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I take a step back. Overwhelmed. I can't remember the last time anyone said so many nice things to me in a row. "Stop that."
His mouth twitches. "Stop what?"
"Stop being nice to me. It's weird. You're supposed to hate me."
He lets his lips curve up. "And what if I don't hate you?"
"Probably the natural order of things would twist inside out and we'd be looking at a major apocalyptic event."
He steps closer. "We can't have that, can we?"
"Stop that." I put up a hand between us. I just can't handle one more seemingly good thing happening to me today. It's too far out of the norm my life has become, and I can't trust it. "You're trying to butter me up for something."
He sighs and shakes his head, but his smile doesn't fade. "You're right. I do have an ulterior motive."
"Ha!" I point at him. "You're trying to sweet talk me into another cherry pastry day."
He shrugs, the mannerism so much like Hailey's that I almost smile. "I mean, I wouldn't turn down another cherry pastry day, but what I really, truly want is for us to be friends."
I stare at him and blink hard. I must still be sleeping. "You want us to be friends? You do know I sometimes camp without paying the fee, right? I sometimes pee within one hundred feet of a trail, and I have been known to go two miles over the speed limit on the Parkway from time to time."
He takes another step closer and pushes a curl behind my ear. I shiver and curse my stupid, betraying, reactive body. "Keep your enemies closer. Isn't that what they say?"
I could kiss him. It would be so easy. I could just pop up onto my toes and press my lips to his and — No. Nope.
With great effort, I turn away and march to the bookstore. "I'll take your offer under consideration."
His laughter follows me, and I hate him for it. When did he get so damn cocky? "I'll be waiting for your answer with bated breath. And you really shouldn't speed on the Parkway. Most NPL deaths are vehicular."
I pull open the door just enough to slip inside, wishing I could slam it behind me. How dare he be so weirdly nice to me after saving me for a second time and getting hay for Mari?
How dare he be so damn kind?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Grant
Icruise the long graveled driveway to the Weston sisters' home and step on the brakes halfway down. What the hell am I doing?
Rolling down the window, I try to draw in a deep breath, but nearly choke on the humidity. The air is so thick I feel damp within seconds.
I'm not such a nature addict that I avoid air conditioning. There's nothing like walking into my cool house after a day in the heat and the sun. But I can never forget that it's a false climate, distancing me from the real world and preventing my body from acclimating to natural temperatures.
The searing, humid heat this afternoon is out of season for early October. The last gasps of a summer that doesn't want to go to bed. Hopefully, a sign of cooler temperatures on the horizon.
Giving up on trying to breathe deep and center myself, I take in the view of the mountains and the forest, the Weston sisters' property still out of sight around the next curve.
It's been twenty-four hours since I last saw Dani. Over a hundred since I felt her lips on mine. A smart man would wait for her to come to him. A smart man would acknowledge she's far too different from me and move on.
Unfortunately, my brain has taken a backseat today. My brain knows I should be out looking into the latest Bigfoot sightings or hiking the trails on the East side of the park after the high winds we had last night.
My brain also acknowledges it's technically my day off and all that can wait. My brain is not wholly against pursuing Dani or at least finding out what she's up to, because it's most likely trouble.
I run a hand through my hair and notice it's shaking slightly with nerves. When was the last time a woman made me nervous? When was the last time I missed a woman, who was barely even my friend, this bad?
I can't remember a time.
And I've never been very good at denying myself what I want.
