There I go again, talking like some desperate bachelor eager to drag a bride back to my lair and chain her to the stove. I need to stop talking. “How about you?” I ask.
“What about me?”
“What were your dreams growing up?” I ask. “Career, family, marriage, all that?”
Izzy looks down at her lap. At least it looks like she’s staring at her lap. When she raises her wrist, it’s with an odd little smile. “You’re late,” she says flashing a dainty gold watch. “Doesn’t poker night start at six?”
She’s right, it’s a quarter after. Where did the time go?
Also, I can take a hint. “Probably better get inside before the beer warms up under this heater.” I pick up my six pack and stand, waving her off when she starts to get to her feet. “Don’t get up; you look nice and cozy.”
“I should go inside and make dinner.” She unwraps the blanket and stands anyway, revealing slim gray slacks and a cream-colored sweater that hugs her curves. It’s all I can do not to stare. “Have fun at poker night,” she says.
I drag my gaze back to her face and take a step back so I don’t accidentally pull her into my arms. “Same to you.”
The sound of footsteps on gravel makes us both turn toward the path to the lodge. I’m expecting a Bracelyn brother or maybe Chief Dugan on his way to our game.
But it’s a muscular bald guy I’ve never seen before. His eyes are cold, and there’s something odd about the way he’s holding himself. Izzy stiffens beside me.
I don’t blame her. The dude looks…off.
“You lost?” I force myself to sound friendly and unassuming as I angle my body between Iz and the stranger. “The trail to the guest cabins is back that way. Maybe you missed a turn?”
The guy regards me with a steely look. As his gaze flicks to Izzy, it softens almost imperceptibly. “Yeah,” he says. “Must have.”
Something passes between the two of them. Or maybe I’m imagining it. As the guy turns and ambles away, I pivot back to Izzy.
“That was weird,” I say.
She lets out a slow breath, and I could swear I see her shoulders slump. “Very peculiar.” She darts a quick glance at the stranger’s retreating back before her gaze returns to mine. “Thank you for…um…being here.”
“Of course.” I’m not sure what she means, but given how tough it is for me to tear myself away, it’s hardly a hassle. “Lock your door when you go in, okay?”
Is it my imagination, or did she just shiver? “Okay.”
Crap, now I’ve scared her. “Hey, it’s fine.” I catch her hand in mine and find her fingers are ice cold beneath her thin gloves. “They’ve got twenty-four-hour security here. Besides, I’m sure that guy is harmless. Just a little lost.”
I hope I sound convincing. I can’t read anything in those clear green eyes of hers. She licks her lower lip and nods. “Aren’t we all?”
I laugh, breaking the tension. “Truer words were never spoken.” I start to let go of her hand, to take a step back so I don’t do anything dumb.
But Iz tightens her fingers around mine and pulls me back to her. “Good night, Bradley.” Before I say a word, she goes up on tiptoe to plant a kiss on my cheek.
Purely platonic. Probably a custom in her country.
Or not, because something goes wrong.
Not wrong. Very, very right.
One second she’s skimming a chaste kiss along my cheekbone, and I swear I don’t move an inch. But her lips drift down, brushing the edge of my mouth. It’s so whisper-soft, I might have imagined it.
But I know I’m not imagining the soft whimper in the back of her throat, the way her fingers tense in mine. She opens her eyes but doesn’t draw back.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“I’m not.”
Neither of us moves.
Somewhere in the distance, a door bangs open. “Hey, Parker.”
I blink and turn toward Mark’s cabin. He’s standing on the porch looking like a grumpy lumberjack with his arms folded over his chest. He doesn’t look pissed, but doesn’t look thrilled, either. A normal Mark expression, but I let go of Izzy’s hand and take a step back.
“Better go,” I tell her. “Should I text you a few times for visiting the farm?”
“I’d love that. Here, let me give you my number.”
I expect her to reach for her phone and perform an AirDrop, or maybe ask for mine so she can plug in the number. Instead, she slips a hand in her pocket and draws out a pen. “I keep this so I can mark words I need to look up,” she admits a bit sheepishly as she pulls off the cap. “Do you have paper, or shall I write on your hand?”
Even if I had paper, I’d choose skin. Anything for the excuse to have Iz touch me again. I hold out my hand, and sharp tingles ripple up my arm as she scrawls the digits. When she’s done, she smiles and curls my fingers into my palm. “There,” she says. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”
I swallow hard, stalling for time, wishing there was a way to stay here all night. We’ve had fifteen minutes together, and it wasn’t enough.
It could never be enough.
“Good night, Izzy.” I force myself to step back because what the hell am I thinking? We hardly know each other. “Have a good night.”
I take another step away. In the instant before I turn, her eyes dart back to the pathway where the stranger disappeared. I could swear I see her shiver again.
“Good night, Bradley.” She turns back to me and smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “See you soon.”
Then she turns and walks into her cabin, closing the door behind her.
Chapter 3
Isabella
I kissed Bradley.
I kissed Bradley.
Oh my God, I kissed Bradley.
This is the phrase that’s been pulsing through my brain for days. It’s a deafening throb by the time I fasten the last button on my blouse and step out of my closet to face my sister. I’m half afraid the words will spew from me like a kettle boiling over.
“Does this look right?” I smooth my hands down my slacks and command myself to act normal.
Bree looks up from where she sits cross-legged on my bed. Her back is propped against the wall, and she’s sipping a glass of red wine with an expression bordering on reverence.
“God, this is good Pinot. Totally worth having to pump and dump.” She studies me over the rim of her wineglass. “You look gorgeous,” she says slowly. “But, um…don’t you think it’s a little dressy for visiting a farm?”
“I have no idea.” I look down at the shiny black slacks I’ve paired with a crisp white top. It seemed appropriately casual at the time, but I’ve clearly misjudged. “My only farm visit was that time we stopped by Jade and Amber’s on our way home from that doctor’s appointment, and obviously that was with you and not—”
“A hot guy, I see your point.” She smiles and stands up to set her wine on my desk. “You look beautiful, but I think you’ll be more comfortable dressed down. Do you have any flannel? Or maybe some regular jeans that aren’t so fancy?”