Every Step She Takes (Who's Watching Now Book 2) Read Free

problem.” He pulled back his arm and clasped her hand in his warm one instead, giving it a squeeze. “A bouncing plane can be nerve-wracking.”
    “You’ve got that right.” She managed the comeback between gritted teeth.
    Her stomach dropped and pitched in concert with the gyrating aircraft. He didn’t look one bit bothered. His blue eyes were steady and confident as he held her gaze. She focused on breathing evenly. When the jostling stopped, she reluctantly released his hand.
    “Thanks.”
    “You bet. Feels like we’re starting our descent.” He leaned against her shoulder and pointed out the window. “See those buildings way down to the right. That must be Moose Flat.”
    He vaguely smelled of some woodsy scent. With her heart beating a tattoo against her ribcage, she dragged her gaze from his hard jaw perilously close to her cheek to focus on the dark specks far below. The town of Moose Flat, if she could call it a town, was situated in a long valley between towering mountains. A splash of blue surrounded by endless green forests was undoubtedly Moose Lake, their ultimate destination. She imagined her chances of finding a decent coffee shop anywhere nearby were slim.
    “Goody.”
    He laughed. “Sarcastic little thing, aren’t you?”
    “I don’t know about the little part.” In heels she looked most men straight in the eye, but Travis made her feel—delicate. Why did I swear off casual, meaningless relationships? Gee, that’s right, at thirty-four, her dormant biological clock had finally started to tick. She stole a covert glance at her distracted seatmate. The timing for that momentous event sucked.
    “Yep, we’re definitely losing elevation.”
    He turned to face her, his direct gaze revealing a hint of interest that made her breath catch in her throat.
    “I’m sure we’ll bump into one another at the retreat. The place isn’t very big, but it’s been a pleasure sharing the flight.”
    The man was gorgeous and polite. So he liked tramping through the woods and baiting hooks. Was that really so horrible? Maybe she should revise her Required Qualities in a Prospective Mate list and step out of her comfort zone. Live dangerously.
    She licked dry lips. “You kept me from chewing my nails through the entire flight. My manicurist and I are deeply in your debt.”
    “I like the sound of that. Fasten your seatbelt, Grace. We’re headed for a landing.”
    * * * *
    Travis’s gaze strayed to the woman in the front passenger seat of the van as she laughed at something the driver said. Somehow his seatmate from the flight had ended up in the choice position riding shotgun rather than squashed in the back with the rest of the guests traveling to Moose Lake Lodge. Not that it surprised him. He was willing to bet every man Grace Hanover came in contact with went out of his way to accommodate her wishes. The woman was a drop-dead beauty with a body that didn’t quit.
    Sandwiched between a loud-mouthed Cubs fan and a frat boy wearing new hiking boots and a bored expression, he let out a breath and met the gaze of Joe College. “Tight squeeze. Who would have thought a fishing retreat would be so popular?”
    “It’s a drag,” the kid answered after a brief pause.
    Not much of a talker, unlike the guy to his left with the thick Midwest accent. Skewed in his seat with an elbow digging uncomfortably into Travis’s ribs, the man kept up a running conversation about the likelihood of the Cubs winning the pennant with the guy in the rear seat who clutched a dog-eared fishing magazine. Next to the angling expert sat two middle-aged women wearing similar tan walking shorts and pale green camp shirts who finished each other’s sentences in a way that grated on Travis’s nerves. He couldn’t decide if they were sisters or lovers.
    “Hold tight, folks. The road gets rougher from here on out.” The driver spoke with a touch of humor in his voice as he took a firmer grip on the steering wheel.
    Grace turned