Page 26 of Snowed In With the Mountain Man
It was none of his business. He knew that. And yet he couldn’t combat that surge of protectiveness—the same one that had swept over him at the bar when Bobby had hit on her. He had an urge to fight her battles again… but it would help if he knew what they were.
“You look like you’re having a bad day.” He kept his tone mild, almost as if he wasn’t interested, yet his ears were on fire for the truth.
She gave a snort of rueful amusement. “Is it that obvious?”
He regarded her with a grin. “You still look pretty, though.”
She rolled her eyes, but he could have sworn her cheeks were a little pinker than they had been before.
But then she started to walk away.
He just barely held back a sigh. He’d love nothing more than to fight her battles and slay her dragons, but right about now, he’d settle for her telling him what was wrong.
That alone would be a triumph with this closed-off lady. He took Zion’s reins as he followed her, easing into a slow amble to give her some distance.
“Why are you following me?” she asked a minute later.
“You’re heading toward the stables,” he said. “I’m not following, you’re just leading the way.”
A puff of steam rose in front of her as she let out a short laugh. Not exactly a guffaw at his teasing, but he’d take it.
She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m not in the mood for company.”
“Fair enough,” he said easily. “Then I guess Zion and I will just have to keep each other company back here. Isn’t that right, boy?”
Zion whinnied in response.
They trudged forward through the snow some more.
“Is that right, Zion?” JJ said softly, his gaze on Dahlia as he spoke loudly enough for her to hear. “You don’t say. You had a bad day too? Well, what are the odds?”
Dahlia stuck her hands in jacket pockets and hunched forward.
“Uh-huh.” JJ nodded, grinning at his own foolishness. First talking like Yoda and now holding a loud, obvious conversation with his horse?
This woman sure did drive him to do nutty things.
“Well, then, I’m glad you’re talking about it,” he replied to the silent horse. “I bet it makes you feel better to get that off your chest, huh?”
Dahlia stopped short with a loud, exasperated sigh. When she spun around, her lowered brows said she was peeved… but her twitching lips told him otherwise. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Ask him.” JJ nodded toward an oblivious Zion. “I’m just tryin’ to walk in peace, and this dang horse won’t shut up.”
Her lips rolled inward as she tried and failed to squelch a grin.
“Now that he’s finally talked his fill…” JJ arched a brow. “Maybe you want to tell me what has you stomping around in the freezing cold.”
“I don’t want to talk.” Her tone was stubborn and childish—and so dang cute it hurt. “Which is why I’m trying to go for a long walk…alone.”
He tipped his head to the side. “Yeah, well, sometimes being alone is overrated.”
She snorted and shook her head, her smile growing. “You don’t believe that.”
He had to grin, because she was right. He normally did prefer to be alone. And he suspected she did just fine on her own too. But right now…
Aw heck, he could practically feel the pain radiating off her. He could see the hurt in her eyes plain as day.
He shifted his weight, giving Zion some room to wander. “I can leave if you want me to. Or I can stay… and listen.”
