"You will be the only woman on this ranch, living with three men." Something in his voice, in the way he looked at her, made Eleanor's breath catch. There was a warning there, but also something else. Something heated that made her skin flush.
She lifted her chin, drawing on reserves of courage she had not known she possessed. "I did not come here expecting easy, Mr. Hollister. I came here because I am tired of barely surviving, of scrubbing floors until my hands bleed for pennies. I came here because your letters promised partnership, a chance to build something real."
"I am not afraid of hard work." His expression shifted, something like respect flickering in those blue eyes. "Good. Because we will work you hard, but we will treat you fair."
"You will have everything you need. Cole and Tucker and I, we take care of what is ours." The way he said "ours" sent a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with cold. Eleanor felt heat creep up her neck, felt her pulse quicken.
This man, this stranger, was looking at her like she was already his, like she belonged to him. And God help her, some part of her responded to that possessive intensity. Some part of her that had been lonely and afraid for so long wanted to belong to someone, to be claimed and protected and cared for. Jake seemed to see that response in her face.
His jaw tightened and he stepped back deliberately, putting distance between them. "Get some rest. Dinner will be in about an hour. I will call you when it is ready." He left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Eleanor sank onto the bed, her legs suddenly unsteady. Her heart raced and her skin felt too hot. What was happening to her? She had known this man for less than two hours and already her body responded to his presence in ways that shocked and frightened her.
She was a decent woman, properly raised despite her poverty. She should not be feeling these strange sensations, this pull toward a man who was still essentially a stranger, but she did feel it. And not just toward Jake. All three brothers affected her the same way.
Their size, their strength, their commanding presence, the way they moved with such easy confidence, the way they looked at her with those startling blue eyes. She had never experienced anything like it. In Boston, men had barely noticed her. She had been just another poor girl in a boarding house, invisible and insignificant.
Here, she felt seen. More than seen. She felt consumed by their attention. Eleanor stood and moved to the window, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
Below, she could see Jake and his brothers working near the barn. They moved in perfect synchronization, passing tools back and forth without words, their movements fluid and coordinated. Watching them work was mesmerizing. She noticed details now that she had missed before.
The way their shirts stretched across broad shoulders. The play of muscle in their forearms as they worked. The casual strength with which they handled heavy equipment. Heat flooded through her, and she pressed her cool palms against her flushed cheeks.
What was wrong with her? She should be thinking about practical matters. About how she would manage a household for three men. About whether she could truly go through with marrying Jake.
Instead, all she could think about was the feeling of his arm around her waist during the ride. The warmth of his body against her back. The rough timbre of his voice when he said, "We take care of what is ours." A knock on the door made her jump.
It opened slightly and Tucker's voice called through. "Dinner is ready, Miss Heart." She took a deep breath, smoothing her skirts and checking her reflection in the small mirror above the dresser. Her cheeks were still flushed.