“I’m sorry, Zuri. Guys can be jerks.”
She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, her eyes burning. “Yeah.”
“And your dad—maybe he wasn’t horrified at your skin as much as his failure to protect you.”
She had nothing for that, so she turned away again, blinking hard against the wetness in her eyes. “And now Vivie wants me to stand up in front of a whole church full of people in a sleeveless gown where everyone can gawk at me.”
Duke said nothing. Silence, of course. Oh, how had she gotten to this point of exposing her wounds before a man she’d just met?
Duke’s warm finger lifted her chin, drawing her attention back to his bold stare. His deep brown eyes spoke for him. He was fierce and intense and angry.
But not at her. He was angry for her. There was a sharpness to his quiet voice when he spoke. “Don’t you believe a word of what those others have said. You are exquisite.”
She held her breath as his gaze roamed her face.
“I mean it, Zuri.” Then he moved closer and—
His lips gently caressed her cheek. Tears pricked her eyes as another feather soft kiss landed right on her scar.
What? She pulled away, but only far enough to look into his eyes. Yeah, he was real, all right. And it wasn’t disgust or shame or anything else she’d always associated with her scar tissue that she saw staring back at her.
It was admiration. Respect. And a hefty dose of…desire?
His citrus-clove scent surrounded them. Their breaths mingled in what little space was between them, fogging the windows and veiling them from the outside world.
Well then.
Zuri curled her fingers into his coat and tugged him closer. Their lips met in an explosion of senses. She’d come to Minnesota to change a cold-hearted scrooge, but there was nothing cold about Duke Lowry now.
Hot and passionate, gentle and firm, and a heady combination of sweet and spice. The man could kiss.
And for the first time in years, Zuri didn’t feel like hiding.
CHAPTER 8
THURSDAY, 2:22 P.M.
Duke could hardly catch his breath. There was no way he deserved this taste of paradise. He’d held back the desire to kiss her before, knowing she was way out of his league. What did a grumpy cop have to offer a woman like her? But in hearing her story, he’d only wanted to show her that her scars did nothing to detract from her beauty. He hadn’t thought she would dive in quite so…enthusiastically.
Which was stupid of him, really. She was all passion and heart. When had she not thrown herself wholeheartedly into anything since the first moment he saw her?
Maybe what was more surprising was that she wasn’t repulsed by him. Her touch opened up long forgotten dreams. Dreams of a family. Of coming home to share the hardships and victories of the day with a loved one. Of passing along traditions his mother had shared with him with his own children. Dreams he’d lost along the way and lost all hope of ever coming to fruition.
Until now.
And for a long, sweet moment, he lost himself in the what-ifs and basked in Zuri’s kisses.
He finally pulled away, his finger tracing the contour of her face from brow to cheek to her neck, where the scarring started. She watched him intently, waiting for his reaction. Almost like it was some sort of test.
“This doesn’t define you, Zuri.”
“Easy for you to say. You haven’t seen it all.”
“Then show me.”
Her head reared back. “Excuse me? What kind of woman do you take me for?”
“No! Not that.” Oh, he was messing this up big time. “I meant the dress. You have the bridesmaid’s dress, right?”
“Oh.” She looked sheepish. “Well, yeah, but—”
“Try it on. You think these scars are so bad—let me be the judge of that.”
“We have to find the car. And the ring, and—”
“We have to wait for Cole to run the plates anyway. Let’s check the next few lookouts, just in case, and go back to the Evergreen. You can try this dress on and see that you have nothing to be ashamed of. You came all this way to help Vivien in the wedding, right?”
He could see the conflict in her eyes but stayed silent. He’d said his piece. Now it was up to her.
After a beat, she gave him a firm nod. “Okay. I’ll try it on.”
“I knew you had it in you.”
He didn’t know why he felt like he’d solved a case, but that warm, satisfied feeling sank in as he drove farther up the highway and checked the other lookout spots and hiking trail parking lots.
Everything was empty.
Still, he refused to lose hope.
Back at the resort, he waited in his cabin while Zuri changed into her dress.
Was he really falling for a woman he’d just met? A woman who lived—he checked his phone—one thousand, one hundred and ninety-six miles away from him, give or take a few.
More, was she standing in her own cabin thinking what an idiot she was for kissing him? Or maybe it hadn’t shaken her up as it had him. Maybe it wasn’t as significant or—
His phone chimed. She was ready. Before he could talk himself out of it, he walked over to Zuri’s cabin and knocked. She opened the door, hiding behind it. But she couldn’t hide the nervous tell as she crinkled her nose and fiddled with a strand of her shiny brown hair.
Sheesh, she was completely endearing.
He waited on her front porch. “Do you want me stay out here? I mean, it’s a little chilly, but I’ll stand here as long as it takes.”
“No, come in.” She opened the door wider and shut it behind him when he came into the cabin. She blew out a quick breath, threw her shoulders back, and spun around to face him. She looked like she was ready to face the firing squad. But she lifted her chin and met his eyes.
And took his breath away.
Yes, her face was gorgeous and the dress pretty as it hugged her curves and flowed down to little pink toes peeking out from the hem that pooled around her on the floor. Her wavy locks framed her cheeks and cascaded down her back, exposing a graceful neck and delicate collarbones. But it was the scarred shoulder and neck showcasing her perseverance and courage that amazed him. It was her bravery to stand there under his scrutiny as she waited for the verdict. She swallowed hard.
“Well?” she whispered.
He stepped closer and reached for her hands. “You, Zuri Milano, are one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. And if you don’t already have a date, I’d be honored if you would accompany me to this wedding I have to go to on Saturday. If you don’t mind attending with a grinch, that is.”
Her smile bloomed full and bright. “I’ll have to check my calendar, but I bet I can save you a dance or two.” She gave him a sassy smirk.
He was such a goner.
And it felt…good. To believe again in some goodness in this dark world. To have something hopeful as he looked into the future.
The ringing cell phone in his pocket broke the spell of the moment. He checked the screen. “It’s Cole.”
“Maybe they found the car. I’ll change so we’re ready to go.” Zuri rushed to the bathroom while Duke stepped outside and answered the call.
“Hey, Cole, did you find the owners of that Corolla?”