Dawn Temple - Moonlight and Mistletoe

“Kissing you had nothing to do with the job. That’s the reason I’m sorry. Acting on attraction makes business relationships awkward. It’s a line I’ve never crossed before, but with you, I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Uh-huh. Next thing I know, you’ll be promising to respect me in the morning.”

Before Kyle could finish his apology, Brinks rushed back to the water’s edge and started barking excitedly. He turned to see what had captured the dog’s attention, and at first, he thought he was witnessing a Sasquatch impersonator.

Even from a distance, the man coming down the mountain, dressed in jeans and a tan corduroy jacket, looked as big and sturdy as a tree. As he came closer, Kyle estimated him at six and a half feet. A John Deere ball cap covered his head, but his steely brown eyes glared right through Kyle.

The ride back to town promised to be interesting.

Shayna skipped over to stand beside the dog, waiting for the giant to cross the quickly moving stream.

“Danny!” The minute the man touched dry ground, Shayna launched herself at him and disappeared within the circle of his humongous arms. Holy crap. This guy could send professional wrestlers running home to mama.

Kyle watched Shayna’s face as she embraced the other man. He had to admit he was relieved to see the connection wasn’t romantic.

Eventually Shaq junior put Shayna back on her feet. The minute his arms were empty, Brinks jumped him, the dog’s paws extending only to his waistline. His hand stroked the dog as he eyed Kyle, doing a quick sweep. Kyle had to give the man points for not mentioning his absurd outfit. Still, he couldn’t help but straighten his spine, as if he could stretch himself a bit closer to the six-foot mark.

“This him?” the man asked, not bothering to disguise his distrust.

“Yes. Danny Robertson, Kyle Anderson.” Shayna made the introductions without bothering to look Kyle’s way.

Kyle extended his hand, half expecting the behemoth to crush his fingers in a territorial show of strength.

“Hear the weather caught you by surprise.” The handshake was firm, and Robertson looked him straight in the eye. They were traits Kyle had always considered indicators of an honest man.

“Sure did. I ended up taking a nosedive into the ditch Wednesday night. Fortunately, Shayna and Brinks were kind enough to take me in.” Instinct told Kyle it would be healthier to downplay his attraction to Shayna around Danny Robertson.

“That sounds like our Shayna. Always taking in strays.”

Kyle didn’t miss the insult but opted to let it pass. It had to be at least twenty miles back to town, and he damn sure didn’t want to risk having to walk it. “I appreciate you taking the time to come out and give me a lift back to town.”

“Just you?” Danny swung a curious glance back to Shayna. “I figured you’d be coming, too.”

“Nope. I’m going home to enjoy the peace and quiet.”

“Sure you’re going to be able to make it for the pageant tomorrow?”

“The bridge shouldn’t be a problem by then, but if push comes to shove, you can drive out here and rescue me.”

“Like I said, anything for you, darling.”

“I hate to be pushy,” Kyle interrupted testily. Seeing her flirting with this man was pissing him off. “But you’ve got to get back to work and I’m freezing my ass off out here, so I’m ready whenever you are.”

Not that he was looking forward to following this guy’s mile-long legs up the mountain, but no matter how much his body complained, Kyle would match him stride for stride.

Danny nodded. “Then let’s go.” He bent and swiped his lips across Shayna’s cheek. A flare of jealousy burned through Kyle. Knowing he didn’t have the right, he shook off the feeling and followed Danny Robertson through the stream.

His two pairs of pants and five-hundred-dollar shoes were useless against the icy water.

“I’ll call you tonight,” Danny called out to Shayna.

“Thanks, I really appreciate this.” She smiled and waved at Robertson, then headed back into the thick wall of trees and brush without a single glance in Kyle’s direction.

Once they’d scaled the steep slope, Kyle was relieved to find a mud-covered pickup parked less than half a mile across a flat, grassy field.

They reached the truck and Robertson quickly fired up the heater. “I know Shayna’s a grown woman and has the right to make whatever choices she wants with her life, but just so you know, if you hurt her, you’ll have to deal with me.”

He’d expected some form of territory marking, but the country boy’s simple, straightforward warning gave him pause.

Crap. Dodging an overprotective, big-brother wannabe would make a difficult situation impossible. Not to mention the roadblock Robertson could represent if he supported Shayna’s decision to fight Walker’s wishes.

For the sixth time in less that an hour, Shayna paced a circle around her den. She’d insisted Kyle leave, had in fact escorted him off the mountain, and yet, ever since her return from Hunter’s Pass, the cabin felt too big, too quiet, too empty.

Unbelievable. The man had spent less than forty-eight hours here. His imprint shouldn’t be so strong.

But it was.

She’d found his discarded tie in the spare room. The silk fabric still carried a hint of his wonderful warm leather scent.

She’d turned his leftovers into an awesome sandwich.

She’d had to shut the door to his room so that Brinks would stop wandering in there and whining.

When the phone rang late that afternoon, she pounced on it like a dog after a chew toy. Pathetic. She’d never been so unhappy with her own company.

“Hello?”

“Hey, darling. Did you make it back up the pass in one piece?” Judging by the background noise, Danny was still at work.

“I sure did.” She muted the game show she hadn’t been paying any attention to. “Thanks again for coming out and picking Kyle up. I know it was a huge inconvenience, especially on such a busy day.”

“No problem. Around this place, they’re all busy days.”

“Did you get him dropped off okay?”

“Safe and sound.” Danny had never been much of a talker, but this was ridiculous. Still, she refused to press the subject any further. Sending him back to town had been her idea. Pumping Danny for information like an infatuated teenager would make her look like a fool.

“Well, thanks again. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“You bet. Call if you need any help getting into town.”

“Will do,” she promised before hanging up.

Sometimes men could be so infuriating. Would it really have been that difficult for Danny to give a more detailed report? Had Kyle talked about why he was in town? Did he mention that smoking-hot kiss and how close he’d come to sweet-talking her into the sack?

“Arghhh!” Her aggravated growl captured Brinks’s attention. The dog, who’d been smart enough to nap the day away after all their hiking, popped to his feet and ran to the door. Taking the hint, she yanked her hat and coat off the hook by the door and took the dog out into the moonlit front yard.

She had to assume that Kyle had kept his word and not mentioned his reason for being in town, because if he’d let the truth slip, Danny would’ve used up a month’s supply of words in order to give her the third degree.

Feeling somewhat reassured, she called Brinks back and headed back inside. Before she’d even gotten her coat off, the phone rang again.

“Girlfriend, you’ve got some explaining to do.” Lindy didn’t even wait for Shayna’s hello. “Omitting facts is practically the same thing as lying.”

“I know, but I didn’t want to upset you. Knowing you, you’d have hiked up here and chaperoned.”