Page 23 of Thaw My Heart

Cash’s name hasn’t been in any of the newspapers I’ve seen in quite some time. The last article I read mentioning his name was years ago, which is interesting considering he’s next in line. You’d think there would be more about him.

“So… what about you and Alaska?” I ask a few moments later, unable to stop thinking about my first encounter with her. She was stunning, exotic in a way that unnerved me. And a vet? Beauty aside, she had to be wicked smart, too. Everything about her made me feel small.

But why didn’t she like me? I’ve never had many girlfriends, but her grip on my hand was way more threatening than it should’ve been.

And she did not like it when I touched him.

“What about me and Alaska?” He narrows his eyes.

“Did you guys… date?”

“No, we did not. And no, the child she’s carrying is not mine.”

Child? I glance at Alaska sitting next to Ryker, noticing her cradling a small bump. Why didn’t I notice it before?

“I’ve been here all ten minutes, and everyone seems to think I’m the asshole who knocked her up and left. I didn’t do that, and I would never fucking do that. Is that clear enough for you?”

Damn, he’s touchy about this particular subject.

“I didn’t even realize she was pregnant until you just told me,” I defend. The rigid lines in his face dissolve. “I’m only trying to figure you out.”

“Why?” He asks, softer than I thought he would.

“I want to get to know you,” I admit.

He pauses, tongue darting out to wet his lips. A softness lingers in his expression, but then his eyes darken. “There’s nothing to get to know.”

But I disagree with him. I reach for his ballcap, turning it around to be able to see him more clearly.

“Hey,” he protests. “What⁠—”

“There. Now I can actually see you when you talk to me.”

The light from the rustic chandeliers reflects soft light into his eyes, making them look even bluer. Damn, does he realize how handsome he is? And I’m a total sucker for a backwards ballcap. I grin like a fiend at my handi-work.

His chest reverberates with a rough groan, but he leaves his hat alone. “Better?” he mutters.

“Much,” I smile brightly.

“You have trouble with boundaries, don’t you?”

“I’m what you call a wildflower.”

He huffs a laugh. “Is that what you call it?”

I shrug with a smirk. The whiff of pine and mint fills my nose as we sway side to side. The strength of his shoulders feels good beneath my arms. Solid and warm. He might be a grumpy pain in the ass, but there’s a steadiness that wraps around me as we dance. As his hands gently cradle me. My lip between my teeth is like a tether to my self-control when all I want to do is lean in closer. A feeling that both scares and excites me.

His breath starts to stagger, and I wonder if he feels the pull between us.

“Do you think…” I pause, collecting my words against my roaring pulse. “Do you think there’s maybe even a small part of you that wanted to dance with me tonight?” Hoping that he can just admit that he likes me, even a little bit.

“Not even a little.”

God, he can be such an ass. “Well then, why didn’t you just let me dance with Cash?” My nostrils flare.

“He’s bad news.”

“And you’re not?” I challenge.