River's Return (River's End Series, #3) by Leanne Davis

heat out farther and hotter than the average person. Or else she was just hyper aware of him. “You did change the world a little bit today, and in a good way. I’m sure I’ve never done anything, but make it a little worse.”
    “I sometimes help out with the adult students at the local library. Most of their illiteracy is because English is their second language, which is gratifying. Like so much more than being at school. But this? This was like giving someone the very key to her own brains. Her own abilities. It was… God. It was… overwhelming.”
    He leaned his hip against the railing, which only came up to the top of his legs. To Allison, it ended just below her waist. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You have to be one of the bravest women I’ve ever met.”
    She shook her head and a short, bitter laugh escaped her lips. “Never. No. I’m about the least brave. And this? This was all you. You gave me the courage.”
    She glanced up at him and his face was strangely intense and serious in a way she’d never seen him look. “No one’s ever accused me of that before,” he said with a wry smile before he grimaced with self-deprecation. “But who’d have thought we’d make such a good team?”
    She smiled up at him before turning to shake off the strange attraction. “Never me. But we were. Thank you for providing this moment for me. I can’t tell you how much I needed it.”
    “I think Erin needed it much more,” he said softly.
    The twilight added to the otherworldly wonder of how she felt. What a profound day it had been after the most ordinary life. She cleared her throat when she felt sure he was still looking at her. She couldn’t begin to interpret it and smiled nervously as she suddenly said, “I should get home. You need your bike. I have some work to finish before tomorrow.”
    He nodded and she passed by him and got into her car. It was a quiet, almost strained, ride to her house after the crazy closeness of the last hour and what happened with so much intensity.
    He sat in her car for a prolonged moment after she stopped it in her driveway. “So… you’ll be out at the ranch then? Any idea when that will start?”
    “I’ll order what I need tonight, review the first lesson this weekend, and then be able to set a date when I’ll be prepared to start. I just didn’t want to overwhelm her quite yet. Today was a lot for her to process. You going back to Celia’s?”
    He shook his head. “Nah. Had some thoughts about this exhaust system I’m installing; might go finish that.” He shrugged and smiled, almost shyly. “To be honest? I feel all inspired like I should kind of… I don’t know… pay homage to what I can do. Appreciate it, you know what I mean? Go do what I’m truly capable of, so…”
    “That’s really about the most flattering thing you’ve ever said to me.”
    “It is?” His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.
    “Yes. I inspired you to be your best. So yes.”
    He nodded and got out with a last smile and a wave. Jumping on his bike, he was instantly gone as she stood on her front stoop, watching him fade into the distance. Again, she felt that weird blip near her heart, that pang of what? Disappointment he was gone.
    It must have been owing to his dominant personality. When Shane was around, there was no way of forgetting him. He was so big, so talkative, and so charming, not to mention, always being there, he was impossible not to notice or respond to. Allison was reacting to his sheer size and presence, not the moment they shared on the porch. No. No way was there really a moment.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    SHANE BANGED HARD ON the new brace he welded to the undercarriage of the truck. It was solid. It wasn’t going anywhere and would easily hold the new suspension he previously added. He slid out from under the truck with a happy grin. It had been awhile since he felt so proud about accomplishing something.