“I love barbeque but is Cody still planning a big dinner tonight? I’m not sure I can put that much away in one day.”
Shaking his head, he said, “He forgot about the picnic. We’ll go over to his place tomorrow night.”
As they drove past the spot where she’d had the strange encounter with the wolf, curiosity prompted her to ask, “Do you see many wolves near your homes or stables?”
“Why do you ask?”
Aislyn cut him a quick glance, wondering at his wary tone but unable to read anything on his face. “I saw one along here the other evening. He came right up to me when I stopped for a flat. Isn’t that unusual?”
It took him a moment to answer, and then all he said was, “Yes. Normally they stay clear of people, but we’ve never had one harm anyone on the ranch, and they don’t prey on the livestock like the cougars.” He made a turn at the first intersection and switched the conversation to Lily, praising her again for her care of the foal.
“It’s hard not to get attached.” Lily was just one reason she dreaded leaving the ranch, and Gavin.
“From what I’ve seen, she feels the same.” He quickly changed the subject as they passed a Brooksville City Limits sign boasting a population of twelve hundred and sixty two. “An older couple, the Frisk’s, own the grocery. Be careful. If you let on you don’t have family, they’ll practically adopt you.”
“Is that good or bad?” she asked as he turned onto a street lined on both sides with shops, business’ and the one restaurant at the far end.
Pulling into a space in front of the grocery with its quaint display of fresh fruits and vegetables, he turned to her and reached over to release her seatbelt. Aislyn barely heard his reply, “You’ll like them,” as his arm brushed her breast, the innocent touch ratcheting the ever-present heat his nearness always generated up a notch.
Grabbing the door handle, she hopped out before he could come around and put his hands on her again. The more time she spent with him, the more she craved the intimacy of both his dominance and the look in his eyes that used to convey much more than friendship.
Gavin was greeted by a grey-haired man with a friendly face as soon as they entered. “I’ve got your order ready to go, Gavin. And who is this you’ve got with you today?”
“George, meet Aislyn, a friend of mine visiting from out of town.”
Smooth, she thought as she shook the grocer’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Those peaches looked really good. Mind if I bag a few while you two get your order?”
“On the house, fill a bag with whatever you’d like. It’s always a pleasure welcoming a newcomer.”
“Oh, I’m just passing through...”
Gavin halted her denial with a hand on her lower back nudging her toward the doors. “Go, get your fruit and I’ll meet you out front.”
Aislyn nodded, piqued at the bite in his grumbled tone. “Thank you, George.”
By the time Gavin returned to the truck carrying a large box, his face and voice was cleared of whatever had irked him about her simple comment. Depositing the box on the back seat, he settled behind the wheel and reached over to squeeze her hand that wasn’t holding a peach.
“Got an extra?”
“Sure.” She handed over the fruit and they ate in silence as he drove up the street and parked in front of the restaurant. “Does the name have some significance?” She gestured toward the Wildgrill sign above the entrance as they got out and tossed their pits into a trash.
Holding the door open, he replied, “They serve an array of wild life, not just beef, chicken and pork. You can get deer and bison as well as pheasant, quail, duck, whatever is in season.” He huffed a laugh and tugged on her hair, the yank against her scalp and amused light in his eyes responsible for the slow roll of her heart. “Don’t wrinkle your nose until you’ve tried it.”
“Yes, sir.” She gave him a mock salute and wry grin, which slipped when those emerald eyes darkened with the slip of his former address.
“We need to talk. Soon,” he insisted in a low, guttural tone that sent frissons of heat trickling down her spine.
Thankfully, the tall, attractive brunette behind the long counter waved them over with a smile, sparing Aislyn from responding. “Morning, Gavin. Clive is filling the pans now. Glass of tea or pop while you wait?”
“Thanks, Rosemary. This is Aislyn.”
It wasn’t lost on Aislyn he left off labeling her a friend this time. “Nice to meet you. I hope I’ll get a chance to return and dine in sometime.”
“Shoot for a Monday. That’s free pie night.” Rosemary slid over to tall glasses of iced tea, winking at Aislyn. “Watch this guy. I went all through school with him and there wasn’t a girl in our high school who could resist those green eyes.”
“You did,” Gavin countered with a wry grin.
“Only because Clive had already staked his claim.” She shrugged as her husband came out of the kitchen carrying a stack of foil-wrapped disposable pans. “You snooze, you lose.”
The couple exchanged a look that spoke of years of commitment, something that had eluded every one of Aislyn’s relationships, and the only thing Gavin had ever denied her. “You’re very lucky. Can I help carry one of those?”
“I’ve got it,” Gavin said gruffly, swiping his card and then taking the order from Clive. “Thanks, guys. We’ll stop in longer next trip.”
“Have a good one,” Clive called out as the turned to leave.
“We’ll drive straight out to the lake,” Gavin told her as he got back on the road. “By the time we get there, the hands should be ready for us.”
****
Gavin had worked hard to bury his feelings for Aislyn after leaving her in Boise. It had taken months
