Page 25 of Only Ever You
LUNA
My body molded against Parker, with one of my arms banded around his waist and my other palm sliding up his chest, savoring the muscled planes. I wanted to climb him like a tree. At the sound of Fuzzy’s bark, I snapped out of the haze.
We broke apart abruptly, both of us glancing toward Fuzzy, who was looking out over the valley. In the distance, a large bull moose was walking through the tall grass. Beyond that, a grizzly bear appeared to be grazing on something. I wasn’t great at judging distance, but I guessed, as the crow flew, the bear was maybe a mile away.
Alarm jolted through me. “We should go!”
Parker nodded. “I absolutely agree.” He snapped his fingers, and Fuzzy trotted right over. “Let’s go.”
Having grown up traveling all over Alaska, I’d seen my share of brown bears and grizzly bears. I always preferred to be a comfortable distance away. I was relieved that Parker seemed to be on the same page. He clipped Fuzzy on his leash and kept a firm hold of my hand as we walked at a brisk pace back down the trail.
Relief rolled through me once we were inside my house. I took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. “Okay, we’re here. Hopefully, the bear didn’t follow us.”
Parker flashed a grin. “I think we’re in the clear. When I’m close to town, I tend not to think about bears and wildlife much, but wildlife is everywhere in Alaska.”
“I have a love-hate thing with wildlife. I love feeling a part of nature, and I respect it. I also don’t ever want to get attacked by a bear.”
Parker chuckled, and the sound sent a shiver through me, making my belly spin in a dizzying flip. I tore my gaze away from his and glanced at the clock above the stove in the kitchen. “We talked about hiking, but we didn’t talk about whether we were doing anything else. Do you want some dinner?” Evening was approaching. “We could get takeout somewhere, and then I’ll make dessert.”
“I can’t say yes fast enough,” Parker said, his lips kicking up at one side in a lopsided grin. My belly went to spinning all over again.
I filled a bowl of water for Fuzzy, watching as he lapped it up quickly, his tail wagging in joy when he looked back up at me.
“So, um…” I paused, feeling a little anxious as I rested my hand on the edge of the counter and looked over at Parker. “We can get takeout from the Gallery Café.”
Parker shrugged. “I will honestly eat anything. I like pizza, I like the Gallery Café, I like Wildlands. I also like the new brewery restaurant.”
“Oooh! Let’s do that,” I replied.
“Sounds like a plan. I’m actually going to need to stop by my place to feed Fuzzy. Should we order, and then I’ll pick it up on the way back?”
“Works for me. If you want, I can ride along with you.”
“How about you look up the menu on your phone while I drive? I’m sure Fuzzy will let you ride in the front,” he teased a few minutes later as we approached his truck.
Fuzzy was trotting between us, his tail swinging when I glanced down at him. “Is there room for him in the back?”
Parker’s truck had one of those extra cab spots with a small door. Parker chuckled as he held the door open for Fuzzy. “There’s plenty of room for him in the back. He can even lie down. I have blankets and everything. When he wants to stretch out when I’m driving on longer trips, this is where he likes to nap.”
Fuzzy happily hopped in the back. As soon as I climbed in the front, he gave me a slobbery kiss on my ear. I laughed as Parker handed me a napkin. “He does that.”
After Parker had started driving, I perused the menu for the new winery and brewery restaurant on my phone. “I’ve only been out here once, have you been?”
“Oh yeah. It’s like the place in Fireweed Harbor where I spent a few years growing up. That restaurant’s been in that town for decades.”
I ordered the halibut tacos with mango salsa while Parker opted for a salmon burger. A few minutes later, Parker came to a stop in front of a row of three small houses situated amidst a stand of trees.
“These are cute!” I glanced toward him.
“I’m assuming you know Josie,” he said. “She sometimes works at Firehouse Cafe.”
“Of course I know Josie! I knew her when I was little before we moved away, and I see her at least once a week at the cafe.”
“Her boyfriend, Tate, owns these and rents them out. When I accepted the firefighter position here, he hooked me up. You can come in if you want. Fuzzy isn’t due for dinner for another hour, but I need to get his food. I try to keep him on a schedule.”
My curiosity led me to follow him into his small house. It had a cute little front porch and a peaked roof with a bright red stainless-steel roof.
After we walked inside, I glanced around the open layout downstairs with a living room and kitchen. Parker gestured in a circle. “This is it, there’s a bathroom and laundry to the side and then—” His arm swung over toward the stairs. “A bedroom upstairs with another bathroom. Tate could make some serious cash if he rents these during the busy season, but he insists he wants to make them available for long-term tenants.”
