Chapter 3

Hunter moodily watchedthe couple converse while he sipped his drink. Evidently, it was a blind date set up from her friend's introductions. Still, he didn't like it. Fate had stepped in and allowed him to find her. He certainly didn't want to lose her to another man this early in the game.

She was more riveting than he remembered. Those eyes still burned with blue fire, but with her knit cap and coat off, Hunter admitted she was a knockout. Honey strands of hair fell in artful disarray around her face, setting off high arched brows, and full, pouty lips. Her Christmasy red sweater accentuated high lush breasts. Long legs were clad in black pants, emphasized by thigh high leather boots that were all the rage and sexy as hell.

Still, he dated beautiful women all the time. Skye seemed different. Her face reflected an open honesty and strength of character he rarely spotted anymore, evident in her rescuing a tree that was ugly on the outside. She glimpsed more underneath the surface and took the precious time to look. The people Hunter knew rarely wasted effort to investigate. They craved bigger, better, shinier, and demanded it yesterday. Skye's loyalty toward something ugly intrigued him, until he followed his instinct to make the deal difficult for her. No one would pay money for something that didn't fit. Something that wasn't beautiful.

Skye proved him wrong.

When she refused to walk away from her tree, Hunter knew he needed to know this woman.

He tried not to let his impatience show as the hour slipped by. The party could have been his opportunity to know her better. He heard her blind date was a dentist. His gut twisted. Was she a woman who'd never involve herself with a man who worked on a tree farm? Perhaps, the idea of dating a stable, money making dentist would trump their attraction? The thought depressed him.

The crowd began ooghghing and aghghing and made their way out to the large deck outside. The snow had begun and a storm threatened. Hunter watched the couple finish their plates from the buffet, and then Robert disappeared.

Hunter hadn't made his fortune by standing around waiting for opportunity. He learned to go out and take it. He put down his drink and strode over to Skye, determined not to lose his lady to a local dentist.

Her eyes lit up and she seemed clearly glad to see him. An answering warmth pumped through his blood at the sight of her smile. "Hi again," he said. "How's your date going?"

Her face fell and he was sorry he made her uncomfortable. In just two conversations, he felt more connected to this woman than he ever had to anyone else. "Hunter, my girlfriend set me up on this blind date and I?—"

"No, don't apologize. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He looked around and offered his hand. "Do you think your date would mind if I stole some time with you? There's a blizzard outside. Want to take a look?"

"Yes." She took his hand. Her fingers slid around his with a natural ease that caused a strange emotion to grab him in a chokehold.

Home.

He pushed the ridiculous thought away and led her outside. The crowd had thinned and they settled in the corner by a large wooden beam. A quiet hush blanketed the sloping lawns set high off the mountain road. The high cliffs dominated the skyline with Godlike power. Thick pieces of snow fell down and covered the majestic trees with a veil of white. The air rushed cold and fresh, and their breath caused puffs of smoke as they breathed deep and watched the scene in companionable silence.

"I love it here," she said quietly. "When I was young, I craved city life. More excitement, more oportunites. Then I ended up right back where I started and realized it's home."

"What do you do?" he asked.

"I teach third grade at the local elementary school." When he laughed, she looked up in question. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because I pegged you as a teacher from the gate. The way you looked at me on the tree farm gave me goose bumps. Reminded me of my own third grade teacher."

Skye laughed with him. "Try running a brigade of eight-year olds that outnumber you by 25 to 1. You learn fast."

"No wonder I was scared."

"And you? What do you do when you're not working on a tree farm?"

Hunter took a moment before answering. He wasn't ready to tell her yet. Admitting to being the king of chain restaurants across the country distorted a woman's perspective. In his experience, the women he dated changed. Right now, with her hand in his, and the delicious scent of lavender mint shampoo from her hair, and the warmth in her face, he wanted nothing to change. He decided to buy himself a bit more time. "I'm sort of a handy man," he said. "Odd jobs here and there. Tree farms in the winter. Landscaping in the summer. I make my way."

She nodded in understanding. "I respect that. I think too many people are scared to find their true niche in life, so they settle for some limiting job that pays well, but find themselves miserable in a mid-life crisis. Nothing's worth regret."

And in that moment, after a few hours in her company, Hunter fell hard for Skye Summers.

The sudden realization was cut short when Liz appeared beside them. "Skye, Robert's looking for you. I'm sorry, I don't think we met?" Skye quickly made introductions, while Liz gazed at him curiously.

Skye spoke up in the awkward silence. "Liz, I'm sorry, but I have to get home. My car will never make the drive."

"Just stay over, a lot of people are. Plenty of space."

She shook her head. "No, I have to get home to Dug. Plus, I have a long list of things to do tomorrow and I'm exhausted."

"Your car is old as dirt. It"s not safe." Liz bit down on her bottom lip, her dark eyes worried. "I'll take you home. I can crash at your place tonight—it'll be like a slumber party."

"No way!" Skye leaned over and hissed near her friend's ear. "You've been staking out Nick Parker for months and he's bunking down for the night. This is your perfect opportunity and I will not let you ruin it to babysit me."

Hunter became fascinated by the push and pull of female conversation. Lots of stubbornness. Emotion. And heat. His presence didn't even disarm them, as if they were past such boundaries within their perfect circle of friendship.

Liz shrugged with fake nonchalance "Big deal. They'll be other times. I rather watch old movies with you."

"Liar. You're staying."

"I'm driving you home. I have four-wheel drive."

"Liz, there's no way on the face of this earth I'm letting you out of this house tonight."

"I'll drive you home," he said.

The words fell onto sharp silence. Skye turned and looked at him questioningly. "What about you? Maybe you shouldn't be driving in this either."

Hunter pointed to the line of cars in the winding driveway and off the side of the road. "I have a Hummer. Can cut through anything."

Liz's mouth dropped open. Skye looked surprised that a man who did odd jobs for a living had a Hummer, but she didn't pause. "Ok, if it wouldn't be any trouble."

Liz shot out her hand and grabbed her friend's arm. "Umm, I don't feel comfortable with this. Maybe Robert can drive you home? she suggested. "I know he"s safe."

Hunter gave Liz a reassuring smile. "I swear I'm not a serial killer. I'll give you my cell phone number so you have it. You can write down my license plate number too. And my friend is here who can vouch for me."

"But—"

Skye squeezed her friend"s arm in reassurance. "He's ok, Liz. I'll speak with Robert in a minute and say good-bye."

Liz turned to him with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cub. "If you do anything funny, I promise to find you."

Hunter laughed. He respected Liz as much as Skye in that moment, touched by their obvious strong bond of friendship. "I'll keep her safe. Come on, let me introduce you to my buddy who can vouch for my honor. Then I'll give you my actual cell phone so you can confirm my number."

They spent the last minutes saying good-byes and making sure Liz felt comfortable. Hunter fought back laughter when Liz dragged over her other girlfriend and he faced more threats on retribution if he touched Skye out of her comfortable boundaries. The heat on her cheeks at the over protectiveness warmed him. This was a woman who was obviously well loved. Then Hunter finally settled Skye into the passenger seat, cranked up the heat, and pulled carefully away from the house.

"How did Robert take it?" he asked.

Skye shrugged. "Wasn't thrilled but I explained you were an old friend. Took the sting out of it. He's a lovely man."

"Hmmm. A dentist, huh?"

She swung her head around to look at him in surprise. Her silky blonde curls slid over her shoulder. "How did you know?"

"Word travels."

Skye looked amused. "Yes, a local dentist."

"Sounds like a great guy. Stable. Nice. Solid career." He paused. "So, why are you with me and not him?

He gave her credit. She took the jab nicely and thrust right back. "Well, that's right to the point. I'm not crazy about dentists."

"They make good money."

"Hmm, you seem to be obsessed over the money part. I'm not looking for a man with money. Most rich men I know are too arrogant. I want a man who knows who he is and doesn't apologize for it. And I don't like anyone examining my teeth."

Hunter burst out laughing. "Looks like you have perfect teeth to me."

"I have a junk food habit. He wouldn't approve."

"I knew you were the perfect woman for me. Is Dug a dog or a cat?"

"Dog. A very unique one." Her lip twitched. "You didn't get worried I had a hidden lover at home I forgot to tell you about?"

"No. You seem like a woman who doesn't lie."

She jerked in her seat. Surprise touched her voice. "You got all that from a few conversations?"

He shot her a sidelong look. "Yes. I'm a good judge of character."

"What if I'm a crazy serial killer who's trying to lure you into my house so I can chain you in my basement?"

He shrugged. "I'll go willingly."

Her laughter exploded with joy and pumped the car with life. His fingers gripped the steering wheel, struck to the core at how the sound broke something open inside him he didn't realize had been closed. All he knew was he craved to make her laugh again and again.

They rode in comfortable silence, easing through snow banks and slick country roads. Her home was located on a small residential block, with a postage stamp lawn and pretty colored yellow shingles. He pulled in her driveway and turned to her. "I can pick you up tomorrow, if you'd like, so you can get your car."

"That'd be nice." The silence grew with an unnamed finely tuned sexual tension, spinning its way around them in a tight web. Hunter tried like hell not to focus on the edge of those thigh high leather boots. Tried not to think of how snug they wrapped around her legs, and how she'd look if he knelt before her to peel the boots off one by one. Would her naked skin quiver against his tongue? Would she taste like lavender and mint? The erotic image hit him square in the face and he shifted uncomfortably. It had been so long since he felt this connected with a woman.

He forced himself to speak in the simmering quiet. "Great. I can be here early morning. Around ten?"

"Sure." She opened the car door, stopped, then turned. "Hunter? Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee? And see Charlie Brown?"

The invitation caused his heart to pound like a teenager with his first woman but he didn't pause. "I'd love to."

He followed Skye to the front door.