while the waitress set a bowl of chili smothered in cheese in front of Dillon. Brooke’s eyes narrowed as she studied him. “I’m not mad. There’s no reason for me to be mad.”
He dug into his chili. “It sounds to me like you have a reason. I’m asking what it is.”
She pulled a napkin from the dispenser and wiped a spot of ketchup off the table. “I’m a little disappointed you lied to me, but I’m not mad.”
Dillon set his spoon back in the bowl and stared at her bent head. “What are you talking about?”
“Marnie. You told me you weren’t involved with anyone.” She shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”
He waited until she looked at him. Her blue eyes gave nothing away. “I’m not seeing Marnie. I was last summer, but I’m not anymore.”
“Are you sure she knows?”
He choked on his coffee. “Of course I’m sure.”
“She looked pretty friendly to me.”
“That’s just Marnie’s way. Our breakup was amicable.”
“I’ll bet.”
He sighed, wondering why he cared so much that she believe him. “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I was involved with another woman.”
She leaned against the red vinyl seatback and gave him a rueful smile. “Sorry, I’m in a pissy mood. I spent the morning talking to people about permits and zoning for the B and B. Paperwork gives me a headache.”
“I’m with you there. I’d rather be out in the woods than sitting at my desk, which is what I’ll be doing this afternoon.” He reached across the table and traced the faint red line on her forehead. “I see you got your stitches out.”
“I stopped by Carter’s office before I met Stephanie. According to the doc, I’m healing nicely. I’m in terrific shape to go home and scrape paint.”
“Lucky you.” Dillon finished his chili and paid the bill, and they left the diner together. Outside fog rolled in from the coast. Brooke shivered.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side. Her hair brushed his chin, sending a jolt of awareness through him. “Cold?”
“I was thinking about the night I arrived. Remembering that woman darting out of the fog in front of my car still makes me shake.”
“I’m not surprised.” He left his arm where it was, enjoying the feel of her curvy body tucked against him. “Can I give you a ride home before I go back to my stack of paperwork?”
“I drove Grandma’s VW bus.” She nodded toward the mottled green vehicle parked across the street.
“Does that relic still run? June rarely uses it.”
“It got me to Crescent City and back. I’ll have to buy a new car eventually, but right now it isn’t in my budget.”
“I suppose I should go.” Reluctantly he released her. Brooke looked up at him, her eyes a clear, beautiful blue. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and Dillon swallowed. “Would you like to do something tonight?”
“What sort of something?”
Her eyes sparkled, and he stared into them, mesmerized.
“Are you asking me on a date?”
He cleared his throat. “Sure. We could catch a late movie after I get Zack settled for the evening. June won’t mind watching him.”
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Great. I’ll see you this evening.”
Brooke crossed the street, her figure trim in a pair of tight fitting jeans and a short jacket. Had he made a mistake asking her out? God knew he was attracted to her. Just watching the sway of her hips gave him ideas that definitely weren’t suitable for a public street, but he wasn’t looking for a commitment. Zack and Jesse were all the responsibility he needed or wanted in his life.
It was the niggling fear that Marnie was beginning to take their summer fling too seriously that sent him running for cover last fall. He didn’t want to make the same mistake with Brooke. Didn’t want to hurt her. After what she’d gone through with her ex-fiancé, the last thing she needed was to have her heart broken again. He should back off and settle for an
He dug into his chili. “It sounds to me like you have a reason. I’m asking what it is.”
She pulled a napkin from the dispenser and wiped a spot of ketchup off the table. “I’m a little disappointed you lied to me, but I’m not mad.”
Dillon set his spoon back in the bowl and stared at her bent head. “What are you talking about?”
“Marnie. You told me you weren’t involved with anyone.” She shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”
He waited until she looked at him. Her blue eyes gave nothing away. “I’m not seeing Marnie. I was last summer, but I’m not anymore.”
“Are you sure she knows?”
He choked on his coffee. “Of course I’m sure.”
“She looked pretty friendly to me.”
“That’s just Marnie’s way. Our breakup was amicable.”
“I’ll bet.”
He sighed, wondering why he cared so much that she believe him. “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I was involved with another woman.”
She leaned against the red vinyl seatback and gave him a rueful smile. “Sorry, I’m in a pissy mood. I spent the morning talking to people about permits and zoning for the B and B. Paperwork gives me a headache.”
“I’m with you there. I’d rather be out in the woods than sitting at my desk, which is what I’ll be doing this afternoon.” He reached across the table and traced the faint red line on her forehead. “I see you got your stitches out.”
“I stopped by Carter’s office before I met Stephanie. According to the doc, I’m healing nicely. I’m in terrific shape to go home and scrape paint.”
“Lucky you.” Dillon finished his chili and paid the bill, and they left the diner together. Outside fog rolled in from the coast. Brooke shivered.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side. Her hair brushed his chin, sending a jolt of awareness through him. “Cold?”
“I was thinking about the night I arrived. Remembering that woman darting out of the fog in front of my car still makes me shake.”
“I’m not surprised.” He left his arm where it was, enjoying the feel of her curvy body tucked against him. “Can I give you a ride home before I go back to my stack of paperwork?”
“I drove Grandma’s VW bus.” She nodded toward the mottled green vehicle parked across the street.
“Does that relic still run? June rarely uses it.”
“It got me to Crescent City and back. I’ll have to buy a new car eventually, but right now it isn’t in my budget.”
“I suppose I should go.” Reluctantly he released her. Brooke looked up at him, her eyes a clear, beautiful blue. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and Dillon swallowed. “Would you like to do something tonight?”
“What sort of something?”
Her eyes sparkled, and he stared into them, mesmerized.
“Are you asking me on a date?”
He cleared his throat. “Sure. We could catch a late movie after I get Zack settled for the evening. June won’t mind watching him.”
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Great. I’ll see you this evening.”
Brooke crossed the street, her figure trim in a pair of tight fitting jeans and a short jacket. Had he made a mistake asking her out? God knew he was attracted to her. Just watching the sway of her hips gave him ideas that definitely weren’t suitable for a public street, but he wasn’t looking for a commitment. Zack and Jesse were all the responsibility he needed or wanted in his life.
It was the niggling fear that Marnie was beginning to take their summer fling too seriously that sent him running for cover last fall. He didn’t want to make the same mistake with Brooke. Didn’t want to hurt her. After what she’d gone through with her ex-fiancé, the last thing she needed was to have her heart broken again. He should back off and settle for an
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