Page 76 of Clearly Charmed

‘I think a lot of that was for Lia’s benefit, because Mara’s a big fan of my sister.’

‘Shit, after watching her today, I’m a member of the Lia McGuire fan club too.’

Indy raced back into the room, lay down and rolled over. I gave his tummy a thorough rub and his right leg jerked out in joy.

Bryce gave his dog an amused look. ‘Careful, he’ll lie there for hours if you let him.’

After a few more belly scratches, Flora trotted back into the room, and she and Indy were off again. Bryce took my hand and led me forward. The cabin was rustic with basic furniture and a small kitchen. A large brown leather sofa, matching recliner and an old oak table were the only items in the living room. A massive stone fireplace took up the rest of the space. There were no knickknacks, picture frames or anything that showed Rich’s personality. I’m pretty sure if you looked up the definition of ‘bachelor pad’ in the dictionary, an image of this cabin would be front and center.

‘My uncle Rich wasn’t big into collecting things. As my mom often told me, he was into living a basic life. She did try to spruce up the place a bit when she came to visit, but he always waved her off. Told her he didn’t need much to be happy.’

He pointed to a sliding glass door at the back of the space and I followed. As soon as I stepped out onto the massive redwood deck, I understood why his uncle didn’t want for much. Acres of dense forest spilled out all the way to where the trees met the mountains. Carving out a path between the trees was the wildly churning river.

He pointed to a hand-carved Adirondack chair on the deck, and I sank into its steady structure. Flora trotted over and lay down beside me. I closed my eyes, trying not to wince at the press of my raw skin against the chair. Once I was comfortable, I allowed the sounds of nature to calm me. Let the scent of dry bark, pine needles and crisp wind, melt all the tension from my body.

‘I get now why your uncle was thin on the decorating. With a place like this, the stunning silence, breathtaking views, I doubt he’d need much more.’

The wind tugged at my hair, the warmth of the setting sun melting my bones into the firm feel of the chair. I’d been going a hundred miles an hour since we’d found Mara. Now that I had time to think back on today, my muscles clenched and my jaw ached. Lying down on my stomach at the edge of the ridge, not being smart about where I placed my feet, was beyond stupid. I pulled in an unsteady breath, trying not to think how differently today could have gone.

‘Dani.’ Bryce’s stilted voice made me open my eyes. Around my chair sat a ring of birds. Nuthatch. Goldfinch. Robin.

The birds hopped closer. Didn’t attempt to fly away, even when I shifted in the chair.

‘Why is it that every time I’m around you, animals seek you out?’

‘I give off the vet vibe,’ I said casually.

‘It’s more than that. They sense a gentleness, a kindness that’s rare.’ His eyes went warm. ‘At least that’s what I get from you.’ That searching look crossed his face again. ‘I need you to know that I’d never do anything to hurt you. And today… when I couldn’t find you… I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest.’

The sincerity in his gaze was not an act. Neither was the way his hand trembled when he reached out to lovingly stroke a knuckle over my cheek. Even as I stared into those deep blue eyes, Lia’s voice rang in my head. Warning me he was here to make life a nightmare for us. That he was butting into our lives where he didn’t belong. But the more time I spent with him, the less I saw that cunning reporter.

‘Gentle? Really?’ I forced my tone to be light. ‘As I recall, the first time we met I wasn’t all that gentle.’

He pressed his lips thin. ‘I deserved it, because I acted like an ass.’

‘Indy doesn’t do leashes,’ I said in a haughty impression of him.

He scrubbed a hand over the red scruff on his chin ‘That’s exactly what an ass would say to a beautiful woman who’d just called him out for being an idiot.’

Heat flooded my cheeks, and I turned my attention back to the birds, who continued to hop around my chair, ignoring Flora entirely. ‘If it’s any consolation, I did think you cared about Indy. That was pretty clear in the way you stumbled out of the woods. Took a header straight onto the dirt.’

He let out a low, sexy chuckle. ‘Not my finest moment.’

‘You’ve improved since then.’

He kicked out his foot and dragged my chair closer. ‘Care to elaborate?’

‘You listened to George at the farm when he told you to hold back. To trust me. And you didn’t hesitate when Lia gave you orders today. Stayed with Aster when she came back to the trail to look for us.’

‘I’ve only been in Harvest Moon a short time, but I’ve learned that when a McGuire woman gives you an order, you’d be a fool not to listen.’

‘Huh,’ I said with a taunt. ‘So you like being told what to do?’

He leaned forward and set his hands on my thighs, the heat of his touch searing through my coveralls. ‘Is this okay? I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.’ His right eyebrow hitched. ‘It’s like you’ve bewitched me.’

I let out a caustic laugh. ‘Sure, and I drove here on my broom.’

‘I’m serious. Never in my life have I believed in magic, but this hunger to be close to you, to touch you.’ His voice dropped into a gravel-like tone that sent my heart racing. ‘It’s like I’m absolutely one hundred percent under your spell. The spell of this town.’