Fishing? Why the hell had he asked Annie to go fishing? Tank needed air, but air away from her. Now, with her next to him in those tight little yoga pants and her equally tight tank top, there was no way he would be able to concentrate on fishing. Much less taking in fresh air. And to make matters worse, he’d almost kissed her. Again. He knew better—the minute she found out about his past, she would run the other way. Too many issues.

He watched her pull a worm out of the bucket. “You need help with that?”

“Nope.” Annie squished the squiggling, burrowing animal between her fingers and shoved it through the hook. When some of the worm’s guts oozed, she didn’t even flinch.

What a woman.

“I use to help my dad dig for worms so we could go fishing.” She cast her line, her bait bobbing on top of the water. “I wasn’t much of a girly-girl growing up.”

She’d rolled her pants up to her knees to prevent the ends from getting wet. Her toes slung lazily in the water, while her sleek and slender calves basked in the sunshine. The end of her side braid draped over her shoulder and dared to touch the top of her cleavage. He had to turn his head to keep his wandering eyes from searching lower. She might have been a tomboy growing up, but Beauty was definitely all woman now.

God, this was a bad idea.

He turned away from her slightly and cast his line the other direction.

“What about you?” Annie nudged him with her elbow.

He swiveled his gaze back to her. “What about me?”

“Well, I told you I liked to go fishing with my dad. What did you do for fun?”

He stretched his neck from side to side. Fun. There wasn’t much of that for him. At least, not in the beginning of his childhood. “I…I visited my gramps in the summertime. I liked that.”

She reeled her line in and tossed it back out into the water. “What else?”

The few good memories he did have always seemed to be overshadowed by the bad: the abuse, his fears, the years of counseling that followed, all things that tainted his childhood. Having fun was a new concept for him.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I got pretty good at lifting weights.”

“That’s obvious.” She stared at his arms.

Lots of people had noticed his muscles before, but when Beauty did it…pride swelled his chest. He had to stop himself from flexing just so she’d notice him a little more. “I also got good at climbing trees, I guess.”

“Really?” Her voice raised a few too many notches.

“Yeah.” He pulled his head back and caught her dubious stare. “You don’t believe me?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “I believe you. I just find it hard to believe. That’s all.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, you’re just so…” She raked her gaze over his shoulders and down to his legs.

His blood pumped harder through his veins from her gaze. “So what?”

“So big. I just imagine people who climb trees a little more—”

“More what?”

“Leaner than you. Maybe a little more agile.”

“Ha! Agile?” He smiled and stood. He’d show her agile. “I know a dare when I hear one. Put your fishing pole down.”

“What?” She stared up at him.

“Come on.” He held his hand out to her. “Put your pole down, get your shoes on, and let’s go.”

“Go where.” She grabbed her shoes and reached for his help to stand.

He engulfed her hand in his and wiggled his eyebrows. The feel of her warm, soft skin had him reluctant to let her go. So he didn’t. He held her grasp, and her trust as he pulled her behind him to the biggest tree he could find. “We are going to climb a tree.”

“No. I don’t climb trees,” she protested, pulling back on his grip. The momentary trust broken.

He gripped a low hanging limb and pulled himself up. “Give me your hand.” He reached down for her, needing to build her trust again.

“What? Tyler no.” She took a step back and crossed her arms, her actions wounding his pride.

“Annie, please.” He asked again, softly.

She stared up at him, her sneakers dangling from her fingertips. Al left his spot in the sun and came to sit beside her. “This is silly. Even Alfred thinks so. Isn’t that right, boy?”

His dog whacked his tail against the ground in answer.

“See.” She nodded to the dog. “I’m not going up there. You’ve proved your point. You can climb trees. I believe you. Now, can you just get down? Please?”

She was scared to have a good time. He’d give good moments back to her.

“No can do.” He shook his head. “Put your shoes on, and give me your hand.”

Her shoulders tensed near her ears as she glanced off at the water, and her bare foot tapped against the ground.

“I promise.” He held a hand to his heart. “I won’t let anything happen to you, and I know you won’t regret it.”

She cocked her gaze back up at him. “You promise?”

“I do.”

Annie blew out a breath. “He promises, Alfred,” she said to the pup, as she slipped her shoes on.

Once they were on, she took a few steps closer and reached her hand for his. In one quick motion he gave her a tug and had her sitting next to him. She gripped his bicep, her nails digging into his skin.

“It’s okay.” He pulled her closer, placing his hands around her shoulders. “I’m not going to let you fall. Would you like to go higher? I can get us up there.” He pointed to a thick limb about six feet higher.

She squeezed his arm tighter and glanced up. “No, I’m not ready for that high. I can’t climb up there.”

“Would you like to get on my back?”

“Your back? No, this is crazy. Let’s get down.” She scanned the ground and the tree, probably searching for a way to get down.

“Hey.” He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. “You trust me don’t you?” He’d spent the past week trying to prove to her he was worthy of her confidence. But a woman like her, someone who had been through what she had would need more time. Lots of it. Of course she didn’t trust him. What a stupid question.

Her eyes began to mist, and he dropped his finger from her chin. He’d pushed her too hard. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed—”

“More than anyone else.” She leaned into him and nudged his shoulder with hers. “I trust you more than anyone else in my life right now, Tyler.”

Her words gave him pause. “Good,” he managed to say and took her hand. “We can stay right here if that’s what you’d like. We can still see more up here than we could down below.”

“How about just one more branch?” She eyed the thick limb above their heads.

“You got it.” Slowly, he stood and balanced on the log, helping her to stand. She gripped the limb above them as he gave her a boost. “You good?” He asked as she sat on the log.

“Yeah,” she said, her voice shaky as she smiled.

He climbed and sat next to her.

She relaxed beside him, allowing her legs to dangle freely, holding on to his side. “Wow. Look around. It’s beautiful.” She smiled at him, and his heart inflated a little at the genuine happiness etched in her features. “Look.” She pointed to the left. “Over there. A family of deer.”

He followed her hand. “Yeah, and the good thing is this is private property. As long as they stay on the land, they’ll be safe.”

Just like her. He would keep her safe.

She turned her head to the right. “Look.” She pointed. “You can see the chimney top of my old house.”

“Wow.” He peered where she pointed. “You can. Do you want to go explore back that way?”

“No.” Annie shook her head and stared down at her lap. “Too many memories. I think the house is abandoned. Last I heard the mortgage company hadn’t found a buyer. The house wasn’t in good shape when we lived in it, so I can’t even imagine what it looks like now, after nine years of being abandoned. Still, I had such good memories in that house.”

A time when everything in her life had been perfect, no doubt. She could have perfect again. He’d like to give it to her.

“Living way out here isn’t for everyone.”

“I tried to convince Duke into buying the place. My parents’ rundown home wasn’t good enough for him. But looking back, I’m glad he didn’t. I don’t want to share that place with him.”

“I’m sorry, Annie.”

A silence fell around them, and a nag in his gut told him the happy moment had turned sad.

“This is wonderful,” she said. “How did you learn to climb trees?”

He shrugged, thankful for the change of subject, but this wasn’t the one he wanted to discuss. “Self-taught, I guess.”

“Why? I mean, did you like heights as a child?”

“No.” Tank let out a little chuckle and shook his head. “Quite the opposite actually. I hate heights.”

“Then why climb trees?”

“Just something I did.” He glanced toward the sky. “Sun’s about to set. We should get down and figure out dinner. I’ll go down first, then help you down.” He turned his back toward her, thankful for a reason to change the conversation.

Annie gripped his arm firm, but not with the same intensity as when her fear had kicked in from climbing the tree.

“Tyler.” Her voice turned soft and honeyed. “You can talk to me, ya know? I’ll listen.”

Her words were like a spear to his center. Annie had nothing left to hide about her past. He’d asked her to tell him about her life so he could keep her safe, give her solstice, and here, he couldn’t even so much as mention the name of his father without his stomach rolling.

And even though the sound of her voice wrapped him like silk and made him feel safe, he couldn’t go there. Not today.

“Not now, okay?” He patted her hand.

“Sure.” She nodded.

He shimmied down the branch then helped her down until they were both on the ground. Her loyal companion stood waiting, while their fishing poles sat on the dock, empty of dinner.

“Listen, don’t worry about dinner for me, okay?” she said like she had read his mind. “I’m really not that hungry, and my ribs are hurting a little from all the activity.” Annie gave him a polite smile and turned toward the house.

Damn it. Why didn’t he think about her injuries? Not only did he physically hurt her, he’d made her feel bad. He did everything he swore he would never do.

“Hey, wait.” He ran after her. “Annie, I’m so sorry about your ribs. I wasn’t thinking.”

“No worries, Tyler. It’s not your fault. I had a good time this afternoon. You fulfilled your promise. Thank you.” She turned again.

Damn it. She was distancing herself, pushing him away because he wouldn’t open up to her about his past. They could open up about other things.

Tank chased after her again. “I have some popcorn in the pantry. How about a movie? You can just sit on the couch. I promise I won’t make you do anything physical.”

“A big guy like you is going to survive on popcorn for dinner?” Annie cocked a thin brow. “I’ve seen how much you eat. I don’t think there is enough popcorn in that pantry to tame the beast that lives inside your stomach.” She poked him in the belly.

If she kept poking him like that, it wasn’t the beast in his stomach she needed to worry about.

“So, that’s a no?” He reached for her hand and pulled her closer.

Damn it, he was doing it again. About to do something he shouldn’t. But hell, he was tired of fighting. Her red toes, her tight pants, low cut tank tops, all physical things about her he liked, really liked. But her love of the outdoors, and her desire to stand on her own and take care of herself, he couldn’t deny those traits didn’t arouse him, too. Having her under his roof had been more than he could handle. And while sometimes he felt like that shy boy sitting on the dock years ago, this wasn’t one of those times. He was ready for more…but was she?

“I didn’t say no.” Annie leaned in closer. “Tyler,” she whispered.

Her breath tickled his chin, and her lips parted, leaving just enough of an opening for him.

“Yeah?” He stared at her mouth and bent closer.

He had a sordid past. So did she. They could figure it out.

“You have leaves in your hair,” she whispered.

Leaves?

Tank pulled back, surprised. “What?”

“Leaves.” Annie reached a hand to his hair and pulled out a fat oak leaf.

He scratched his head. Excess leaves fell to the ground. Damn. Was their timing ever going to be right? “I guess I need a shower, huh?”

“Might be a good idea.” She smiled.

“I take a shower, you pop the popcorn.”

“Deal.”

Tank took his shirt off as he headed to the house. He gave her a quick glance over his shoulder before he went inside. Her gaze shot toward the ground when she realized he had spotted her staring at him. Her moves weren’t quick enough, and he noticed the redness of her cheeks.

Thank God.

He smacked the top of the doorframe on his way inside. At least his feelings weren’t one sided. But a question still remained. What in the hell were they going to do about their growing attraction? The timing was all…off. Or was it? He’d ended up back in Black Widow at the exact time she needed refuge. That couldn’t be a coincidence. Maybe he was over-thinking everything.

He let out a loud groan and marched into the bathroom. One thing was certain; he was going to need a long, cold shower. A habit he wasn’t crazy about forming.