Ignoring him, Bree shoved the brush back in her purse and hurriedly stood up, in a sudden rush to get off the plane, which had taxied to a stop. Hart stayed right behind her; she knew, because she could feel those navy eyes riveted on her back. And like a schoolgirl, she was conscious of bra straps showing through the silk of her blouse, of every motion of her hips…Darn it. Did her fanny sway or jiggle or bounce or whatever when she walked? She hadn’t worried about such idiotic things in years.

She forgot him for an instant as she stepped off the plane and climbed down the metal boarding ramp. Sultry heat assaulted her in dizzying, shimmering waves, and the early morning sun was almost enough to burn her eyes. Still, she could smell the mountains. A three-hour drive and she’d be in the Appalachians; there’d be woods and silence, and the trillium would just be starting to bloom. There was no softer solace than Gram’s feather bed…

Still, her fingertips touched her temples once she entered the main airport terminal. Frigid air conditioning chilled her skin; there was such terrible noise and confusion, and her heartbeat picked up the cadence of anxiety. Everything would be fine once she got to the cabin, but around people she felt isolated by an invisible glass wall, knowing she couldn’t communicate.

“So there isn’t anyone waiting for you. I should have guessed,” Hart said disgustedly.

She looked up, unaware he was still behind her until she felt his hand resting possessively on the small of her back, redirecting her steps to the right instead of the left.

“The baggage pickup is this way. You have to read the signs. You do read?” he asked conversationally. “First impressions are deceiving. I had you pegged for the efficient, self-sufficient type, if you want to know the truth. Now, do you think you can possibly cope from here?”

Depression didn’t stand a chance next to a healthy, invigorating surge of rage. Four-letter words tripped on her tongue, fell back and stuck helplessly somewhere in her throat. “Yes,” her lips formed frigidly. “I can cope just fine. Leave me alone, would you?”