, and it’s lights out for you two.”

  She bit her lip to keep from smiling back. “It’s not over until you make it back, and we’re going to make it back first.” Kyla looked down at Abby and winked. “Isn’t that right, little lady?”

  Abby nodded and didn’t wait for Kyla’s instruction before grabbing the mallet and giving the ball a whack. Miles’s little buddy did the same, and the adults lost control while the kids swung aimlessly as they giggled and played.

  Kyla made the mistake of trying to stop Abby by running up behind her just as her mallet came back in full swing, making contact with Kyla’s knee. She unsuccessfully tried to jump back but a bolt of pain shot through her body. Her mouth flew open and she held her breath to keep from screaming. She bent over at the waist and grabbed her knee with both hands, taking small panting breaths through clenched teeth as Abby looked back at her with a finger in her mouth.

  “I’m sorry,” she said before running off with her mallet to hit her ball again.

  Kyla bit her lip and nodded. She lowered her head, still stifling a scream while massaging her knee. Something had to be broken, it hurt so bad.

  “Do you need to wrap my T-shirt around your knee?” Miles asked.

  She shook her head and raised a brow as she looked up at Miles to see if he was serious.

  Smiling, he shrugged. “It did wonders for your arm.”

  She rolled her eyes, and couldn’t help but chuckle. “No, I don’t want your T-shirt! Can’t you see I’m in agony here? I probably have a broken bone or two.” She straightened up.

  He looked at her. “If your knee were broken you wouldn’t be standing here. But she did whack you pretty good. Let’s check you out,” he said, as he squatted in front of her.

  Miles rolled her pants leg up and ran his hands over her knee. She winced.

  He continued massaging it as she placed her hand on his shoulder to steady herself.

  “Bend it for me,” he instructed as he lifted her leg and slowly bent her knee back and forth.

  She gripped his shoulder with one hand and flinched with every bend. The pain subsided as he caressed her kneecap while gently rubbing the back of her knee. For a moment, she closed her eyes, wanting to sit down and have him massage more than just her knee.

  “How’s that?” he asked.

  “Better,” she mumbled.

  “What? I didn’t hear you,” he said, tilting his head as he released her knee.

  “Much better,” she said louder, removing her hand from his shoulder and shaking her leg out.

  “As soon as the kids leave, we should put some ice on it.”

  Kyla turned her head in the direction of the children running around the yard with mallets while the chaperones and her interns chased them. Things had gotten out of hand. “Oh, my goodness, we have to get those mallets from them before somebody gets seriously hurt.”

  She hobbled over with Miles beside her, and gathered the group to close the game and end the field trip. Each child left with a small pot with their first organic vegetable planted inside.

  * * *

  Kyla sat on a lounger in her Aunt Rita’s garden, her leg propped up on a chair and a bag of ice on her knee. After a long day, when her mood wasn’t quite what it should be, this was her favorite place to sit and think. While she’d been seeing the kids off, Miles had gone into the house and had her Aunt Rita prepare an icepack for her.

  Miles sat across nearby, smiling with bright, shiny eyes. “See, I’m not such a bad guy, am I?”

  Kyla tried her best to keep the stupid grin off her face, but she couldn’t hold it back. “Whatever.”

  Miles kept looking at her, arching one brow, then the other. “Is that a yes, no, maybe, or a hell no?” he asked, searching her face.

  She shook her head. “I never said you were a bad guy.”

  Miles leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “You accused me of trying to harm people while lining my pockets. And, more importantly, you accused me of using you, which is something I’d never do.”

  “So y
ou really had no idea about the foreclosure when you met me?” she asked.

  He shook his head vigorously. “None whatsoever.”

  She tilted her head and studied him. Would he sit here in her family’s home and lie to her face?

  Miles scooted closer to the edge of his seat. “Kyla, you were upset with me, and understandably so. But as I’ve said, I had no way of knowing you weren’t aware of the situation. If I’d known, I never would have asked David to come talk to you.”

  “I wish you hadn’t. It was embarrassing.”

  He lowered his head. “I know, and I’m deeply sorry.” Then he lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. “I’ll understand if your family doesn’t want to accept my offer. But the way I feel about you has nothing to do with your parents’ property. Whether they take the offer or not, I want to know that you and I will be okay. I don’t want to pretend that Chicago never happened. Besides... I want my sexy vixen, Kyla, back.”

  Butterflies danced in Kyla’s stomach as she covered her face with her hand. Chicago seemed like a lifetime ago, a time when she’d felt liberated. And that’s when she’d fallen in love with Miles.

  He moved from his chair to sit next to Kyla on the lounger. He reached for her wrist and slowly pulled her hand down. Tears welled up behind her eyelids. She’d wanted to believe that Chicago was a real experience for the both of them.

  “You’re far more important to me than this deal. You and I have a future together. We’re going to change the world.”

  Kyla wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks. “We’re good. Miles I’m sorry for all the accusations I threw at you. And you’re right, we’re going to do some amazing things together.”

  She blinked back tears as a slow, sexy smile covered his face. She drew a deep breath through her nose and quietly exhaled. Miles leaned over and placed a hand behind her neck, bringing their faces closer before he kissed her, reminding her of everything she’d dreamed of with this man. The icepack fell from her knee to the ground as every nerve ending in her body stirred.

  He wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, and she wanted to scream out to the world that she wasn’t just another notch on Miles Daniel Parker’s belt.