Page 152 of Meowy & Bright

“Clover?” I look down into her big green eyes.

“Yes.” The pink on her cheeks deepens even more.

I have the strangest urge to stroke her cheek, just so I can feel how soft she is. How warm.

I clear my throat and try to push away the out-of-place thoughts. “We need to get moving. Take only what you can carry. My truck is a quarter of a mile, maybe a little more.”

She looks up at the sky, indecision in her eyes.

That urge hits again, and this time I give in and press my palm to her cheek.

Her eyes widen in surprise.

“You can trust me, Clover. Okay? I’d never hurt you.”

“Hands off, strange man of the woods.” Bells climbs into the passenger seat, then steps out and gives me a vicious look.

“Sorry.” I drop my hand and step back.

But I don’t miss the way Clover licks her lips. And I definitely don’t miss the way she doesn’t take a breath until I break our gaze.

3

CLOVER

Bells tried to stand up straight but sways on her feet. Her voice might be firm, telling the mountain man Charles to keep his hands and his eyes to himself, but I can tell she’s in pain. I have no doubt she is going to try to hide every second of it.

I give her a once-over, but I can’t see any visible damage to her. That doesn’t mean she’s not hurting still. She was the one that took the impact of the crash. It’s only a matter of time before she really starts to feel that.

Not wanting her to do anything she doesn't have to, I open the back-passenger door. If I wasn't in the middle of a full-blown freak out, I might laugh. As always, Aurora looks ready for a runway and she’s not even trying. All of her beauty and poise is natural. Some people have all the luck.

I truly believe a big reason why she seems to have a glow around her all the time is because she’s made up of kindness and sweetness on the inside. There isn't a mean bone in her body. Not even one mean enough to rip that jerk face Kent a new one. I think he knows that too. Predators often do. They sense the sweetness and good in people and pounce like the monsters they are.

“I got you guys into this mess.” Aurora’s voice is filled with tears.

“We’re in this shit together,” Bells says before I can respond.

“We wanted an adventure, and it sure as heck looks as if we're going to get one!” I put on a bright smile. The last thing I need is for Aurora to burst into tears. “Plus, look” I point over my shoulder. “We found a hot mountain man.”

Aurora snorts a laugh at my teasing. Most likely because I never openly call a man hot. The tears in her eyes start to fade away. My work here is done for now. I’m holding on by a tiny thread, and I don’t need Aurora having a breakdown when I’m so close to one myself.

“Guys. Our little Clover just made him blush.” I look back over my shoulder to Charles. Pretty sure that’s the cold doing that to his cheeks. He doesn't deny or defend himself. Truthfully, I don’t think he cares why we think his cheeks are red one way or another. He does, however, keep staring right at me. I try not to fidget at that.

I might be what many like to call the mousy type, but I am the first to get into anyone’s face when it came to Aurora. But this man has me fighting the urge to not fidget and retreat back to my high school years when my hormones were all over the place.

“Is it night out?” Aurora asks. Bells and I both break out in much needed laughter. I reach up and pull the glasses off her face. Her eyes are still puffy and red from crying. As much as I hate seeing that, the hot flash of anger I feel warms me.

“Help her out.” I move to the back of the SUV. Charles follows me. I try to open the back but can’t get it to budge.

He looks at the sky. “We’re not worried about your luggage right now.”

“I’m not.” I give him a frown. “We’ll come back for it.”

“Clover.” He says my name like he’s tasting it. “I like that name.” He grabs the back hatch and somehow gets it to open.

Now my cheeks are the ones reddening, and not from the cold. “Thanks.”

His warm smile sends pleasant tingles up my spine. Maybe I hit my head in the wreck or I’m starting to go snow crazy, but the longer he looks at me, the hotter I feel.

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