He needed her. 

The thought struck him like a battering ram. He stopped in his tracks and turned to watch her walk back to the farmhouse. This last week hadn’t been as terrible as he’d imagined. Because of her. 

He swallowed once before calling out, “Hey, Adrian!” 

She stopped on the path and spun around. Her mouth was unpainted, as it always was. He’d never known her to wear makeup. Her dark eyes stared back at him, making it difficult to breathe. 

He needed her, all right – in so many ways he didn’t know how to put them into words. Some were forbidden, unspoken things he shouldn’t ever let see the light of day. But they sharpened and sang as he looked at her, their voices insistent. 

Christ, look at her. Was it any wonder she left him tongue-tied? “Thanks for lunch.” 

A soft smile touched her mouth. It spread across her face, softening the angles, lighting up every nerve inside him. “I like to see you eat,” she revealed. 

He could give her one truth. It felt clumsy, but he replied, “Lunch with you? Far and away the best part of the day.”

She grinned broadly. “Ditto,” she said before turning and carrying on up the path. 

She’d disappeared before he realized he was still standing there, staring after her like a moron.