He didn’t answer. Stubbornness shone in his eyes. Moonlight highlighted the glory of his thick, tawny hair. Her fingers still tingled from sliding through the soft strands. His scent wafted in the air, musky male, citrusy lemon, and the sweetness of chocolate. She waited for his temper, ready to walk away and cut her losses. It would be better not to see him again. It would be better to dump the entire plan, move on with her life, and forget that damn kiss.

“I’ll finish the job you’re paying me for,” he ground out. “And I’ll keep my hands to myself. But I’ll tell you this. Physical chemistry is damn important in a relationship, especially long term. Passion is the foundation. Without it, the structure eventually sinks. Be sure you want to walk away from this for some fantasy husband who may not exist.”

She shivered from his warning. Something shifted in her gut, a bone-deep knowledge that this man was offering a rare gift worth exploring, even with all the obstacles.

Raven ignored it. “I’m sure.”

Dalton dragged in a breath and nodded. “Let’s go.”

This time, their fingers didn’t brush. They walked back in silence. Desperate to get home to safety, she picked up the pace. The dogs shot out of the woods to accompany them, leading them back toward the light of the front porch.

“Raven? Is that you?”

Ah, shit.

The feminine voice carried in the air, and heels tapped over to her. Morgan and Cal appeared, trapping her halfway to escape. The blond Southern woman closed the distance, a welcoming smile on her face. Dressed in her usual chic white business suit even at this late hour, she was the image of sleek polish, from her silver bob to her smart heels. The surface didn’t do her justice. Raven had learned over the past year that she had a big heart, a wicked sense of humor, and a steely exterior that refused to take crap from any of the Pierce brothers. How could you not like a woman like that? She knelt down and kissed Gandalf and Balin like they were babies, not seeming to care about the flying fur or lapping tongues. “Dalton, what are you doing dragging her into the woods? Didn’t you offer her a proper drink first?”

A faint flush hit his cheeks. Raven prayed they didn’t look as guilty as she felt. “Just showing her the poker tables in the shed. Raven’s looking to start up a poker night at My Place.”

Morgan rose, watching the dogs take off again after a sound. Cal hooked his hand around his fiancée’s hips, tucking her close with an easy intimacy. “Poker, huh? Great idea. I know a bunch of guys who’d love to be in on that.”

“I was actually thinking of starting a women’s poker group,” she said.

Morgan laughed and clapped her hands. “I love it! I’m in. About time we get something more interesting than knitting and book clubs.”

“Even erotic book clubs?” Cal pointed out, his eyes teasing.

“Oh, hush. Will you be featuring cocktails, too?”

“Definitely. I plan to keep them on the lighter side and use some of the Skinnygirl products to balance the calories. When Dalton is done with the stools and tables, I’ll set up an introductory class so everyone who doesn’t already know how to play can learn.”

Cal groaned. “I just lost my woman on a weekly basis, and maybe my money.”

Morgan tossed her head. “Charming, I make my own money, and I’ll win or lose it of my own accord, thank you very much.”

Raven laughed at his chastised look. It was fun to see her plans for the bar garner the excitement she’d dreamed of. She hoped others would be as enthusiastic, or she’d be hanging out with just Morgan on poker night.

“Cal and I were going to sit on the porch for a bit. Why don’t you join us?”

“Oh, no, thanks. I have to get back. Long day tomorrow.”

“Of course, we understand. We’d love to have you for dinner next week if you’re free.”

She tried not to react. She’d be inside the Pierce house. See where their mother had lived. Gather more clues.

Be with Dalton.

Her thoughts whirled, and she forced a smile. “That’s nice of you, but I’m sure I’ll be slammed with the renovations and party planning.”

Morgan sighed. “I need more girls around here. I’m overwhelmed by testosterone. But I understand; let me know if your schedule clears up.”

“I will.” She moved back toward the truck for her escape. “Have a good night.”

Dalton watched her with the quiet of a predator but finally tipped his head to his brother and slid into the driver’s seat. Halfway to her house, he spoke. “Morgan likes you. Don’t punish her because you don’t want to be around me.”

She gasped. “I’m not punishing her for anything! I happen to like Morgan, but I told the truth. I’m busy with work right now, and that’s my priority. Why would you care anyway?”

“Because Morgan brought back a joy in our lives we’d been missing for a long time.” His hands clenched around the steering wheel. “Because I love her and want her to be happy.”

She sucked in her breath. Stared at his profile. He kept his gaze on the road while his confession rolled through her like rollicking waves drenching the sand.

He loved her. Said so simply, so honestly, it cut right into her heart. This was a man who could love and had no problem saying it aloud. This was a man who treasured and cared about his family. This was a man with the potential to surprise her and destroy all her safe, manageable barriers.

He pulled into her driveway.

“Thanks. See you tomorrow.” Frantic to escape, she practically fell out of the passenger seat, and hit the ground running.

She didn’t look back.

chapter twelve

He was back to fucking square one.

Dalton brooded and tried to concentrate on the stools in front of him. It had only been a few days since the earth-shattering, rocket-blasting, volcano-exploding kiss.

Unfortunately, she was pretending it had never happened.

Even worse, she avoided his company and was unfailingly polite. No more veiled insults or sarcastic comments or withering glances. It was the worst type of rejection possible. She wanted to forget not only the kiss, but the budding relationship they’d begun to seed in the past week.

He wasn’t sure what to do. His brain told him to forget her and move on. Was this really worth it? She didn’t want him, whether or not they shared a red-hot chemistry. She was stuck on marrying some faceless guy who’d offer her stability, a low-APR mortgage, and exciting nights revolving around the DVR.