Warrior at Willow Lake Read Online Free Page B

not ten years old, Hunter.” She adjusted the seat belt and then folded her hands into her lap.
    “I see that.” His gaze narrowed as he skimmed the length of her, wrapped in moonlight. “It’s more than…obvious.”
    She shifted in the seat as her cheeks heated, wondering how he managed to make her want to kiss him and scream at him in the same instant. Her jaw clenched and the next words were stiff. “Besides, Willow Lake is safe.”
    “You think?”
    “I know.” She nodded sharply, giving the gum in her mouth a few hard chews. She’d longed for the safety and the anonymity of a place where no one knew her—or her past. Willow Lake was a comfortable fit—a blessing greater than she’d ever hoped to find. Here she had found true friends in Ryder and Maci…and a sense of peace. “That’s why I moved here…opened a practice here.”
    “What kind of practice?” Hunter asked as he jimmied the key into the ignition and started the engine. The rumble seemed so out-of-place in the deserted lot.
    “Music therapy.” Maci rolled down her window and let the slight breeze wash over her. His questions raked her nerves and his eyes—generous slices of onyx—studied her as if she were a newly-discovered lab specimen. Why did she feel like she owed him an explanation? She drew a breath and brushed a speck of lint from her skirt, wishing for a hot shower and a change of clothes. “I counsel people through music.”
    “Great.” As if to punctuate the sentiment he gunned the engine and squealed from the parking spot, tossing her back in the seat. “Just what I need—a head doctor.”
    “Hunter, please slow down!” As he veered left from the lot and onto the highway, she toppled into him. She splayed a hand over his shoulder, fighting to regain her balance in the seat, and was vaguely aware of the terrain of muscles beneath the starched, cotton fabric of his work shirt. Every nerve ending trilled in harmony and she gulped hard before continuing. “We’re not in an emergency vehicle anymore. What’s wrong with you?”
    “You’re the shrink.” His eyes shot daggers as he charged through a green light. “ You tell me .”
    “ Shrink ?” The word scalded Maci. “I see you have a high regard for people like me.”
    “People like you…”
    Her words seemed to startle Hunter and he tapped the brake, easing to a reasonable speed.
    He raked a hand through his hair and grimaced. “Maci…it’s not you.”
    “Here we go…” She righted herself in the seat and readjusted the belt over her lap, pulling it good and tight before smoothing her wrinkled skirt. Another flash of heat rushed through her chest and over the nape of her neck, snaking across her face. She tilted her head to hide cheeks she was certain were flaming. “You know, if this is about what happened in the courtyard, remember that you kissed me , not the other way around.”
    “Is that right? Well, correct me if I’m mistaken, but it sure felt like you kissed me back.”
    “You caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting…” Gnawing her lower lip, Maci reached for the radio dial. A quick jab and music raged through the cab. Good, she didn’t know how she’d continue to speak with the lump swelling in her throat. Her eyes burned.
    “You’re right.” Hunter shouted over the music, his gaze dark as a thunderstorm and his jaw a rigid line. “And I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was a mistake, and I’d take it back if I could.”
    “So would I.” Maci managed as she crossed her arms tight over her chest and turned toward the window. The breeze dried tears that leapt to her eyes before they had the chance to spill down her cheeks. She sniffled softly as his earlier words coursed through her mind.
    Maci, it’s not you.
    But it obviously was her. The words had set her off, and she wasn’t even sure why. She was tired—exhausted—and coming down from an adrenaline rush. Seeing the blush of love on Ali’s face as she held precious Rory