“Let’s head back.” Ronnie spun in her seat and faced forward once again, digging her paddle into the clear green water. Peter must have sensed her need to change to lighter subjects. He pointed out the other residences and resorts on the lake, Pine Acres which Jensen owned and ran, and other neighbors of the Christiansens. He told her funny stories of growing up in Deep Haven. She couldn’t help but wish she had grown up here too.
Though her arms burned, the exercise felt good, gave her something to focus on. It would be worth the sore muscles tomorrow. She had a feeling it was a day she wouldn’t ever forget.
They soon reached the sandy beach near the canoe racks and disembarked.
“When is Tiago done with rehearsal?” Peter asked as he pulled the canoe farther up on the shore.
Ronnie picked up her end and tried not to get lost in his gorgeous eyes at the stern. “Not until later tonight. We still have time to put another coat of paint on.”
“Or maybe I could go grab some dinner and bring it over.”
Slow. Remember to take it slow.
He watched her. Waiting. Not pressuring. A little quirk to his smile made her go a bit weak at the knees.
Well, a girl did need to eat. “Any good Mexican food in this town? I’m craving tacos.”
Before he answered her question, something slithered over her toes. Ronnie screamed and dropped the canoe, lifting one foot after the other off the ground as high as she could.
“What?” Peter rushed to her side. She grabbed his arm, hanging on as she ran in place.
“What’s wrong?”
“Snake!” she finally screamed and pushed off Peter, backing away from the place she’d last seen the reptile slither through the grass and pine needles. “Kill it! Chop it up into pieces and…and…kill it!” Her back hit a tree.
In a moment, Peter’s expression turned from worry to—laughter? Shoulders shaking, he emitted a full-on belly laugh. It rumbled through the surrounding woods. “You’re afraid of snakes?”
“What are you doing? Kill it! You said if I ever needed help to let you help, so here I am. Help me. Stop laughing and kill that evil reptile.”
The snake, not more than a foot long and the width of her pinky, curled near the base of a log.
Peter bent down and actually picked up the vile thing.
“Put it down!” She jumped away, the tree between her and the snake as he held it up.
“It’s a garter snake. Completely harmless. Just a baby.”
“Peter Dahlquist, get rid of that thing right now! Don’t you dare come near me with it.”
With a quick flick of his wrist, he tossed it in the woods. “They aren’t poisonous. Don’t worry.”
“You didn’t kill it!” She slid back around the tree trunk, trying to gain some control over her panic, but she wouldn’t leave the safety of the towering pine.
He held up his hands, almost in surrender. “Ronnie, there’s no need. It can’t hurt you.” He moved closer, and his voice calmed her racing heartbeat.
But still. “You…you don’t know that. I mean, the devil himself came as a snake.”
He held out a hand for her to take. “You’re safe. I promise.”
Hardly, but… Ronnie stepped away from the tree and cried out, grabbing her head. “Ow!”
“Wait.” Peter leaned in close. “Your hair is caught in one of the branches.”
“Well, get it out.”
He smirked. “Bossy, bossy. Just hang on a second.”
He reached behind her, his hands in her hair.
Oh. Wow.
His touch sent delicious tingles all over her scalp. The musk and evergreen scent of him made her mouth go dry. Her eyes slid closed as she breathed it in deeper. “Did…did you get it?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Oh, for Pete’s sake, her knees even went soft, like she might be some dumb damsel in distress. Next she’d probably throw herself into Peter’s very capable and buff arms.
“Almost.” The deep bass rumbled right in her ear, his breath tickling the nape of her neck. He stood in front of her, one arm on either side of her head. If she tilted her chin up just a notch, she could—
“There. You’re free.”
His smile froze as he looked down at her. His gaze fell to her lips.
And call it relief from him freeing her hair or protecting her from the snake or whatever it was—there was so much she wanted to say and couldn’t—but she plowed right in and pressed her lips to his.
She shocked herself just as much as she did him, probably, because he didn’t move for the first few seconds. But then his lips responded. He released a quiet moan and took over, his hands in her hair again. He kissed her back, giving her all she wanted and yet not enough. His touch and the taste of chocolate on her tongue sent delight and pleasure through every tingling nerve in her body. Her own hands slid up his chest, the pounding of his heart under her palms traveling through her. He burned a trail of kisses down her neck, his beard tickling her skin.
“Yo, Peter,” someone called from the trail.
He stepped back, breathing hard, but his gaze fell to hers, something almost dark and smoldering inside.
Oh. My.
So much for taking it slow.
A kid, older than Tiago, jogged up to them. His Blue Ox hockey shirt was smeared with dirt and sawdust coated his hair.
Peter cleared his throat and turned away. “Yeah, Tiger, what’s up?”
“Grandma wanted to know if you guys could stay for dinner. We’re having spaghetti and she said there was plenty for you too.”
“Uh, we…” And suddenly, he sounded flustered. Or still breathless.
Yeah, well her too. But that’s what she did—stepped into the messes to heal the traumatized. Or at least the people whose world had turned upside down.
She slid her hand into his. “We have plans.”
And just like that, Peter found his voice. “But thank her for thinking of us.”
“Okay.” Tiger turned back up the trail.
Peter wove his fingers into hers, his thumb rubbing little circles on the back of her hand. He turned to her, a heat still in his eyes. “We have plans?”
She nodded. “You were going to find me Mexican food. Remember?”
“Oh, right.” Then he smiled. A dazed, shy, goofy smile that melted that constant niggling in her head to silence.
They walked to his truck hand in hand. He opened the door for her.
Opened the door for her.
It wasn’t the first time he’d done that, but it still baffled her.
This man was sweet.
This man was dangerous.
But at this moment she didn’t care.
They didn’t say anything until he parked his truck in Cole’s driveway. “I’ll go get food. Later we can pick up Tiago.”
She got out and watched him drive down the hill, wondering just how long it would take before he was back. She was hungry.
And yes, her craving was for more than just good tacos.
“Ronnie, you okay?”
Ronnie spun around and faced Megan, a worried look in her friend’s eyes.
“Yeah. I’m great.”
Megan threw a handful of weeds into a wheelbarrow next to her. “Oh, good. You were just standing there staring off into space, so I wanted to make sure.” She walked up to Ronnie. “I wondered if you…” Stopping mid-step, Megan squinted. “Oh my gosh, you kissed him!”
She stared back at Megan. “What—how—how did you know?”
Megan tilted her head and giggled. “Well, what do you know? Thanks for confirming my hunch! You and Peter might just make a match of it yet.” She tugged Ronnie over to the porch steps. “Now, tell me all about it.”
Deep Haven was changing her more than she realized, because she found herself spilling her guts to Megan like she was at a girly slumber party. Not that she’d ever been to one—she didn’t have those kinds of friends. But maybe Megan was different.
A real
friend. The kind who could help her understand this whole crazy situation.
“I don’t know how it happened. I mean, one minute there’s this snake on my foot and then my hair got caught in a tree, and then…we were kissing.”
“Did he kiss you first?” Megan had taken off her garden gloves and was wearing a silly grin.
“I guess I was the one who made the first move. I was just so glad to get away from that snake, and then he was there. And…I don’t know…”
Megan sighed. “Your first kiss.”
“Well, it’s not my first kiss, but I certainly have never been kissed like that before.”
With other guys there were sparks, heat, but eventually it fizzled out. It always did. She’d get bored or realize they wanted more than she would give them either physically or emotionally. Their kisses were more about what they could get from her.
But this kiss, Peter’s kiss, didn’t take or demand. It was as if he was giving her a gift. Himself, maybe. And it sure wasn’t a few measly sparks that lit inside. More like a volcano of molten lava. The kind that, if spilled, would consume…well, her.
The man may look calm, cool, and collected on the outside, but inside he was full of passion and fire.
“But that might’ve been Peter’s first kiss.”
She stilled. “What? No way that was his first kiss. It was too good to be his first.” And she didn’t mean for all that to spill out, but really?
“Well, I can’t be sure, but he never dated in high school. He was even the homecoming king his senior year, but he didn’t have a date because everyone—”
“Let me guess. Everyone is his cousin.”
“Yeah. And in college, he was home every weekend working at a family restaurant or one of the resorts, trying to pay his own way. He always said he didn’t have time to date. So…yeah, Ronnie. You could be Peter’s first real kiss.”
Oh boy. Because if that was his first, Ronnie couldn’t imagine what his second or third would be like.
“Oh, you’ve got it bad,” Megan whispered. “Is he coming back tonight?”
“Yeah, he went to get some food.”
“Good. Then you have enough time to go shower and fix your hair.”
“Huh?” Ronnie touched the back of her head, felt the tangles and snarls falling out of her braid. Her bandana hung limp around her neck. “Oh my goodness. I must look like a wreck. I’ve gotta go!”
“Tell me everything tomorrow!” Megan called over her shoulder.
Ronnie rushed into the apartment and banged into her bathroom. She started stripping off her sweaty clothes but paused to look in the mirror.
What in the world was she thinking?
Her hair was worse than she thought. White flecks of primer dotted her nose and smeared across her cheeks. She even had paint on her chin.
She hopped in the shower.
As she scrubbed her face and washed her hair, she wondered how she’d fallen so quickly for a small-town fire chief.
Worse, she had to figure out how to put out the blaze before he completely wrecked her. Could she really afford to lose control over her heart?
But, given the way she could still feel his kiss on her lips, yeah…it was probably too late.
Chapter 10
Ronnie had kissed him.
Peter could’ve shouted it to the world from right there on top of the hill overlooking Deep Haven.
And what a kiss. The kind that made a guy feel alive and like he could hold the world in his hand. Like when he was a kid diving off the rocky ledge into Lake Superior, the frigid water stealing his breath until a heat would surge through him and he’d push through to the surface, breaking free.
He’d held that beautiful, vibrant woman in his arms, and the memory of the feel of her lips, her hands splayed across his chest, could still skyrocket his pulse.
Not that he had a lot of experience kissing women. In fact, zero. Zilch. That truth he would be keeping to himself. But man, Ronnie was worth the wait.
If she wanted Mexican food, he would get it for her even if he had to drive all the way to Mexico to get it. Thankfully, Taco Fiesta was right in Deep Haven. It was one of the few restaurants the Dahlquists didn’t have their hands in, so he wouldn’t have to worry about seeing anyone there.
He walked in and breathed deep of the smell of taco meat and salsa. Probably not as authentic as Ronnie’s abuela could make, but for the North Shore of Minnesota, these tacos were the best around.
Apparently, everyone else in town knew it also. He took his place in the long line behind the order window.
Vivien walked in right behind him, wearing aviator sunglasses, a summer dress, and a bright white smile like the little diva she was.
“Hey, Viv. Why aren’t you at rehearsal?”
“They’re going over choreography right now with my dance leaders while I do the dinner run.”
“So, how’s Tiago doing?”
Vivien’s smile fell. “He’s a natural on the stage, and with Josh he does great. But he’s trying to prove himself with some of the older boys and they’re getting into trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“Just dumb pranks and goofing off when they’re supposed to be running lines. I constantly have to keep them busy and well supervised during our practices. He’s a good kid. I think he’s just trying hard to fit in.”
That didn’t sound good.
Viv wagged her eyebrows. “So, speaking of Tiago…what’s with you and Ronnie? You two an item now?”
He froze, deer-in-the-headlight, and his answer came out without a thought. “What? No! Of course not.”
“What do you mean ‘of course not’? Every time I see you, she’s with you or nearby. And she’s fun. Gorgeous. Not related to you in any way, shape, or form. So why not?”
Right. He swallowed hard. Why was he fighting this? He had just kissed the woman.
But still, it was too new. He didn’t know where they stood enough to inform Vivie, aka, the Deep Haven hotline. “We’re…just friends.”
Vivien shook her head and laughed. “Oh, Peter. You have the worst poker face.”
“What?”
“It’s so obvious you like her.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, she’s pretty and she’s got grit, but she’s also pushy and bossy and doesn’t know when to back down from a fight.”
“So?”
“She’s opinionated and stubborn.”
Vivien shrugged. “She knows what she wants and gets things done. She’s basically everything you’re not.”
“Hey! I…I do things. In fact, I’ve had to smooth things over with Uncle Charlie and Dean and quite a few others just so they’ll stay with the first responders, thanks to her way of ‘getting things done.’”
“And yet she’s got the biggest group of responders volunteering that we’ve had in years, from what Seth and even Kirby Hueston said at trivia the other night. And that was after Kirby admitted she was the better person for the job.”
There was that. “Maybe.”
“It’s true and you know it.” Vivien pointed to the gap in front of him as the tourists had moved up in line.
He took a few more steps and closed the gap. “Fine. She does get a lot accomplished. But like you said, she’s everything I’m not. We’re…combustible. Not exactly dating material.”
Vivien rolled her eyes and huffed. “Peter, you need someone like Ronnie in your life, someone to give you that nudge. Shove you when you get really indecisive. And she could use a calming influence. A strong and steady man. You’re just the guy.”
Just the guy. “You…you really think so?”
“I know so. Ronnie is a strong woman. Strong women like us need men who aren’t intimidated. Men who will accept us for who we are, encourage our dreams, and…and be a solid place to land when we’ve gone a little too far.”
Something in the way Vivien’s gaze dropped to the floor made Peter wonder what had happened in New York.
But the thought of really making something work with Ronnie…it sparked hope beyond the memory of the kiss.
He took another step forward. “So, say I’m interested. Not saying I am, but if I was, what do you think I should do?”
She chuckled. Probably saw right through his flimsy fabrication to his infatuated heart. “Dive in. Get involved in her life and don’t wait by the sidelines, Peter.”
“How?”
“Start with Tiago. Maybe you can talk to her about him, spend some time with them. Show her you’re invested.”
He nodded, taking in her words.
She pushed him from behind up to the order window and whispered in his ear, “For once in your life, you know what you want. Go after it.”
It sounded good. But was it too good? He’d have to think about—
His alarm went off. “Deep Haven Fire Department respond to fire alarm at Arrowood Auditorium in the high school. No sign of smoke or fire—”
“That’s the theater!” Vivien grabbed his arm and they raced to his truck. As she hopped into his passenger seat, Seth and Cole responded over the system that they were already at the station and bringing the trucks. Peter zipped through town, up the hill, and drove directly to the school.
They ran through the stage entrance door, now propped open. Beth Strauss stood at the entrance with some of the older teens, watching over the younger kids. They’d beaten the fire department to the scene.
He didn’t see Tiago among the kids.
“Where’s the fire?” Peter shouted, and Beth shook her head.
“I don’t know—we just evacuated!”
Peter and Vivien ran onto the stage as the fire alarm blared. No smell of smoke or heat from flames at first glance. But two sprinklers poured water from the high auditorium ceiling, soaking the seats in the middle section, water pooling on the cement floor and running down the incline, collecting at the bottom by the stage.
“The theater—it’s ruined!” Vivien said, standing on the stage and looking at the destruction.
Seth and Kyle rushed in with some of the other firefighters. Peter sent them to do a sweep and then moved toward raised voices backstage behind the curtain. Ben, Tiago, and a few other boys were yelling. Josh stood to the side. He looked up with something of fear on his face when Peter stalked over to them.
Crazy for You Page 14