Page 8 of Mountain Rescue
“We’re here,” Dallas said as he pulled into a space at the grocery store.
She guessed his story would have to wait, if she could ever get it out of him. After he parked, she met him at the back of the Jeep. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she glanced at him. “Is that necessary?”
“We’re a couple, remember? There are cameras all over the place, so look like you’re enjoying it.”
Oh, she was. Entirely too much. He smelled yummy, like bay rum soap and expensive aftershave. He’d said he wasn’t like most men, and he was right about that. Most of the leading men she’d met were good-looking and had great bodies because it was their job to stay in shape. And most had egos to match all those attributes.
Not one of them could hold a candle to Dallas, though, in the looks and body department. As for an ego, in the short time she’d been around him, she hadn’t seen one. Yes, he was cocky and confident, but not once had he acted like an entitled jerk. That kind of surprised her. If anyone was programed to have an ego, it would be a SEAL who was also a cowboy, yet this one was nice. Imagine that.
“Do we need a cart?” he asked.
“A small one should do it. First stop, fruit and veggies.”
“Are you a veg?”
“I eat meat, I just try to limit how much.”
His phone buzzed. “Jack,” he said as he answered the call. “Hey, brother. What’s up?”
She shook her head, silently begging him not to tell Jack she was here, and got one of his smirks.
“I’m at the grocery store. Thanks for stocking the kitchen, by the way. Just needed a few other things. Gotta tell you, I’m surprised at how much I like Asheville. The views around here are pretty mind-blowing.” He looked at her fake chest as he said that, laughter brightening his eyes.
She stomped on his foot, and he outright laughed.
“No, just laughing because there’s a potato that looks like breasts.”
She laugh-snorted, then slapped a hand over her mouth. The blasted man was having way too much fun.
“Text me K-9’s address, and I’ll head there after I grab some lunch.”
Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t going to rat her out.
“By the way, you ever have any problems with wildcats nosing around the cabin?”
She’d breathed that sigh too soon. She glared at him when he grinned.
“Thought I heard one growling at me. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if I spot it.”
He was both having fun with her and giving her a warning.
“What part of I don’t want Jack involved in my problem don’t you get?” she said when he finished his call. “I don’t care that you think otherwise, it’s my decision, so stop even hinting that I’m here.” Annoyed with him, she slammed a head of cabbage into the cart.
“Who likes cabbage?”
She stared at the green head. She hated cabbage, had only grabbed the closest thing she could slam to make a point, but not a chance she was going to admit it. “You’re an ass.” Angry with him, she stormed off.
“Rachel.”
It was the first time he’d said her name when talking to her. As much as she liked him calling her wildcat, hearing her name on his lips did crazy things to her, like stopping her stomping exit so fast she almost fell on her face. Good Lord, she was a stunt double. She could perform all kinds of feats—well, they were mostly well-choreographed tricks—but apparently she couldn’t perform the simple task of walking away from a cowboy.
“Rachel,” he said again so intimately that shivers traveled down her spine. She’d had boyfriends, one who she thought wasthe oneuntil he’d cheated on her. Not one had ever made her shiver just by saying her name.
She was in trouble with this man, and that’s a wrap, folks.
Dallas had only intended to rile up a wildcat because he really liked that he could. He didn’t want to be an ass in those whiskey eyes. Apparently, he was.
He stepped closer. “You can’t know how good you are for me. You can’t know how much...” He pressed his lips together.
