Free More Than a Mistress by Leanne Banks

working with Carly most of the night.
    â€œI see Daniel just walked in,” Carly said.
    Sara nodded as she filled a plate for the man in front of her. “Yes. I noticed.”
    â€œBet he’s hungry.”
    She stopped and looked at Carly. Her friend had just provided the solution to her dilemma. Sara felt a slow smile grow from the inside out. “I’m sure he is.” She filled another plate, grabbed a canned drink and made her way across the room.
    Daniel sat talking to a couple of men about the flood. Sara thought about turning around and letting them finish, then shook off her cowardice. She took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Excuse me. I thought you might be hungry.”
    Daniel turned to look at her. Surprise flashed in his eyes. “Thanks. I am.”
    He continued to look at her but said nothing else. The two men silently watched. Sara couldn’t think of a single intelligent thing to say. She felt ridiculous. Clearing her throat, she took a step back. “Well, I—”
    Daniel quickly stood, his gaze nailing her feet to the floor. “Don’t go.”
    Sara bit her lip, her gaze sliding to the onlookers.
    Daniel narrowed his eyes. There was something different about her tonight. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d say she was a little more open to him, maybe a little softer, a little less guarded. If he wasn’t mistaken. Sensing her self-consciousness, Daniel casually turned to the other men. “You guys are as hungry as I am. Go on and get your food, and we’ll get together tomorrow morning.”
    The men muttered their agreement and ambled off.
    â€œI hope I didn’t interrupt something important.”
    â€œNah. They just wanted to rehash a little.” He pulled out a folding chair for her and waited for her to sit. He was also waiting for a stronger sign of what she wanted from him. Since that blasted rose incident, he felt as though he’d spent his last nickel at the fair and was thumbing his way home.
    â€œIs everyone okay?”
    He nodded and sat down. “We had a couple of close calls with some elderly people. They’re in the hospital now but I think they’ll be okay. The property damage is the problem.” He shook his head. “You heard anything about Russ’s place?”
    Russ Bradford, Carly’s husband, owned a catfish farm. “Carly says one pond flooded. But you know, he’s got insurance so he should be okay. He made her stay here, and she’s ticked at him right now.”
    Amusement lit Daniel’s eyes. “If I know Russ, he’ll find a way to get back in her good graces.” He dug into the meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and hot rolls.
    â€œLong day?” she asked sympathetically.
    He swallowed a bite and nodded. “Yeah. I probably look like hell.”
    His jeans and flannel shirt were wet and they clung to his muscular frame, emphasizing his broad chest, flat belly and powerful thighs. Perhaps someone else would find that unappealing. That someone certainly wouldn’t be female. Besides being affected by his impressive physique, Sara also admired his concern for other people. It weakened her already skimpy reservations about him.
    â€œSara, this is when you’re supposed to lie and say, ‘No, you don’t look like hell. You look fine.’”
    She looked at the ironic expression on his face, the dark shadow of his unshaven jaw and the circles under his eyes. Leaning forward, she touched that rough jaw fleetingly. “No. You don’t look like hell. You look like Beulah County’s hero.”
    Daniel felt a rush of embarrassment. He cleared his throat, torn between rubbing his face against Sara’s soft hand and pulling away. He liked having her admiration, but his feelings for Sara weren’t particularly heroic. They were basic and selfish. He wanted her hot and naked beneath him.
    She saved him from embarrassing himself