TWO

Zane descended the staircase, heard a door slam on the third level, and tried to guess which of his dead relatives he'd pissed off. There were at least a half-dozen in residence, and he wished he could determine what it would take to get them to move on. "Why didn't you guys put on a show when Olivia was here?"

Hesitating on the landing, he waited to see if they'd bother responding.

Nothing.

Damn spirits never cooperated.

He hit the bottom step and heard a sharp bark. "What the hell?" Stalking toward the front door, he swung it open and saw Bella wagging her tail. "Does the purple ribbon signify your royal lineage?"

Drool dripped from the dog's mouth, and he stepped back when she pushed her way inside. "Seems you take after your mama and don't wait for an invitation." The beast barked in agreement as a cool breeze brushed across his skin, and he knew it was a sign that the family ghosts approved of the intrusion. "In case any of you are interested, this isn't normal."

Again, no response.

"Whatever." He strode down the hall with the dog on his heel and entered the kitchen, trying to remember when speaking to ghosts had become a regular occurrence.

Giving the room a cursory look, he remembered what Olivia had said about kitchen porn and silently agreed. He'd been outdoing himself with the update and looked forward to making the rest of the house worthy.

Stopping abruptly in the middle of the room, he felt Bella bump into his leg and realized he'd had a positive thought. Weird shit, to be sure, since he couldn't remember the last time he'd looked forward to anything.

Certainly, it had to be before he joined the armed services. Happy, woo-woo, mumbo-jumbo wasn't part of life on the front lines as a Green Beret, and he'd never been inclined to move outside his three-foot world to develop the habit.

Was that something he should try and change? Did the new life he was forging have room for some positive vibes?

"Not likely," he murmured as painful memories tore through him, parking themselves in their usual spot against his heart. He'd stood at the side of too many graves in the last several years and struggled almost daily with the reality that he'd survived when so many of his brothers in arms hadn't.

The guilt was crushing on good days and deadly on bad ones. Realizing he was about to be engulfed by a tidal wave of dark thoughts, he heaved a long breath. "Don't give in to it." Bella's head pressed against his hand, and he stroked the dog's fur, feeling the bleak emotions recede slightly. He kept himself still and waited until his heartbeat slowed.

"Better," he muttered after several minutes. A doggy smile lit up Bella's ugly face, and he found himself matching it. "Maybe we should keep that little episode between us." The dog blinked twice, and he let out a short laugh before walking to the coffee pot. "I hate to admit it, but you're almost as charming as your mama."

He got a happy bark in response as he filled a big mug with coffee and thought about his two-hour visit with his neighbor. Surprisingly it hadn't been awful. And if he was being honest, he wouldn't hate it if it happened again.

Could he chalk it up to how damn beautiful the woman was?

Possibly.

Sure as hell wasn't a man alive who wouldn't want to look at her heart-shaped face with full lips and laughing eyes.

Not that he would do anything about being in her company anytime soon. No way.

The last thing he needed was to get involved with someone like Olivia because the care and feeding of a woman like that would require a lot more free time than he was currently in possession of.

Not to mention the mental health and emotional intelligence it would require.

He didn't have much of either, and the short amount of time they'd spent together told him that would never suffice. And since he never entered a battle space he couldn't dominate, he would keep his distance.

Right after he returned her dog.

He walked toward the two-story house a mile from his and let out a low whistle when he got close. He'd seen it from the road they shared more times than he could count but had never taken the time to study it.

The home was painted dark green, reminding him of a glammed-up summer cabin. There was a small enclosed front porch draped in ivy and an American flag waving in the breeze. The only thing that seemed out of place was the abandoned Ferris wheel that dominated the empty field to the left of the house.

There had to be an interesting story there.

He gulped his coffee and watched Bella run toward the back of the house with a happy bark. "Delivered, safe and sound," he mumbled before looking around.

When Olivia didn't appear, he decided to escape before she pulled him into a conversation that would last hours. One visit was more than enough, and seeing her heart-stopping smile two days in a row was utterly unnecessary.

Spinning around, he heard the slap of a screen door. "So close," he muttered before hearing the pretty lilt of his neighbor's voice.

"Did you stop by for more banana bread?"

He turned slowly and was glad that he'd worn his dark aviator sunglasses since it allowed him to enjoy the visual feast her curves and dips provided.

Making sure he gave away nothing, he tilted his head. "Your dog showed up at my door, and I brought her back."

"How sweet," Olivia said as she stepped down the short staircase.

"Not particularly." Keeping his expression neutral, he watched her move into his personal space. "Don't want to add dog-napper to my list of sins."

"How long of a list of sins do you possess?" she asked, looking up. "And will you tell me the juicy ones?"

"No," he sputtered, ignoring the mischievousness in her gaze.

Clasping her hands behind her back, she sighed. "Fine, tell me the boring ones."

"That would be a hard no."

"You're no fun." She frowned, stalked to a metal table beside the porch, and picked up a bowl. "But I forgive you since you brought Bella home."

"So relieved." He followed her and watched her scoop a handful of nuggets out of the metal container, creating a heart on the table. "What in the world are you doing?"

"Luring the big black cat from the woods closer."

"With a heart?"

She gave him a slow once over. "Yes, I want him to know that he's welcome."

"Interesting."

"I'm just trying to keep up the family tradition."

"Which is?"

"My forbearers settled the town and named it Haven in hopes that misfits, oddballs, loners, and rebels would feel welcome."

He lifted a handful of food and filled in the bottom of the heart. "Guess that explains why mine decided to call this place home since they've all had their eccentricities."

"I love a good peculiarity and am proud to be a part of our population of twenty-five thousand free-thinking souls." She bumped his shoulder. "Truth be told, it helps me maintain the illusion that I'm not all that quirky."

"Solid strategy," he murmured, not understanding the sudden need to shift closer. Placing an iron fist of control around the impulse to run his finger over the soft skin of her neck, he ignored the ripple of awareness.

Mate, claim and devour were the words skidding across his mind, and he couldn't understand why Olivia ignited the long-forgotten need for human connection.

A car engine sounded in the distance, and he let out a breath, welcoming the interruption. "Expecting someone?"

"My sister," she replied, brushing off her hands. "Which means luck is on your side, and you get to meet the prettiest of the Bennett sisters."

I already have, he thought as Olivia stepped away.

She held out her hand. "Come and meet her."

"Another time." He turned toward the path that led to his house. "Yesterday filled my quota for human interaction for the week."

"Alright, but feel free to stop by anytime."

He gave her a salute and then strode down the rutted road. Waiting for the familiar feeling of relief to bloom, he was surprised when a stab of regret appeared instead.

Telling himself it had nothing to do with his pretty neighbor and her quirks, he quickened his pace, vowing to stay away from temptation.

If something like that was even possible.

Olivia watched her neighbor stalk away and decided the short encounter didn't do anything to move their friendship forward. It also didn't decimate the small start they'd made either, so perhaps a win was a win.

Bella bounded forward, and she opened her arms, welcoming her dog with kisses. "Good job, girl; you did exactly what we discussed and made that big, beautiful man step outside his routine."

"Who's routine?" Lucy called out as she picked her way across the mud puddles.

"My neighbors'," she answered, admiring her sister's showgirl body encased in a flattering dress. "Love the look, Lucy. That day dress does all kinds of sinful things for your figure."

"Good," she said flatly. "Because I want that snake of a man I used to date to feel overwhelming regret every time he catches a glimpse of me."

She took her older sister's hand. "Are you and Ken on the outs again?"

"We're done," Lucy replied firmly. "Never to be resurrected. Finito!"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Good Lord, no." Leaning back, she waggled her finger toward Zane's retreating form. "I'd much rather discuss your hot neighbor."

"We'll need chocolate muffins to go with that convo, so come inside."

"Oohhhh," Lucy said, "that's exciting and makes me think the tea you're about to spill is going to be hot."

"Unfortunately, it's lukewarm at best."

"That's a shame," she replied quietly, "since I plan on living through you vicariously for the foreseeable future."

"I doubt that will be necessary since the town's men will buzz around you like bees the minute your breakup becomes public knowledge."

"I hope not. I've known most of them since kindergarten and remember vividly when they ate their boogers." She made a frown. "There's not one decent prospect in all of Haven, and I might have to follow our baby sister's footsteps and move out of town to find a man worth holding onto."

"Callie didn't move to the Outer Banks for love; she went to pursue her career."

"And happened to find a fab man along the way."

"True. But I doubt the ties that have kept us bound to this town will loosen any time soon."

Lucy let out a dramatic sigh. "I know, but I like to pretend it's possible every once in a while."

She tugged her sister's hand toward the front door. "Let's go fix our lackluster love lives with chocolate."

"Might as well."

As they tromped into the house, she thought about the man at the end of Lady Bug Lane and wondered if he'd ever find her…not annoying.

Ten minutes later, they were comfortably settled in the enclosed porch, and she gave Lucy an assessing gaze. "Is it truly over with Ken, or have you two just had another knockdown war of words that will take a couple of days to get over?"

"There is no coming back from what he said, and I can happily report that I've seen the light and set fire to the bridge that once connected us."

"So, you've decided to go with the nuclear option?"

"Absolutely, and I look forward to the peaceful days ahead," Lucy replied. "No more drama for this llama."

She cut her muffin in half and prayed her sister was truly over the town's golden boy. They'd never been much of a match, and she always suspected that underneath Ken's perfect fa?ade lay a heart filled with darkness. Or some fairly bad intentions. Either way, her sister deserved more. She lifted a piece of her muffin and tapped it against Lucy's. "Cheers to new beginnings."

"Indeed."

"Hey, before I forget, is our book club meeting still on for Thursday?"

"Yes," Lucy said after taking a sip of her coffee. "I'll send out a reminder tomorrow because no one will want to miss the question-and-answer Skype session I've scheduled with the author."

"I can't believe you got Ariella Buckwitz to agree to speak with our little group. She's a rock star of regency romance, and I hope she's as funny in person as she is on the page." She stirred another heaping teaspoon of sugar into her coffee. "I'm gaga over the woman."

"Who isn't?" Lucy replied. "My little bookstore may be small in size, but it's enormous in influence, and Ariella appreciates all the online pimping I've done for her fabulous books."

"Is Grams going to be joining us?"

"Assuming you're asking that rhetorically since our gin-swilling, caftan wearing, bon-vivant of a grandmother would never miss a get-together where drinks and nibbles are present."

"I just wanted to make sure," she said before taking a bite of her muffin. The dark chocolate chunks melted against her tongue, and she felt Bella's head on her knee. "We both know that chocolate isn't good for you." Her dog slid her face away and let out a little whimper before collapsing.

"Seems you found a dog that's as dramatic as Grams."

"I think they could give the other a run for their money, that's for sure."

"Tell me about your neighbor. Is he too handsome for words?"

"Yes, and no," she replied. "Half his face has several red scars, and his neck is mottled with burns, but none of that detracts from his devastating magnetism. It almost makes him a tiny bit more appealing since he'd be too handsome otherwise."

"Really?" Lucy asked. "Guess I have to see him in person to grasp his appeal."

"He's rather unfriendly and gruff when you first speak to him, but after a couple of hours, he warms right up." She watched her sister's signature eye roll and let out a huff. "What…it's true."

"No doubt, but why am I getting the feeling that this poor man is going to be subjected to your efforts to save him?"

"He's 6'3", two hundred plus pounds of muscle and determination. He was a Green Beret and could probably take out a man with nothing more than a post-it note. Nothing about him needs saving, and truth be told," she let out a sigh, "it would be me who would benefit from his company."

"Ooohhhh," Lucy replied quietly. "You got the feeling, didn't you?"

Picking at the crumbs on her plate, she nodded. "I did, and the closer I got, the more intense it became. It was like that force field Grams is always yammering about. It's not nonsense, Luce, and I'm bewildered why God made it possible with a man who's a grump and finds me more than a tad irritating."

"Did you do that thing where you forget about personal space and chatter about any random thing that comes to your mind?"

"Yes," she whispered. "It was so bad."

"Think you'll be able to get ahold of yourself next time you see him?"

She shook her head slowly. "Not a chance in the world. He's a flame that I can't stay away from. I sent my poor Bella over there this morning so he'd have no choice but to return her. I've stooped quite low and will likely do it again the minute I come up with a plan."

Lucy patted her sister's hand. "I guess the only thing we can do is embrace it and figure out a way to minimize the fallout."

"Maybe there's some spell I can cast on him so he doesn't find me so unappealing. Do you have any of those witchcraft books on the sale table anymore?"

"No. Betsy Yarlin bought them when I dropped the price to $5.99. Lord knows what she plans on doing with them, but Hoyt Doherty is likely the center of whatever she's got in mind."

"Bless her heart." Feeling a kinship with the woman who lived across the lake, she wondered if she might share the spells that succeeded.

"Don't," Lucy said firmly.

"I wasn't," she said with an innocent smile. "I'm not dumb enough to interfere with the universe's plan."

"Let's hope so."

Crossing her fingers under the table, she knew she wouldn't interfere but might help things along should the right opportunity present itself.