Page 149 of Under an Endless Moon

RAVEN

Otto’s handrested on the small of my back as he led me out the front door. His gaze swept both directions.

“It’s clear.”

His voice was gruff. Harsh and shallow.

“Maybe it really was just random.”

“Wound on my thigh begs to differ.”

Right.

We couldn’t forget that, even though I wanted to. Even though I wanted to erase all of this business and focus on what mattered.

Us.

Well, finding out if there actually could be an us.

I locked the door, and Otto’s hand was right back on my lower back, stealing my breath as he guided me toward his bike that sat like a black beast at the curb.

Butterflies scattered in my belly.

How it was possible that just looking at his bike still riddled me with excitement, I didn’t know, but it happened every time.

“Raven!”

My attention snapped up when I heard the voice shouting from across the street.

Sienna waved her hand frantically overhead.

I grinned and waved back, and she looked both ways, waiting for a truck to whizz by before she jogged across the street, a big canvas bag bouncing on her back as she ran toward me with a giant smile.

She hopped onto the sidewalk next to me. “Hey, Raven.”

“Hi, Sienna.” I stepped up and hugged her. “How are you?”

“Good, good. It was super busy today, so tips were great.”

“That’s awesome.”

“I was worried for a minute because I wasn’t sure if someone here was going to chase all our customers away…” There was a teasing question to it as she cast a sidelong look in Otto’s direction. “Or maybe he just suckered them in. Our brand-new mascot.”

She winked at me.

Yeah, the man was something to look at.

A brutal monument.

I didn’t know how every woman in Moonlit Ridge hadn’t flocked to Sunrise to Sunset Café to see him.

He grunted.

I laughed. “Sorry about that. Otto here thought he needed to keep an extra eye out for me today.”

I lowered my voice on the last.

Worry pinched her face, and she glanced around. “Did something happen to your shop again?”

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