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always been too restless for Jackson’s Ridge. The challenge of Special Forces suited him better than farming or a settled relationship ever would. He couldn’t commit, pure and simple and she wasn’t exactly prime relationship material either.
    He strode past her and checked the large gravel turnaround area in front of the barn, as matter-of-fact as if they’d been talking about the price of hay.
    Gripping her flashlight, she followed him. One of the things that upset her most was the fact that she’d let herself fall in love with Carter in the first place when she’d always promised herself that she wouldn’t, but it seemed that her body had always had a different agenda than her mind. From that first moment, she’d been attracted—cancel that, stunned practically speechless—and he’d known it. It had complicated her life. She’d had enough guilt and issues to deal with without buying into a relationship that was never going to work.
    â€œI’ve done a circuit of the place and checked the sheds. There’s no one parked down the road, and I couldn’t see anyone on the beach. At a guess, you’ve probably got a stray dog or cat hanging around.”
    Carter turned on his heel, and headed for the once-worn track between the two houses. For the first time since he’d flicked on his flashlight she registered that he was limping.
    Remorse tempered her anger. He’d come over because he’d thought there was a prowler, and if there had been one she would have been more than happy for his support.
    A brief shudder ran down her spine. This afternoon she had thought someone was in the barn. “Carter, wait.”
    She could just glimpse the pale flash of his T-shirt, enough to see that he’d stopped. Before she could change her mind, she walked inside, wrapped warm brownies in foil and took them out to him.
    For a minute she thought he wasn’t going to accept the peace offering.
    â€œThanks.”
    Within seconds he had disappeared.
    Rubbing her arms against the faint breeze from the ocean, she walked back inside, letting the screen door slap closed behind her. Somehow she’d travelled from towering anger to appeasement. Now she actually felt sorry for him.
    And how typical that she had caved in and given him brownies. Somewhere, through all this mess, she had really hoped that she had learned to say no, and mean it.

Chapter 5
    T he sound of an engine starting pulled Dani out of a deep sleep. She blinked at the bright light pouring through her bedroom window. For the first time since Ellen had died she had slept through her alarm.
    With jerky movements, she shoved out of bed, pulled on fresh underwear, jeans and a T-shirt and jammed her feet into sneakers. Pushing out through the French doors that opened onto the veranda, she strode over to the shed. Carter had already backed the tractor out.
    â€œWhat do you think you’re doing?”
    He parked beside the open double doors of the barn. Leaving the engine on idle, he jumped down. “You said you had to let Bill go.”
    â€œThat doesn’t mean I need you to—”
    â€œForget it, Dani. We’re neighbours.”
    Her jaw clenched as he disappeared inside the barn and began loading hay onto the trailer. Trust Carter to pull the neighbour thing.
    Despite the fact that he was having trouble with his lateral movement and he had the limp to contend with, he made the backbreaking job look effortless. “You’re still hurt. You should be taking it easy.”
    â€œI’ve had months to take it easy. I need to get back in shape.”
    Way number two to bamboozle her. “And this is training?”
    He brushed dust and hay off his T-shirt. “You can pay me with treatments.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “I am not treating you.”
    He shrugged and climbed back into the driver’s seat. “Then someone else will.”
    The tractor