Page 57 of A Whisper of Summer Magic

She saw Whiskey wandering around and Meghan greeted her when Whiskey trotted over. Her fur was damp.

“Hey, beautiful.” Meghan crouched down, stroking Whiskey’s sleek head. “How was your day? Did you put out any fires? Save any puppies or kittens, you warrior heroine? Meet the working dog of your dreams?”

Whiskey sat and stared at her and Meghan felt a bit of a jolt at the connection, almost as if the dog understood, and for the first time, she understood why people fell deeply in love with their dogs.

“Yes, the farm definitely needs our own hero or heroine,” Meghan said, meaning it.

Just as she stood up a spray of water from the other side of the fire truck hit her.

“Argh,” she yelped.

Whiskey danced around, mouth open, tail wagging like mad, and Meghan understood why Whiskey was wet.

“Oops.” Jackson sauntered out of the bay. “Hey, Carter, cool it with the hose,” he called out. His smile warmed her up as did the light in his eyes. “Cooling off and flirting with my dog?” Jackson asked.

“The cooling off wasn’t my idea.” She blinked, and yeah, water was still on her eyelashes.

“Wait a minute.” He came closer and pulled a soft folded square out of his pocket and gently dabbed at her eyes. “Better?”

This close up she could see the gray flecks in the pale blue of his eyes that had always made them so stunning, along with the faint laugh lines that fanned out from his eyes and down his cheeks.

“So, you’re not here to cool off?”

“No.” She loved how he would effortlessly slide into flirty word games with her.

“So, why are you here other than to attempt to seduce my dog with a promise of acres of farmland to roam and cats and squirrels to chase?”

“I have many nefarious seduction plans,” she said, breathlessly. “But today I was hoping to invite Whiskey, and perhaps her best friend if he’s available, to take a walk in the park, indulge in a shaved ice, and ease a little girl’s shyness on the playground if she’s there.”

“I like shaved ice.” Jackson pretended to consider. “And exercise is a bonus—depending. I like to work up a sweat.”

“I’ve suspected that about you.” Feeling daring she placed her hand on his shoulder and smoothed it down his arm. He wore a Belmont Fire Department navy T-shirt along with navy pants and she could see the flex of muscle and tendons in his forearm. Who would have guessed that would heat her up? Jackson was a man in peak physical form. He glowed, oozed, and radiated physicality in a way she’d never really paid attention to before.

Idiot.

How could she have ignored this side of herself for so long? It felt vaguely cruel… criminal to her feminine soul.

“You’re supposed to invite me.”

“Am I?”

“With a please.”

“How would that sound?”

“Jackson, do you have the time and inclination to join me for a stroll around the park on this beautiful early summer day and indulge in a shaved ice and maybe more, please.”

“You’re so polite,” she murmured.

Jackson nudged her. “I’m waiting.”

“Keep waiting. I was too distracted by all this physical fabulousness that I started ruminating on how women are too critical of their bodies.” Especially me.

“If that body is yours, then definitely. You are the whole guy-package fantasy.”

He practically growled the words, and Meghan had a crazy urge to cozy up and demand he prove it.

She looked at Whiskey, sitting politely looking between her and Jackson, clearly reading the unusual mood.

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