Blue Ribbon Summer (The Baltimore Banners Book 3) by Lisa B. Kamps Read Free Book Online Page A

decided she was probably better off not knowing. Especially now, after her stupid outburst, after throwing a temper tantrum and tearing off up here to the old barn and wallowing in self-pity for an hour.
    She didn't have to see herself to know what she looked like: disheveled hair falling out of her daily pony tail, face flushed and probably--no, definitely--streaked, clothes covered in dust and grime. Yeah, there wasn't much to look at right now, yet he continued to watch her, his steady gaze intense and disconcerting.
    Nervous? No, that was putting it too mildly. He made her want to turn and run away.
    Worse than running away, he made her...want.
    And she suddenly wondered why he was even here.
    "Um, was there something you wanted?" Her voice was too loud in the quiet of the barn, disturbing several of the barn swallows that permanently roosted in the rafters above them. Ian cleared his throat and finally cast his gaze downward, away from her, as he shifted slightly.
    "I just came to see if you were alr--if you needed anything."
    "Oh. I thought Jake would have done that."
    Ian looked up and met her gaze, a small half-smile on his face. And wouldn't it figure that he had the slightest dimple in his left cheek. Funny that she had never noticed it before. "He was going to, but I asked if I could come instead."
    Kayli pulled her gaze away from the newly-discovered dimple. "Oh. I, uh, didn't hear your truck pull up."
    "That's because I walked."
    "You walked?"
    "Yeah. Good thing I wasn't wearing those fancy Italian loafers, huh?" He pointed to his feet and Kayli automatically looked down, noticing the well-worn work boots covered in dirt.
    Her face heated in embarrassment at the reminder of her scathing remarks and she looked back up at him, ready to apologize again. She was surprised at the seriousness in his gaze, even more surprised when he pushed away from the stall door and took a few uncertain steps in her direction. He stopped a foot away, and he looked almost as uncomfortable as she felt.
    "I wasn't trying to flaunt anything, and I certainly wasn't laughing at you. At all."
    "No, I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. I...too much time out in the sun, or something. I guess. I was out of line and shouldn't--"
    "I was trying to impress you."
    His words hung in the air between them, effectively silencing her. Kayli snapped her mouth closed and stared at him as his eyes quietly searched hers. Her face heated again and she looked away, her gaze darting everywhere as she tried to figure out what he meant. He laughed, a short bark of sound that sounded anything but humorous. She looked back at him, saw him run one hand through his thick dark hair then shake his head.
    "Yeah, that seriously backfired."
    "Oh." Kayli looked away again, not knowing what to say. She wanted to ask him why he thought he had to try to impress her, but couldn't bring herself to voice the words. And the more time that passed, the harder it was to think of anything else to say. One minute went by, then another, and the air between them became heavy and oppressive.
    Kayli shifted, and her movement seemed to unfreeze Ian, because he moved, too. He took a step toward her, then another, stopping so close that she could feel the heat of his body. She swallowed nervously and looked away, telling herself that she was imagining things, that she was reading way more into his nearness and that if she was smart, she would take a step back and tell Ian that she had work to do, that she had to get back.
    But she didn't. And then he said her name, his voice barely above a whisper, and this time when she looked up at him, she knew she wasn't imagining anything. His eyes held hers, serious, searching. And then she did try to step back but she was too late because he reached out and gently cupped his left hand around her arm and pulled her toward him, his right arm closing around her waist and holding her against him. She placed her hands against his chest,