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It was the damnedest thing, thought Malia. Last night, Lucas looked and talked like a redneck bad boy, but at the moment, he sounded…professional. Like Gage.
And he was studying the dead spike elk like he was trying to memorize every detail.
“Yeah, I smelled the gunpowder, too,” Malia said. “And I don’t have enough information yet to determine where he was shot. I put a call in to our local game warden.”
She snuck a glance at his ass and the long, lean line of his back, then looked away before he could catch her staring. Sheshouldbe embarrassed to see Lucas again after she’d made that bold pass at him last night…and he had turned her down.
But her wolf assured her that he was definitely interested in her. Even if his attention seemed entirely focused on the dead elk at the moment.
She turned to climb up from the ditch.
Lucas extended his hand. Without thinking, she took it. An electric shock jolted through her at the contact.
She stiffened.
The corded muscles on his forearm tensed, and his long, strong fingers closed in a painful grip, almost crushing her hand.
He feels it, too!
He pulled her up out of the ditch. And didn’t let go of her.
Flustered by her reaction to his touch, she asked, “Did you go hunting today?”
He grinned at her, and her insides threatened to melt like candle wax.
“Yeah, I made some new friends and they took me around. No luck, though.” He shook his head mournfully. “Guess I’ll just have to try again tomorrow.”
“Are your new friends those same guys you were talking with last night?” Malia asked. “Big red-headed guy and his skinny buddy?”
She hoped not. She’d overheard some of the pair’s gross remarks regarding her cousin Kymberlie and the club’s manager Zoey. Those two were frankly despicable human beings, on multiple levels.
To her disappointment, Lucas finally released her hand and stepped back. “Yeah. They seem to know this area pretty well, and invited me along to hunt.”
Her earlier chill returned. Lucas was still hanging out with those two? Why?
She fought to keep the disgust and dismay from her expression. She was on duty, after all.
“And you’re hunting elk?” she asked, thinking back to their conversation last night.
His grin returned. “Honey, I’m open toallkinds of big game.”
Was he being deliberately suggestive? Or was it just hormones clouding her brain?
Damn it! It was just plainunfairfor someone like him to be so hot.
“And you’ve got a valid tag, right?” she asked, her tone sharper than she’d intended.
Lucas looked unexpectedly amused. “Isn’t it up to the fish cops to check permits and tags? Not the local police?” At her scowl he added hastily, “But yeah, like I told you the other night, I’ve got a tag for a bull elk. Call me overly optimistic, but I’m hoping that I actually get to use it this year.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “Glad to hear it.”
They stood there awkwardly for a long moment.
He was staring down at her mouth, and there was something in his eyes that made her acutely aware of how close they were standing.
Is he going to kiss me?
Her cheeks burned at the thought. She didn’t know what she would do if hedidmake a move. Part of her desperately wanted to feel his lips on hers and the scrape of his stubble against her skin.
