Page 49 of Radar

“Yes, thanks.” She gulped down her drink, then pulled her purse around, drew out a bottle, and filled her glass again. “You were telling me about your strategies. Is one of them sitting off to the side, looking calm and capable, but also like you’re in a steady relationship, and then the women flutter toward your light for safety?”

“Couple things there.” Xander pulled his brow together, the shadow of a smile winking at the corners of his mouth. “That isn’t a bad play, to be honest. Second, I look like a man in a steady relationship? I think I might like some more information on the last one, mainly because I’m not seeing anyone right now.”

Xander paused as warmth spread across his chest, and he felt like he could, in fact, be a light that a woman could flutter to for safety. And then he thought he had lost his damned mind and wondered if he hadn’t touched palytoxin in Orest Kalinsky’s suitcase. After all, one of the weirdly dangerous effects of palytoxins was a sense of euphoria.

And euphoria was a pretty good word to describe these sensations he was experiencing.

Elyssa turned at the sound of the lodge door and signaled as a guy stomped the snow from his boots, looking her way. “He’s not in a relationship,” she called.

“Seriously?” the guy asked, shucking his coat. He focused on Xander. “You totally give off contented at home vibes.”

Radar wandered back over to Elyssa, but this time, he booped her on the leg. He looked Xander’s way, then booped her in the leg again.

“I’ve got it, Radar. Come here,” Xander said.

A second man shuffled in and shut the door behind him.

“I am content at home,” Xander said. “Is that something that’s tied to being in a relationship?” He was laughing now. This was an absurd conversation, and it was fun.

“Well, okay, let me say it doesn’t look like you’re on the prowl. I’m Eddie, by the way.”

“Ender,” Xander replied. “And you’re right. I’m not prowling out of self-preservation.”

“I’m Paca.” The other guy said as he joined them, pulling off his hat and loosening his scarf as he sat in front of the fire. “What’s this now about self-preservation?” This guy showed up with his pointy face, huge liquid brown eyes, and a head full of crazy hair.

He may call himself Paca, but this was most definitely Dr. Claude Burns, squirrel researcher.

Xander’s mark.

The bartender came over and set mugs of hot cocoa in front of Eddie and Paca, then placed the nacho platter and shaker on the table in the middle of the group. Xander gave his room number as he pushed the salt in front of Elyssa.

“Please help yourselves. I got the nachos to share,” Xander said. “Okay, on the topic of self-preservation, I’m a visitor in Alaska. The danger is that if I were looking for someone whose company I would enjoy,” Xander made a concerted effort not toflick his gaze toward Elyssa because that would have been over-the-top junior high shit, “it’s very possible that I could make a significant connection here in Alaska. There are only three outcomes, and all of them are terrible.”

“Truly?” Elyssa slid her boots off, then curled her long legs into the chair. “How do you figure?”

“If I make a romantic connection, first, she might just sever the connection, and I’d be left brokenhearted. Second, I leave Alaska with the intention that we hold something together long distance, and I go to bed in Virginia every night sad and alone.”

“Pitiful,” she said with laughter in her eyes.

Yes, Xander had heard Elyssa say she was from Virginia. Yes, he wanted her to know that he was, too. He thought he’d done that smoothly.

“Or third?” Eddie asked.

“Third, I leave heartbroken and decide I can’t hold it together for a long-distance relationship, so I move here to Lumberjack, Alaska, to be with her. It’s lovely, don’t get me wrong, just, I can’t with the cold.”

“Before you came in, we were speaking of bears.” Elyssa flicked her head in bar-guy’s direction.

“Oh, sorry, kid,” Eddie said. “I didn’t mean to leave you to the wolves, bears, wildlife in general.”

“I found safe harbor with Radar.” She pointed to Xander’s dog.

“Gorgeous puppy,” Eddie said, then turned to Elyssa. “So, bears?”

“I was about to hear some ‘dealing with women strategy’ when you came in.”

“Not so much a strategy as an awareness,” Xander said. “I’ve spent a lot of time listening to women explain why they prefer the bear. I get that just my physical presence on a hikingtrail, for example, can terrify women who don’t know me from Adam. Adam, by the way, is my brother, and we do look alike.”

“Boo.” Elyssa wrinkled her nose. “You use that joke a lot .” She lifted the saltshaker and caught Xander’s gaze.

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