Was she being naive? Were they truly on the brink of something exciting? Or was the wine making her feel and think recklessly and irresponsibly?
“Where are your glasses?” she asked suddenly.
“In the pocket of my jacket. I only need them to see.” She laughed. “Actually,” he explained, “I can see up to about four feet away without them.”
“And you didn’t think we’d be sitting farther apart than that?”
His voice lowered. “If you let me sit with you at all, I planned to sit as close as possible.”
Nervously and shyly, her eyes flitted away from his. He cursed himself. Go slow. Be her friend first. “Shall we go?”
She murmured her consent and they moved out of the booth. Before he could help her, she settled her jacket around her shoulders. She also reached for the tab. He yanked it from her fingers.
“I intend to pay my part.”
“My treat,” he said succinctly, forestalling any further discussion. “What was that?” he asked when she mumbled something he didn’t quite catch.
“I said you’re bossy.” He threw back his head and laughed.
Outside on the sidewalk he asked, “Do you feel like walking back or would you rather I drive you?”
So, he knew she had walked to the restaurant. She shouldn’t be surprised. If he had been determined to come after her, he wouldn’t have left finding her to chance.
“You don’t have to do either.”
He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and gazed at the dark silhouette of the mountains for a slow count of ten. “Surely we aren’t going to start playing games with each other. Not after what we’ve come through already.”
She’d almost bungled it again, first with the check, now with this. Don’t be so damned defensive. “It’s quite a walk,” she said in a teasing manner, hoping to make a concession.
He smiled. “I think I can handle it.” He took her arm as they crossed the street. Without even asking, he guided them up the hill in the direction of the house.
He matched his stride to hers. They walked in companionable silence. The night was still and quiet. Finally she asked what was uppermost in her mind. “Hunter, why did you come here?”
“I’m on vacation.” This time his attempt at humor fell flat.
“You just happened to choose Breckenridge?”
“No, it wasn’t a random choice.” He stopped. They stood facing each other in the middle of the street. The street was deserted but it wouldn’t have mattered. To them, they were the only people on earth at the moment.
“Pinkie told me you were here and I immediately notified my office that I was taking this week off. I came here with the sole purpose of seeing you. This afternoon as soon as I arrived, I located the house you’re staying in. I drove past it several times and spotted you when you came out. I didn’t plan to call you until tomorrow morning but couldn’t wait. I followed you into the restaurant.”
He took a step nearer and spoke more softly. “I know it’s been a year since your husband’s death. From what I’ve read that’s the last hurdle. Now you should be ready to start again.” He capped her shoulders with his palms. “I wanted to see you, talk with you, spend time with you.”
“Why, Hunter?”
He probed the depths of her eyes. “You know why.”
Her eyes met his steadily. She answered as honestly as she could. “There’s always been something between us. I don’t know what it is. At first I thought it was hatred, at least on my part. Now I’m not sure. Every time I’ve seen you it’s been upsetting and unsettling. I’ve always been uncomfortable with you until—” She broke off and looked away.
“Until when?”
“Until tonight.” Her head was bowed and she spoke into her collar. He tilted her chin up with his index finger until she was looking at him again.
“So, you don’t think you’ll mind having me around for a few days?”
“I don’t know,” she said with soft earnestness. “Don’t expect too much. Don’t expect anything. My feelings for you have always been ambivalent. They still are.”
His grin was rueful. “I can’t ask you to be more honest than that.” He pressed her hands between both of his. “Tell me this. When you saw me walking toward you tonight, what was your initial reaction?”
She let her eyes fence with his for a moment while the knot of emotion in her throat tried to work itself out. “I was glad to see you.”
She expected a reaction. She was disappointed. His face gave none of his thoughts away. She had expected him to smile, or maybe duck his head and kiss her cheek, or embrace her and kiss her passionately.