Fast Burn (Body Armor #4)(75)

It was almost laughable that when she sat up and tossed aside the ice, all three women jumped toward her.

“Please,” she said with a grin, “relax. You’re scaring the cats.” When Maxi inherited the farm, it came with dozens of feral cats, most of them not so wild anymore. Sahara hadn’t been in the chair long before three of them had decided she’d make a comfortable place to snooze.

Of course, each of the other women also petted the felines. Maxi and Miles had gotten the animals spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and they were fed twice a day.

“You shouldn’t be up,” Fallon warned.

Sahara laughed. “Of course I should. I’m not great with idle time.”

“But you’re hurt,” Catalina said.

“Not really. Just a bump.” She stood and looked at each of them. A gentle breeze stirred the colorful leaves in the trees, prompting several to twirl gracefully to the ground. She loved fall.

She didn’t love being treating like an invalid.

“I appreciate the concern, I really do. I hesitated to say that you’re overdoing the mollycoddling because I didn’t want to sound unappreciative or something. Then I realized that just because you’re women doesn’t mean you’re fainthearted. It doesn’t mean your feelings are fragile, right? After all, you’re strong women.” She thrust up a fist in a sign of unity. “And as strong women, you know that being female doesn’t make us more delicate than men.”

“Actually,” Fallon said, “I’m definitely more delicate than Justice.”

Catalina snorted. “An elephant is more delicate than him.”

Maxi laughed when Fallon swatted at Cat.

“But you’re still just as strong,” Sahara insisted.

“As Justice?” Fallon quirked a brow. “Not likely.”

“She means emotionally,” Maxi said. “And in theory, I agree. But when I was having all my trouble here at the farm, it was awfully nice to lean on Miles.”

“And I’m sure he’s leaned on you, too.”

She shrugged. “Maybe. Most times he’s so confident that he focuses more on protecting than any ‘leaning.’”

Hmm. Sahara gave that some thought and realized that Brand was the same. He wanted her to lean on him, to let him protect her and care for her, but despite all the turmoil with Becky, he didn’t reciprocate. He needed to talk to her about his feelings so she could show that she understood. Maybe once he did that, he’d understand her equal need to help, and then she could tell him the different ways she was trying to make Becky less of a burden.

Seeing that the women weren’t understanding, Sahara sighed, then propped her hands on her hips. “My point is that I’m fine, and I want to think you’re all grounded enough that you won’t be offended when I say enough is enough.”

They each watched her with varying degrees of concern.

It was so ridiculous, she almost laughed. “I’m going to give Brand hell, because if we’d stopped to get food and drinks, we might have missed those morons who tried to run us off the road.” She’d already explained every detail of the attack to the women. They’d been duly horrified.

“Food and drinks for what?” Maxi asked.

“Here.” When Maxi gave her a blank look, Sahara explained, “I didn’t want to come empty-handed. I know that’s rude, but Brand wouldn’t stop.”

“Oh please, you’re invited guests! Besides, good friends are welcome anytime, no gifts needed.”

Good friends. Struck by that possibility, Sahara asked, “You mean Brand?”

She shrugged. “Sure. And you.”

Catalina chimed in. “I know you’re the boss and everything, but you’re still one of us.”

“A significant other, she means,” Fallon said.

Was she a significant other? “Brand said we’re in a relationship.”

“Duh,” Catalina said. “Was that in question?”

“Justice said he’s never seen Brand act like he does with you.”

Maxi nodded. “Miles says that usually he’s pretty distant with women. I mean, not physically distant, but it’s different with you. You two seem close.”

“Connected,” Fallon added.

Only a minute before, Sahara had been determined to join the men in building the gazebo. She’d wanted to hammer something, damn it. She’d wanted to prove she was strong and capable, not a woman who wilted over a bump.

Now, though, she decided she’d rather stay right where she was, chatting with the women. The conversation proved insightful. She’d love to hear more about how Brand was different with her from how he was with other women.

Mind made up, she reseated herself in the lounge chair, and even put her feet back on the cushion.

The cats took that as an invitation and curled up against her again, one on her lap, one against her hip, one by her knees.

It turned into a very enjoyable afternoon, different for sure, given the lazy way she sat around talking, but still very fun. She couldn’t imagine a prettier setting. Even being overrun with cats, multiple birds flitted in and out of the trees. The day remained mild, sunny, with just enough of a breeze to tease over her skin.

Watching Brand work was never a hardship. She loved seeing the muscles in his back flex, how his biceps bulged, how those delicious abs tightened. Unlike the other guys, who sometimes got scruffy but eventually shaved, Brand sported the short, trimmed beard and mustache. Sahara found she liked the rugged look.