by Sue MacKay
Where did that leave her? ‘I’ll go settle into the office, Kevin.’
Andy poked his head around the door. ‘We’re on, guys.’
Brenna sank onto the chair behind Kevin’s desk and opened the first set of notes from the medical board. Proposals for dealing with the increase in diabetes. Scintillating stuff, and nothing to do with her day job, but she read everything that arrived in her file from the board. Who knew when she might quit the rescue service?
* * *
The week crawled past. Brenna had a mild cold and a pounding headache so she stayed on Kevin’s desk, giving him more time doing what he liked best. It had nothing to do with avoiding working with Hunter, of course. He dropped in to chat about mundane things a couple of times a day, and she joined everyone in the tearoom whenever they were there. Slowly, she began to feel comfortable with him again, and by Thursday afternoon she was more than ready to get back into the flying seat beside him. Not that she’d resolved where they stood, or what she wanted from him, but she was happier. ‘The desk is yours next week,’ she told Kevin over coffee as they waited for the minutes to click down to eighteen hundred and home time. Three days off, then she’d be on nights.
No more calls came in and the night shift arrived. Everyone leapt up, eager to get away. With her bag over her shoulder, Brenna headed out to her car.
‘Brenna,’ Hunter called as he followed.
When she turned around, he was looking at her thoughtfully, which had her foot tapping impatiently.
‘Are you doing anything on Saturday?’
‘Not a lot for once,’ she answered warily.
‘I’m going to a wedding.’
‘That’s nice.’ Where was this going?
He came closer and she could see the awkwardness in his face. ‘This is very short notice, but I need a partner. Would you come with me? Please?’
What the hell? ‘Sorry?’ Had Hunter asked her to go on a date?
‘Sorry you can’t? Or sorry you won’t?’
‘Sorry I don’t know if I heard you right. You want to take me to a wedding? Whose?’ Not that she needed to know. She wasn’t going. That would be too personal and remind her of what they’d both once wanted.
‘Dave’s brother, Toby, is marrying his childhood sweetheart. They got back together last year after working at opposite ends of the country for four years.’
‘Nice.’
‘Well?’
‘You don’t need me there. You know Dave’s family as well as your own. It’s not like you’ll be stuck at the table furthest to the back with all the second and third aunts.’
‘You’re right. I’ll be stuck with the groom’s family. Right beside Dave’s sister, because Dave thinks we’d hit it off together.’
Brenna’s stomach dropped. Dave wanted Hunter and his sister to get together? She remembered Molly with braces on her teeth and long mud-brown hair in ponytails. Guess she’d grown up some. ‘You’re not interested?’ She held her breath.
‘No.’ He was watching her way too closely. ‘Molly is cute and lovely but not my type, even if I was looking for someone.’
He wasn’t in the market for a partner. That was good news. She could forget that kiss entirely. Her lungs began working again, although unevenly. ‘So tell Dave.’
‘I have, without being too blunt. It’s tricky since we’re so close and Molly’s his kid sister.’
‘In other words, you are trying to find another way to deliver the blow by taking someone else to the wedding. But why me? Dave will see through that in a flash.’
‘Maybe. But it’s worth a try. So, yes or no?’ Hunter shrugged too nonchalantly.
Brenna hesitated. It would be fun catching up with Dave and meeting his wife and kids, but could she spend hours with Hunter and not start wondering how they might get back together? ‘No.’ Even as she uttered the word disappointment filled her.
‘I’ll have to pull the wild card. I helped you out last weekend.’
‘Low blow, Ford.’
‘Needs must.’
She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her mouth. ‘You’re that desperate?’
‘Could be.’
‘I like it. What time?’ Damn, giving in came too easily. Hopefully attending a wedding wouldn’t be as close and personal as a candlelit dinner date for two. Not that she’d been asked on one of those.
‘Kick-off is at five so I’ll pick you up a little after four.’ Hunter returned her smile.
‘You always were full of yourself when you won.’ She couldn’t be mad at him when there was a bubble of excitement building inside her. Against all the warnings she’d given herself since their last kiss, she wanted to go out with Hunter, to have time together that didn’t involve BPs, airways or heart rates. Though heart rates might come into it if it was a hot date. ‘I can still retract my agreement.’
‘Don’t even think about it,’ he tossed in her direction as he headed for his vehicle. ‘Did I mention I’m moving into my house on Sunday?’ He knew he hadn’t.
That soon? She wasn’t reacting. Not even moving her lips. His plans for settling into his new home had nothing to do with her. Anyway, she was having lunch with her sisters. She pinged her locks and ignored that well-honed body leaning against the four-wheel drive.
What would she wear? A mental appraisal of what was in her wardrobe and she grinned. Tomorrow she’d go shopping for a dress and shoes. Slapping the steering wheel, she laughed. This might be fun after all. It had been ages since she’d had an occasion to get all glammed up. It had been even longer since she’d gone out with a hot man.
Though she was not supposed to get excited about that. No more kisses, remember? But she could have fun.
CHAPTER FIVE
HUNTER SWALLOWED HARD as he stared at the woman standing before him. Brenna looked more stunning than any of his memories recalled. Her svelte figure filled the sleek red dress to perfection. His eyes travelled down her shapely legs to the colour-matched high heels that brought her head a little closer to his shoulder and he felt a tightening in his groin.
There was a time when they’d—
Don’t go there.
Dragging his gaze upwards, he stared at the wild curls that were her signature. They’d been coaxed into a soft style framing her face and highlighting her eyes.
‘Bren, you get more beautiful by the day,’ he whispered.
Was this why he’d asked her to accompany him? Because he’d wanted something good back from the past? Something to help him through the mire of their current situation? Needing a woman to deflect Molly had been an excuse. He knew it, Dave knew it, which meant Jess did. Hopefully Brenna didn’t. It might create a stumbling block when they were trying to move past the bog that was their history.
She blinked, squirmed in those unreal shoes and finally laughed softly. ‘You scrub up all right yourself.’
He took her arm to lead her out to his four-wheel drive, paused while she locked up. ‘Where’s Poppy?’
‘In her run. Where’s Dylan?’
‘In the back of my vehicle. Along with Dave’s two. It’s a bit of a squeeze. I had to put one child on the jump seat, in the appropriate car seat, of course.’
Her eyes widened, whether in disappointment or relief that they weren’t going to be alone he couldn’t decide. Then she said, ‘Hang on, I’ll get Poppy and clip her in the back too.’
Laughter pushed past the tightness in his throat. ‘A carsick dog would not be a good look at the wedding ceremony.’
Her sigh was OTT. ‘I hate it when you’re right.’
‘Come on. Let’s move.’ They weren’t late but he couldn’t stand here bantering with Brenna all afternoon. Well, he could, but then they might never make it on time. Also, the kids would start getting stroppy over being belted in for too long and going nowhere.
&n
bsp; ‘Hi, guys,’ Brenna called as she slipped into her seat and reached for her belt. ‘I’m Brenna. I know Dylan. What are your names?’
‘Joshua.’
‘I’m George.’
Hunter shut his door and turned to the back. ‘Everyone ready?’
Shrieks of ‘Yes!’ and ‘Hurry up!’ answered him.
‘Shouldn’t have asked,’ he muttered to Brenna. ‘Hope you brought your earplugs.’
‘They’re in my purse.’ She grinned.
That grin was dangerous. It tightened parts of his anatomy that he needed to stay quiet for the rest of the day. And night. Concentrating on driving was the only way to go for his passengers and his libido. ‘Thanks for agreeing to be my partner.’
‘I’m not sure why you needed me when you’ve got three escorts right here.’
He glanced sideways, got whacked with another, bigger grin. ‘They’re not coming with us. I’m dropping them off at a friend of Jess’s who’s bravely volunteered to look after them until the morning, when Jess will take over again.’ Tomorrow he’d be busy moving into his house.
‘It seems Dylan’s making lots of friends fast.’ There was a worried glint in her eyes that he was sure had nothing to do with how his son was fitting into life in Vancouver. Wondering how their night might pan out?
‘The last legal requirements for the house purchase went through yesterday.’ A surge of pride had him saying, ‘We’ll be living close to the preschool he’s attending, and the primary school is only another street away, so I’m hoping the friendships he makes will roll over from one school to the next. Friends are so important.’
‘Good ones, yes.’ Her gaze was fixed beyond the four-wheel drive.
Was she having a crack at him about being friends, not lovers? ‘Brenna, I am really grateful you’re coming to this wedding with me. It means a lot. I know it’s not easy for you.’
Her sigh resonated between them. Then her hand was on his arm, squeezing hard. ‘You want me to sit at another table?’
He laughed, as he was sure he was meant to. ‘We’ll see.’ How had he ever managed to leave her? They were so attuned to each other, surely they should’ve been able to make it work. There’d been long dark days at the time. Days when he’d had to restrain himself from driving back here and snatching her away from her study and work and family. Days when he’d come close to tossing the towel in with his parents and leaving them to sort out their own problems. ‘Family first’ had been his mother’s mantra all his life, especially when his father was in his dark space threatening to end it all. Now Dylan was his number one priority, but he’d managed to accommodate his parents as well since his son’s birth. Could he add Brenna to the mix? Safely? For both of their sakes. He wanted more, the whole picture. A wife, more kids maybe.
‘Brenna, can we play I Spy?’ Dylan piped from behind.
‘Good idea.’ Another squeeze and her hand left him. ‘I’m going first. I spy something green.’
‘How’d you know not to use letters?’
‘Grass.’
‘Tree.’
‘Dog.’
‘I do have some contact with kids.’ Her eye roll was a five out of five. ‘Who said dog?’
‘Me,’ shouted Joshua.
‘You need your eyes tested, buster.’ Brenna laughed. ‘I don’t see any green dogs out there.’
‘Yes, there is. On that letter box.’
‘Now who needs their eyesight checked?’ Hunter pulled away from the traffic lights and turned into the street where the kids were going to spend the night. Unless he kept them with him as chaperones. Every time he glanced across to Bren his heart stuttered. She was so beautiful.
But more than that, she came with so much good from the past that he was beginning to believe he could make the move to Vancouver work in more ways than he’d anticipated. In ways he hadn’t dared hope for. Heading back over the Rockies the next time his parents really needed him wasn’t happening, yet he still had to prove to himself more than anybody how determined he was to stay here.
* * *
Brenna sat at the white cloth–covered table with a glass vase of daffodils in the centre and tried to relax. Hard when Hunter sat right beside her, looking good enough to eat. Just as well they’d already consumed the banquet. She glanced around the room at the other tall, good-looking men. None were a patch on her date.
‘Here.’ Hunter passed her another glass of champagne. ‘Get that into you.’
‘Looking dehydrated, am I?’
He gave her the once over before those intense steely eyes locked on the curves of her breasts peeking above the top of her dress. ‘There’s nothing dry or shrivelled about you.’
Corny, but cute. Deep inside the tension was weaving tighter. Time for a change of subject to something less intoxicating. She tapped the rim of her glass against Hunter’s. ‘I like Jess.’
‘She likes you too.’
Brenna choked on her mouthful of champagne. ‘You’ve been discussing me?’
‘No one discusses with Jess. She says what she thinks and we mere mortals learn to deal with it.’
Just then the band struck up and Hunter leaned close to say, ‘I should never have introduced the two of you. My life is going to be hell from now on.’ He breathed deeply, savouring the heady scent of summer that was her perfume.
‘You’d better believe it.’
As they watched the newlyweds take their first married dance Brenna relaxed further. Despite all her misgivings about coming here, she was having fun. Hunter was good company, when he wasn’t being sexy just by breathing. He didn’t leave her to her own devices while going off to talk to the people he knew. The only time he’d wandered away was when she and Jess had been talking. If he’d known they’d get into a push, prod, what do you know about Hunter, what do I know you don’t, kind of conversation he’d have stuck to her like glue. Or taken her out to his car and clipped her into one of the children’s seats for the rest of the night.
‘Shall we dance?’ Hunter asked, a hesitancy in his voice she hadn’t heard all evening.
Looking directly at him, she said, ‘Yes, I’d love to.’ There hadn’t been a lot of dancing going on in her life lately. A few outings to bars and nightclubs had been it since she and Shane had parted ways. There hadn’t been a lot going on with Shane either. He reckoned he had two left feet when it came to moving to music. She might as well make the most of what was on offer and deal with any consequences later.
‘As long as the band doesn’t play music where I have to hold you and direct you around the floor without mashing your toes,’ Hunter quipped as he led her onto the floor amongst everyone else flocking to dance too.
Mashed toes might be easier to deal with than his hand on her waist where heat shot in all directions. ‘You’re not into doing a two-step, then?’ She certainly wasn’t.
‘Lucky if I can move one without getting out of rhythm.’ He still held her hand, his fingers threaded through hers.
Standing before Hunter, looking up into that handsome face, seeing his mouth twitch with laughter and his eyes rest on her without demanding anything from her, Brenna felt as though she’d finally come home. Of all the places, surrounded by strangers, holding Hunter’s hand, doubting they were going anywhere with this, everything still felt right, and she wanted more.
Suddenly, she wanted it all. Tugging her hand free, she began moving her hips, her feet, tipping her head back so her hair brushed across her shoulders in time to her movements. She wasn’t getting it, even if it happened to be on offer. But, hell, she was going have a great time. Tomorrow could bring what it liked. She was tough, she’d survive.
* * *
Hunter pulled into the kerb outside Brenna’s house and switched the ignition off. ‘Thanks for coming with me. I had the best time in ages.’ He meant it. They’d been easy together, the
most relaxed since he’d arrived in town.
‘Me too.’ Brenna tipped her head back against the headrest and smiled a beguiling, private little smile that pushed under his ribs and rattled his usually quiet heart.
Picking up her hand, Hunter engulfed it in his to rub his thumb back and forth across her wrist; he sat quietly, staring out at the street, thinking about Brenna’s body pressed against his as they’d attempted the two-step that the band had inevitably played for the grandparents. They’d both been hopeless but having her that close had meant he’d been loath to stop pretending he had everything under control. Everything except his libido, and that had raised its head far too often to be comfortable. ‘I should be going. After I walk you to your door, that is,’ he added in a hurry.
‘Yeah, right,’ she sighed through those lips that he’d been eying up all night.
Lips that could tease, tantalise, torment. He wanted to be teased, tantalised, tormented. Right now. Withdrawing his hand, he reached for the door handle. ‘Come on.’ Finishing the night in her bed was foremost in his brain but having Bren rebuke him for suggesting it would be hard to stomach.
Who the hell am I trying to fool?
He’d take what he could get, as long as she wanted the same. ‘Come on,’ he growled again.
Brenna was silent as they walked up the path, balancing on those ridiculous, sexy heels like it was normal to walk on stalks thinner than his mother’s knitting needles. At the door she slid her key into the lock.
The sound of it opening was heavy, loud, and reminded him this was as far as he went. Hands on hips so he didn’t reach for her, Hunter stared down into the face of his dreams. ‘Goodnight, Brenna. Thanks again for helping me out.’ If his feet hadn’t been made of concrete that’s when he’d have left.