She leaned against a pine tree, her gaze falling on a little green snake with stripes on it. She looked away, trying not to bring his attention to it. Alex had a phobia about serpents.
Alex sucked in a quick breath and grabbed her arm, jerking her toward him. "Look out!"
She smiled and spoke in a calm voice. "It's only a garden snake."
His brows furrowed. "It's a snake and you almost stepped on it. What if it had been a rattler?"
She grinned. "I guess it would have died after it bit me. I should take better care of our wildlife."
He rolled his eyes. "You see, this is what I mean. You're careful about everyone else, but careless about your own safety."
She frowned. "Is that what's been in your craw lately? I saw it and I knew it wasn't poisonous. Anyway, danger is all around us. You can't live inside a bubble, you know."
"I know that, but you set yourself up for it."
She frowned. "How?"
He eyed her for a moment, as though he couldn't understand why she didn't know. Finally he shrugged. "Like telling everyone I was gone for two weeks. You should know how dangerous that could be."
She stared at him for a moment. "I didn't tell anyone that you were gone."
Arms folded over his chest, his expression indicated he thought he had trapped her in a lie.
"Then how did they know?"
She exhaled in a silent snort. "Let me guess," she said sarcastically. "Someone called the office and asked for you?"
"His gaze drifted over her face and then color started up his neck. His arms dropped to his side and he rubbed the back of his neck again.
"I suppose that could have happened."
She sighed. "I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself."
His gaze shot back to her face and he shook his head, groaning. "That phrase usually comes out of your mouth right before you do something really st…" He cut the sentence short and turned to Ed. "Let's get back to the house.
She mounted Princess and followed him. Something stupid? Certainly she had done her share of stupid things. Okay, maybe more than her share, but he wasn't exactly immune.
They rode out of the forest on the hillside above the guest house and rested the horses again. She planned to leave Princess at the stable and ride with him the rest of the way to the house.