Page 26 of Combust
So far, he’d hogged the food, reacted with distaste to Grandma Elle’s offer to bring him into the clan, and now he was turning down her dad’s offer to truly be accepted in their community?
Anger rose in her. She slammed her fork down, and it hit the edge of her plate with a loud clatter. Everyone stared at her, but she only had eyes for Cade.
“As a volunteer firefighter myself,” she told him, icily, “I know how vitally important this job is to a small, spread-out community like ours. Every able-bodied person—” She paused and deliberately scanned his broad shoulders and muscled arms, then let her gaze linger on his plate piled high with food. “Is expected to do their part.”
No one spoke in the uncomfortable silence that followed her statement. They all stared at Cade, waiting for his response.
A dark red flush rose up his neck, but he said nothing for a long moment.
Then he raised his head, his gaze meeting hers with that now-familiar jolt of attraction. He had the good grace to look embarrassed.
“Ican’t.”His tone was hard. Uncompromising. After a second, he added in a low voice. “I’m sorry.”
“Okay. Sure. Whatever.” She deliberately looked away.
The lingering silence around the table was growing uncomfortable. In an effort to change the topic, she turned to her aunt Caitlyn, who sat a couple of chairs down from her. “So, Ellie tells me that you’re heading to LA next week.”
Aunt Caitlyn was a best-selling author ofparanormal investigation stories, covering everything from Bigfoot to alien abductions. Everythingexceptthe existence of shapeshifters, for obvious reasons. She was also Cousin Ellie’s mom.
Her aunt smiled politely. “Yes. My publisher booked me for a segment ofAfter Dark with Alina Soliterman.I’ll be flying out of Missoula on Tuesday morning.”
Aunt Caitlyn’s latest book,Murder in Bearpaw Springs: Star-Crossed Lovers and a Haunting,had been published last week and was climbing the best-seller lists.
She would be staying busy this winter doing interviews, book signings, working on new episodes of her popularMythtrust Newspodcast, and writing blog posts and website articles.
“Are you going to visit Sophie and Matt and Chris while you’re in LA?” Maggie asked.
She saw her parents come to alert. None of them had heard much from the trio since last spring.
The last time that Maggie had talked to her brother, he’d mentioned that moving to LA and settling into their new jobs and medical school had proven more challenging than any of them expected.
“I’m not sure I’ll have time,” Aunt Caitlyn replied, looking apologetic. “The publicist has me pretty tightly booked from breakfast to bedtime. My publisher wants to make sure I don’t waste a moment of this trip.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Mom said. “I just hope that the three of them make it home for Thanksgiving. I miss them.”
“Me, too.” Maggie sighed. The holidays would be dismal without her brother, Sophie, and Chris here.
Her disappointment in Cade robbed the rest of the excellent meal of its enjoyment.
She ate the slices of pie and chocolate tart without really tasting them, and told herself that she shouldn’t care so much about what Cade did or didn’t do. He was only a temporary hire, after all, until Sophie finished medical school and her residency.
Then she and Matt and Chris were planning to return to Bearpaw Ridge. And everything would go back to normal…or at least some kind of normal.
If Sophie ever forgives me, that is.
In the meanwhile, she would try to avoid Cade as much as possible. Luckily, their respective work schedules meant that they probably wouldn’t be seeing a lot of each other around the ranch.
But I want him to court us,her bear complained.He’s interested in you, and I like him. He’s strong and kind. A good protector.
Are you kidding me?Maggie retorted.“Strong and kind,” my ass! He’s a selfish jerk. And most definitely NOT my type!
It let out a long, complaining sigh.
Maggie didn’t get her bear’s interest in this guy. She was one hundred percent certain that Cade Hunter was everything shedidn’twant in a mate—scruffy, rude, tattooed, and feral.
All true…except why does he have to be so damned hot?
She shot him a covert glance. Even scowling while shoveling in a huge slice of pie didn’t put a dent in his hotness.
