Cathie Linz - Seducing Hunter

“He sure does,” Hunter confirmed with a slow smile. “Although I’ve got to say that he’s starting to get a little nervous about that prediction. And how about your folks? Your dad still making those Gypsy weather forecasts that amazed the entire neighborhood?”

“You bet. He’s more accurate than any of the weathermen on TV.”

“I remember one time he took Michael and me fishing up in Wisconsin and tried to teach us how to ‘tickle’ trout. Neither one of us managed to catch on, though.”

Groaning at his obvious pun, Gaylynn crumpled up her paper napkin and tossed it at him.

Hunter merely grinned and ducked before continuing his story. “Your dad caught something like half a dozen trout. And I’ll never forget the way he left one hanging in the tree nearby before we left.”

“To bring good luck and ensure there would be good fishing at that site the next time,” Gaylynn explained.

“That’s right. You know, I’ve got to tell you, I was always envious of the way you guys got to open your Christmas presents early on Christmas Eve. And if I remember right, you got extra presents even earlier than that.”

Gaylynn nodded. “Left in our shoes on Saint Nicholas’s Day.”

“We had some good times in those days.”

“Yeah, we did,” she agreed softly. When she’d been a child, the world had been her oyster. She’d been the only girl in her family, with one older and one younger brother. Their protective presence had seen her through life’s rough spots. Until now. This was one rough patch she was going to have to make it through on her own. She didn’t want them knowing how weak she was; she didn’t want to disappoint them.

If Hunter saw how spooked she was, he’d tell them.

Spooked. That reminded her to ask Hunter about the feline family. “Listen, I meant to ask you before if you know someone who might have lost a Siamese cat and her two kittens. I saw them in the woods earlier today and gave them some food.”

Hunter shook his head. “Haven’t heard of anyone in this area missing their cat. Chances are they are strays.”

“They need looking after.”

So do you, Hunter wanted to say. Gaylynn had shoved more pasta around her dish than she’d actually eaten. Did she think he wouldn’t notice? Did she think he was buying her restless cheerfulness as the real thing? If so, she had a lot to learn.

“You never did tell me why you decided to come to Michael’s cabin,” he prompted her.

“I already told you, I needed a vacation.”

“So you’re on spring break from school?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what exactly?”

“You’re nosy, you know that?”

“Hey, I’ll have you know that my interrogation techniques have been honed to a fine art. You might as well tell me all your secrets now,” he stated with a lazy grin as he helped her stack the dirty dishes on the table. “I’ll get them out of you sooner or later.”

“Oh, no, Officer Davis.” She gasped mockingly, putting one hand to her heart. “Not your dreaded tickling routine!” Hunter might not have learned how to tickle trout but he’d excelled at tickling her in their childhood days. “Anything but that!”

“So you’re willing to confess now?”

“You’ve got me.” She sighed, putting a dramatic hand to her forehead. “I’m an escaped felon, wanted by the city of Chicago for two overdue parking notices. I’ll give myself up peaceably,” she added, holding both her hands out to him. “Cuff me now and take me away.”

“Don’t tempt me,” he muttered, disturbed by the sudden sexy image of her wearing handcuffs and little else. What was wrong with him? She was Michael’s kid sister, for heaven’s sake!

“Then stop making such a big deal about this,” she said in exasperation. “I needed some time off from my teaching position so I took a vacation. End of story.”

“How long are you staying?”

“I’m not sure.”

“When is your vacation up? Wait a minute, now that I think about it, teachers can’t just up and take vacation during the school term.”

“Bravo, Sherlock.”

“Which means you’re what.on some kind of leave or something?”

“That’s right.”

“A medical leave?”

His persistence was irritating her. “That’s none of your business,” she said, taking the dishes from him and transferring them to the stainless-steel sink.

Hunter followed her into the open L-shaped kitchen to say, “Meaning I’m right.”

“No, meaning it’s none of your business,” she stated. “Look, I’ve been teaching for seven years in a stressful situation. It’s not surprising that I got burned out. End of story.”

“Someone like you doesn’t get burn out.”

“What do you mean ‘someone like me’?” she demanded.

“You’ve got too much determination to burn out. Besides, you’re too damn stubborn to give up.”

“What makes you think you know anything about me? You haven’t even seen me in ten years.”

“I’ve kept track of what you’ve been doing. Michael would brag about you in his Christmas cards, saying that you insisted on teaching where you were needed and could make the most difference, despite the fact that he and the rest of your family didn’t approve of you working in such a bad part of the city.”

Having said that, he reached around her to put a dish in the sink. She felt his body heat against her back, felt his arm brush her breast and she jumped as if hit by lightning.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, confused by her startled-cat routine. “Why did you jerk away from me like that?” Then, as one possible explanation hit him, his expression turned serious, bordering almost on alarmed. “Oh, my God. Were you sexually assaulted?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I was not sexually assaulted. Just because I’m a little jumpy doesn’t mean that anything like that happened to me!” Gaylynn said.

“And even if it had, you wouldn’t tell me, would you?” Hunter retorted.

“If you think that, then why ask me in the first place?”

“Because I’m trying to figure out how I can help you.”

His words were like tiny arrows piercing her pride.

Lifting her chin, Gaylynn stated, “I don’t need you to help me. I’m not one of those injured baby birds you used to take in when we were kids.”

“I’m still pretty good at mending broken wings,” he murmured, coming so close behind her that his breath stirred her hair and awakened silent yearnings.

Hunter was pretty good at plenty of things, not least of which was making Gaylynn feel like a young girl on her first date—filled with anticipation of what could be.

Curtly reminding herself that she was no young girl, Gaylynn squelched her wistful thoughts before they took further flight. “I’m sure the birds around here are glad to hear that you’re good at mending their broken wings,” she replied dryly. “But I don’t have wings and I don’t need your help.”

Gently brushing her shoulder blades with his fingertips, Hunter softly said, “Remember how Michael told you that these would grow into angel’s wings when you got older?”

“I was a gullible kid,” she admitted.

“And now? Are you still gullible now?”

“Sometimes,” she replied, stepping away from the magnetic temptation of his touch. “After all, I let you come over and badger me tonight, didn’t I?”

“You forgot to mention the delicious meal I made. Tomorrow night, you can cook.”

“Hey, I didn’t come to the mountains to cook,” she protested.

“Why did you come here?”

But she was on to his tactics now. “I’ve already answered that question several times. Maybe you need to get your hearing tested,” she mockingly suggested. “How old are you now? Almost forty?”