Hiding Out At The Circle C

studio of sorts. Long workbenches ran the length of the place, each scattered with tools, wood and partially put- together projects, including the shelving unit he'd been working on when she'd burst in.

'I thought you were a rancher.'

'My brothers are.' His voice, so warm and friendly only a minute before, seemed brusque now. He shifted away and moved back to his bench, running a loving hand along the wood that even her untrained eye could see was beautiful, bare oak. He gave the wood a gentle pat that conveyed his feelings better than words ever could. 'Ranching seems like too much work for me.'

'Too much work?'

He shrugged. 'I'd rather do this. It's… easier. More fun.'

This was something Haley couldn't understand. She'd been bred to work, and had loved it with a passion she could hardly explain-especially to a man such as this. But she'd never thought of anything she'd done as remotely 'fun.' 'So you let your brothers work the ranch?'

If he sensed her disapproval, he didn't show it. Or no longer cared. 'They love it.'

She asked him the question that had flitted about in her mind since she'd arrived. 'You all live together. Why?'

'We're family,' he said simply. Though he remained alert, he again relaxed. 'The house and the land are mine legally, but that doesn't mean anything. We work it together.'

'You mean, they work it. You-' She gestured around her. 'You do what's easier.'

Still smiling, he leaned against the nearest bench, crossing his booted feet. 'Whatever,' he drawled.

That cavalier attitude annoyed her, especially since she had a feeling he was putting it on for her benefit. Had her lie annoyed him or the interruption of his work? She had a feeling it was the former. 'Do you do that on purpose?'

'Do what?'

'Put on that good-old-boy act.'

'How do you know it's an act?'

Oh, yeah. She'd annoyed him. He was watching her intently now. She frowned and dropped her gaze from his. There was only one problem with that. Her eyes then settled on other parts of him; like those strong, broad shoulders stretching his flannel shirt in interesting ways across his chest, or those snug, faded jeans that fit his long, lean legs so nicely. Her frown deepened when she raised her gaze back to his and realized she'd been blatantly staring, and that he was fully enjoying the fact.

Which didn't explain the funny way her breath had caught in her throat. She couldn't be… No. There was absolutely no way that she was experiencing lust.

At the thought, a pain erupted in her belly so fast and so sharp, she couldn't contain her small gasp. Cam straightened immediately and was by her side before she could blink.

'What is it?'

Just as quickly, the pain passed. She wouldn't have felt it at all, except that she hadn't taken her pills last night or this morning. 'Nothing.' She pulled her shoulders back and yanked on the door. 'Just nothing.'

He reached around her to help. 'It's something,' he insisted.

'I'm fine, just fine. Really. And I've got work.' She walked out into the bright, crisp October day. The blue, open Colorado sky loomed overhead, blending into a picture-perfect hilly landscape. In the distance, Aspen trees tossed in the wind, their round, flat leaves creating a unique rustling sound.

He waited until she'd gotten a few steps away. 'Don't work too hard.'

She stopped and turned. 'That's an unusual thing for an employer to say to an employee.'

'Things are different here than wherever you came from.'

'That's the truth.' How surprised he'd be to know she'd headed a team of five of the world's most brilliant geologists, some twice her age, leading them to the exciting discovery of a system of volcano-and-earthquake prediction and prevention. How shocked he'd be to know that at least two of them were dead because of that discovery. Not to mention the thousands who had been killed in the earthquake that had been purposely created as a test.

'Maybe someday you'll tell me about it,' he said seriously.

Haley thought about how good it would feel to tell someone about the horror her life had become. But trust didn't come easily for her in the best of times, and certainly not now.

'Haley?' He took one step toward her. 'I'm a good listener.'

She shook her head and found herself, for the second time that day, inexplicably close to tears. Far too close, she realized, as her next breath shuddered through her. 'I've got work' was all she could manage as she turned and ran the entire way to the big house.

Cam watched her go, standing there for a long moment before turning back to the barn. That had been the strangest interaction he'd ever had. She'd slammed into his studio, and, for a moment, he couldn't believe his luck. It had been so long since he'd let a woman get to him, it had taken him a minute or two to see the terror in her eyes.

And when he had, it had stirred something deep within. Standing there now, with the light wind sliding over him, he had to admit that those feelings had been fiercely protective. Yes, he always felt that way about anyone or anything in pain or in need, but this had been different.

Then she'd lied and everything inside him had gone cold. He knew nothing about Haley, and he'd do well to remember that. All he felt for her was empathy. No different from when he'd given that old cowboy, Joe, a job for the winter because he had nowhere else to go. No different from when he'd taken Max in. No different at all.

He smirked. Right.

'Whatcha staring at?'

Cam let the unaccustomed tension drain out of him and faced his oldest brother. 'Our new housekeeper.'

'Oh, yeah?' Zach turned, watched as Haley ran the rest of the way into the house. 'She's nice,' he said cautiously. 'And she can cook breakfast.'

'But?' Cam asked, looking at him. 'There's always a but when you talk in that attorney voice.'

'You like her.'

At Zach's flat statement, Cam sighed, never having gotten used to his brother's unerring ability to sense things others couldn't. 'I like a lot of people.'

'She's different,' he countered.

'No,' Cam denied, but caught his brother's long, solemn look and relented. 'I've only known her for a day, Zach.'

'Yeah, but you've got that look in your eye. That 'protect the victim' look with a whole helluva lot of lust added in.'

'Don't you have to go feed your cattle or something?' So he was a sucker for a victim, he couldn't help it. Having Zach point it out only annoyed him.

'I don't want to see you hurt.'

Cam wanted, quite badly, to laugh his brother off, but he couldn't quite manage it. 'I'm a big boy now, you know.'

'It's been a long time since Lorraine died.'

Cam let the air whoosh out of him as his good humor completely faded, to be replaced by that sense of… unbalance that had plagued him for what seemed like years now. 'And you think I'm looking for another wife?'

'No, of course not.'

'Haley Williams is our housekeeper, and that's it,' Cam said firmly. 'Stop worrying. You sound like Mom used to.'

'Do I?' Zach asked evenly, pulling off his hat and swiping his forehead with his sleeve. 'Lorraine was bad for you.'

'She's dead, Zach.'

'She lied to you, hurt you.'

Unreasonable temper surged. 'Back off.'

'There was no Haley Williams on board Nellie's plane yesterday.'

Tension seized him instantly. 'What do you mean?'