Sweet Heat Rising (Thoroughbred Men Series) Read Free Page B

caught her breath. It was like something switched on inside of her. Sarah recognized a lot of people because they had come by the shop at one point or another... happy, complained, frustrated, in a rush, etc. She could typically place them again randomly throughout town. This man? She had never seen him.
    Sarah shook her head and used her iPhone camera function to see the smudge and squeaked in horror. The ‘smudge’ turned out to be a massive run of dirt across her forehead streaked with sweat. Sheesh. No wonder he had smiled at her. She looked like she had rolled around in the flowerbed instead of just planting a few bulbs. She started back up towards the house, when she heard a honk and turned....
    .... and groaned.
    Tyler pulled his car over when he saw Sarah on the sidewalk nearby as he left the park. “Sarah! Small world! What are you doing here? Do you live here?” he asked curiously. He had no idea she lived out this way, maybe they would cross paths more often? He enjoyed spending time reading in the park and thought the drive was pretty. Seeing her out in the yard, in shorts and a T-shirt definitely made the scenic drive over even nicer, he thought.
    Sarah could not believe her rotten luck. Could she not get a break? First, the dirt on her forehead when the first guy she had really shown interest in forever, shows up unexpectedly and now this. The guy she was not interested in, and really had no other reason than a lack of chemistry between them, could not seem to take a hint.
    “Good morning, Tyler, I live in this neighborhood. What are you up to today?” Sarah replied politely while thinking all the while how she was going to get away from him and hoped he did not ask her out again.
    Her friends told her that she should give him a try and go out with him, however, Sarah did not feel he needed any encouragement at all. If she went out once with him, he would never take no for an answer again.
    Tyler pulled up and parked along the sidewalk, where she was standing. “Oh, you know.... I am just out. I read my book at the park for a bit and thought I might check out a yard sale in the area,” he said cheerfully, looking her over. She had the shapeliest legs that apparently were hidden away underneath her jeans she wore daily at the bakery.
    Sarah raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Really? A yard sale? The subdivision has a community yard sale twice a year...and that was two weeks ago,” she said wryly. Did he really think she fell off the proverbial ‘turnip truck’ last night? He just ‘happened’ to be coming by? Odd, she thought.
    Tyler was not deterred at all, but replied smoothly “The park was getting a bit crowded, I was just headed out and saw the sign. It must have been an old sign, I guess...you have something on your face?” He casually leaned onto the sill of the car door, in no hurry whatsoever. He enjoyed her company immensely.
    Sarah peevishly thought, “ Did everyone have to notice the dirt on her face? She might as well go to the store too, so more people could point it out. ” She stepped back and said dispassionately,  “Yes, I am just headed in. I will see you tomorrow and good luck on your yard sales today.”
    Tyler took the hint and said, “See ya,” and drove down the road. He had to find a way to cross the boundary she had set up and find a way to bond with her. It was tough at work, because she always brought up the employee subject. When he saw her out in the yard, he felt it was a perfect opportunity to say hello away from work. Unfortunately, she was not receptive to him again. Maybe he would try to get her to look at him differently, maybe flowers would help?
    Sarah waited until the car was out of sight before turning back to the condo and heading inside. The cool air was a welcome relief from the heat. Sarah headed back to the bathroom to get a quick shower, and groaned again at how nasty she was from the heat and from having dug out in the flower beds. No wonder she