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“Hi.” Leah’s voice was breathy and something in his pants wanted to get happy again. One look at The Dude, however, squelched that reaction.
“Hey.” What was the appropriate greeting? Shake hands? Hug her? Plunge his tongue deep into her mouth and claim her so The Dude knew who he was dealing with?
And what the hell was up with this jealousy coursing through him like a live current? Dakota Brenton didn’t do jealousy. At least he hadn’t. Before Leah.
“This is my best friend from New York,” Leah said as she tugged The Dude over. “Dakota Brenton meet Carter Bennett.”
The Dude extended his hand and Dakota merely regarded it for a moment before his mind yelled at him to take it and stop acting like a caveman. Leah could have The Dude. She had a life before she came to Maplehaven. She was allowed to have relationships other than the delicate seed of the one starting between them.
Krista’s words about being tied down echoed in his head again. Did he want to be tied down? Did he want tobelongto someone? To Leah?
“It’s nice to meet you,” The Dude—Carter—said when Dakota finally shook his hand.
“Likewise.”
“Carter is a video game developer in New York,” Leah said. “Do you play video games?”
Dakota nodded. “Mostly with Luke. The kid likes to think he can beat me, but I’ve been playing video games since I was his age. I’ve got years of experience.”
“What’s your favorite game?” Carter asked.
“Classic or recent?”
Carter grinned and Dakota loosened his hold on the jealousy. “Let’s go with recent because we could probably spend all day debating on the classics, and we have some ziplining to do.”
“Well, Luke and I are currently obsessed withDigMasters IV. Amazing graphics and it plays like anIndiana Jonesmovie.”
Leah clapped as she turned to Carter. “That’s one of yours, isn’t it?”
So they liked the same games. Big deal. They had better not like the same women.
“DigMastersis one of mine. I was going for theIndiana Jonesfeel. Glad that came across.”
“Wait a minute,” Dakota said. “YoumadeDigMasters?”
Carter nodded. “Yeah. All four of them… with a fifth one in the making.”
“There’s going to be a fifth one?” Why did Dakota’s voice sound like that of a pimply-faced teen? “Luke is going to be so excited.”
“Luke, huh?” Leah raised an eyebrow at him. “Just Luke?”
“Hey, the boy needs an older, wiser Jedi gamer to guide him.” Dakota imagined whatDigMasters Vmight include and felt a little euphoric.
“I see.” Leah laughed, and Dakota’s attention was pulled away from video games and put back on how inviting her lips were.
“Shall we get to ziplining?” Dakota asked to keep himself from taking a taste of Leah right now in front of The Dude.
“Yes!” Carter poked Leah in the ribs. “I can’t wait to hear this one scream as she dangles from the line.”
A friendly poke in the ribs. No big deal. No. Big. Deal.
“I won’t be screaming.” Leah gave Carter a little push.
Yes. Push him away. Far away.
“In all the years I’ve been taking people ziplining,” Dakota said, “no one has ever screamed. Hooted, whahooed, oohhhed, and ahhhed, but no screaming.” He angled his head at Leah. “Besides, I don’t think our Leah is a screamer.”
Her cheeks instantly blazed red and Dakota felt a little bad embarrassing her, but he was like a dog pissing on his territory. He couldn’t stop himself. Good thing Krista wasn’t watching him right now because she’d have so much material to rib him about. He peeked at the building behind him, confirming that Krista didn’t have her face pressed up to the windows, gathering fodder to make a fool of him later.
