Torn

Chapter 12✓

Carter

My heart sinks right down to my feet. Who is he and how long has he been watching me for? Why is he even out here? Technically the meadow was on grandpa's property, even though the neighbouring property line lay not far beyond it and the man was standing on my side of the dividing mark.

I can tell immediately that it's neither of my guys. This stranger isn't as tall as Xander, nor as built as Quinn. The realization has my defenses rising instantly.

In all the years that I have spent wandering around my grandpa's property, I've never seen another person. The closest neighbour we have is a five-minute drive down the road and my grandpa's property is vast.

This stranger and I are in a good old Mexican standoff. Neither of us move though our eyes are locked. He stands far enough back in the shadows of the tree line that I can only make out the basics of his features. He seems to be wearing a dark, long-sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans.

He appears to be tall and from what I can figure, he may have around a foot of height on me. His hair appears so dark it may be black. It's short but has an unkempt look as if he's trying for the I don't care what people think kind of look, and it worked for him. He's extremely attractive.

My instincts are screaming at me to run, but my brain just wants to know what colour his eyes are. He's too far away for me to gather that information correctly. It hits me that I have no idea how long we have been standing there sizing each other up.

Alright, I give. I'll make the first move.

"Who are you?" I try to sound confident and strong, but my voice fails me. My words come out more like a whisper and I don't know if he can even hear me.

He takes a single step out of the shadows and into the meadow. "The real question I think, is what is a beautiful woman like yourself doing all alone in the middle of the forest?" He smirks at me.

It's a cocky look, and it's obvious that he knows he's attractive. He looks like the type of guy who would use his looks to get what he wants. His voice is a deep rumble, and it sends shivers straight down my spine. Instinctively I take a step towards him, mentally telling myself its just so we can hear each other better.

My cheeks warm when I realize that he's called me beautiful, but I stand a bit taller to try and not appear affected by his pretty words. "My name is Carter and I own this piece of land."

His eyes widen a little as he looks me over carefully. My cheeks flush deeper as he shamelessly checks me out. He takes another few steps closer to me and runs a hand through his black shaggy hair.

"You're John's granddaughter?" He asks.

I nod but can't bring myself to speak. He's affecting me more than he should, and I can't for the life of me figure out why.

"He once told me that he had a pretty little granddaughter, but obviously that was grossly undervalued. You are utterly indescribable." His voice is thick and gravelly as he closes the distance between us. We are now standing just a few feet apart in the center of the meadow and my heart rate is all over the place.

Goosebumps spread over my arms as I take in his gorgeous face up close. His eyes, I realize excitedly, are a deep, forest green. His jawline is sharp, strong, and covered in a short but well-manicured scruff. I want to run my fingers through his inky black hair to see if it's as soft as it looks.

He's close enough to me now that his scent invades my senses. He smells like cinnamon and soap and my mouth instantly starts to water.

How the hell is someone I've barely met for five minutes be affecting me so much? Someone I still don't even know the name of I realize. That sneaky bastard! He wants me to ask him, he wants to see if I'm interested. Stranger - 2, Carter - 0.