Reflection Point: An Eternity Springs Novel (19 page)

She wrinkled her nose in disbelief. “You’re a man.”

Zach hated to upset her relaxed state, but she’d served the opportunity on a platter, and he couldn’t pass it up. “I’m not Kyle Vaughn.”

At the name, she sat up. She clutched her robe at the neckline, set her mouth, and narrowed her eyes. “You read up on me.”

“I sure did. I read the trial transcripts. Guy was a real ass.”

She studied him, meeting and holding his gaze for a long minute. “You really do believe me, don’t you.”

“Crazy, isn’t it? I never believe the claims of innocence of—”

“Convicts?” she drawled in that slow molasses accent of hers that he found so arousing.

He rolled his tongue around his mouth. “Law enforcement clients.”

She snorted a little laugh. “I can’t make up my mind about you, Sheriff. You confuse me.”

“Just don’t confuse me with the d-bag.”

Savannah tilted her head and studied him. “Sarah said you’ve dated more women than any other guy in town. Ski instructors, summer residents …” Her brows dipped in a frown as she added, “Her and Nic and even Ali. And Ali was married!”

Showing interest. Excellent
. “Now, that’s not true, Savannah. Ali and I didn’t date. We just flirted a little, and this was during the time that she was separated from Mac. She’ll tell you I was good for her. I’m a nice guy. Give it a little time and you’ll figure that out.”

“A little time,” she repeated before giving her head a baffled shake. “Why? We have nothing in common. We’re as different as can be. Why me, Zach? Because I’m handy? I’m handy and you’re horny?”

“That’s insulting to both of us.”

“Then explain it to me.” She punctuated her demand by waving her hand.

Zach could see that she seriously had doubts about him. The woman was gun-shy, and he needed to put her at ease. Otherwise, they’d never move forward … and he very much wanted to move forward.

So he used the most powerful weapon in his arsenal—the
truth. “Honestly, I would if I could, but I don’t know that I understand it myself. Not totally. You intrigue me, Savannah. You challenge me. That’s a turn-on for me. I like climbing mountains. I like backcountry skiing. I like trying to get beneath your skin—not to mention your spa robe.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So this is sport to you. A game.”

“Maybe. I admit that’s part of it. At the risk of sounding egotistical, I haven’t had to work for a woman in a long time. You are work, Savannah Sophia Moore.” He ignored her wrinkled nose and sniff of disgust and pressed on. “I’m not afraid of work and I’m not afraid of challenges. I’m not afraid of relationships, either. Maybe that’s where you and I are headed.”

“A relationship?” she asked, horrified.

The squeak in her voice made him smile. “Maybe. Or maybe we’ll settle on a friendship.”

“Maybe we’ll want nothing to do with each other.”

“Maybe you’ll break my heart. Or …” He kissed the back of her hand. “Maybe we’ll fall in love.”

She leaped out of the swing as if her butt was on fire. “Love? Fall in love? Now you are being insane. You’re a cop. I’m a convict.”

“So?”

“So that’s like … I don’t know what that’s like. Oil and water.”

“I admit, it’s a long shot. Still, don’t you think it’ll be fun figuring out the answer?”

Zach rose and stepped toward her. Savannah, of course, backed away, until she bumped up against the house. “You smell like summertime and champagne. Kiss me, Peach.”

She placed her palm against his chest. “I am not having sex with you tonight.”

“A good-night kiss. That’s all I’m asking for. Trust me, Savannah.” Silvered moonlight illuminated her face,
and the yearning in her expression broke his heart. “You can trust me, Savannah.”

Her hand slid up his chest and around his neck. Silently she offered him her lips.

For now, that was enough.

THIRTEEN
 

“The man confounds me,” Savannah told Gabi, who sat beside her in a salon chair in the Angel’s Rest spa. “It’s been three weeks. He sends gifts. He calls me. He drops by the shop to visit. He tells his friends that he’s ‘seeing’ me, but he hasn’t asked me out.”

“Really? How do you know that?”

“Sage told me. Is this some sort of weird mountain dating ritual? Not to go on dates?”

Gabi laughed. “Not that I know of. I agree it’s weird that he’s never asked you out. It’s not like he’s trying to work up the nerve. From everything I’ve seen, Zach Turner doesn’t do timid.”

Savannah eyed the red polish on Gabi’s toes and second-guessed her own choice of a pink shade. “Well, he did ask me out once, but that was at the open house.”

“You turned him down?” When Savannah nodded, Gabi continued. “Well, there’s your answer. He’s waiting for you to make the next move.”

“Excuse me? Are you saying he’s waiting for
me
to ask
him
out?”

“Knowing my boss, that’s a good guess. Zach is a proud man.”

“He’s a pest.” Savannah indulged in a minor sulk. “And the whole thing is complicated.”

“Why, because you have a jerk in your past?”

Savannah startled. Had Zach spread her personal business around? Before she could ask, Gabi continued.

“You don’t own the market on a-holes, Savannah. A lot of us have scars from that particular battle.”

“Maybe so, but some wounds take longer to heal. Some wounds never heal.”

“Sure they do … as long as you don’t let them fester. You need to let yourself see where this thing with Zach takes you. Don’t stress and don’t overanalyze. It causes wrinkles.”

Was Gabi right? The idea did make a weird sort of sense. The behavior was annoying, so of course it would be something he’d do. She nodded toward Gabi’s feet and changed the subject. “What color is that?”

“Wine for Me, Baby.”

“It’s pretty. It complements your olive complexion.” Savannah glanced up as the nail technician exited the back room carrying a stack of towels. “It probably would look garish on me. I’m too pale.”

“You are peaches and cream. I’m jealous. So back to the matter at hand. You should ask Zach out, Savannah. Make a picnic and have him take you up to Heartache Falls or something.” Gabi held up one foot, then the other, so that Molly could slip her sandals on. “Make your peach cobbler.”

“Your boss isn’t the only pest in town,” Savannah said glumly. “Don’t you need to go give somebody a parking ticket or something?”

“Meow.” Gabi shot her an unabashed grin.

A few minutes later, after Gabi had left the salon, her words lingered in Savannah’s mind as Molly gave her a pedicure. And while she shopped for groceries at the Trading Post. And when she opened the shop at ten and
ate her lunch at twelve-thirty and sold an eighty-seven-dollar gift basket to a tourist from Arizona at three.

Gabi’s suggestion trumpeted through her mind like a brass band when she was out on the front porch watering her geraniums and Zach drove by in his sheriff’s Range Rover. Two days later, she gave in, as much to still the voice in her head as for any other reason. At least that’s what she tried to tell herself.

At two o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon, Savannah made a phone call to Celeste, then hung the BACK IN TEN MINUTES sign on Heavenscents’ front door. She marched over to the sheriff’s office, greeted Ginger with a tight smile, and asked if she could speak to Zach for just a minute.

“Sure, honey,” Ginger replied. “Go on back.”

Savannah hesitated outside his office door, her heart pounding, her mouth dry as sand. He sat scowling at his computer screen and looked so handsome doing it that she almost chickened out.
Curse the man. Why does he have to be so darned agreeable?

Summoning her nerve, annoyed that she needed to do so, Savannah rapped on his door. Zach glanced up, and surprise briefly widened his eyes before he offered a warm smile. “Hello, Peach.”

Without a preamble or a greeting or even a smile, she blurted, “Do you want to go on a picnic with me Sunday afternoon?”

He didn’t hesitate an instant. “I’d love to go on a picnic with you Sunday afternoon.”

Holy soap flakes, he said yes. Now what?
“Okay, then. Pick me up at one. I’ll bring the food. Can you choose the spot?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, then.” She spun on her heel and exited the office. She had just reached the corner when she heard him call her name. She stopped, exhaled abruptly.
He’s going
to cancel
. Bracing herself for the humiliation of rejection, she turned around. “Yes?”

“Shall we bring the dogs along?”

The rest of the week, Zach alternated between smugness and nervousness. The nervousness really pissed him off. His plan had worked, hadn’t it? She’d marched into his office and asked him out. He’d worn her down, just like he’d planned. So then why was he antsy about this? Women didn’t make him nervous. Not since high school, anyway.

Savannah Moore made him nervous.

“That’s what you get for being smug, you idiot,” he muttered to himself as he loaded Ace into his Jeep at ten minutes to one on Sunday.

And yet he had every right to be smug, didn’t he? His strategy to subtly seduce was working like a charm. The woman was skittish as a new colt where men were concerned, for good reason. Still—and he’d never admit this to another soul—he’d been shocked when she burst into his office, her eyes looking a little angry and wild, and belligerently asked him on a picnic.

When she answered his knock on her front door, the fake smile on her face and dread in her eyes restored his good humor for some reason. “You look like someone just drop-kicked little Inny. I’m not the Big Bad Wolf, you know.”

“No. You’re the Big Bad Sheriff.” She sighed heavily. “And this is a really bad idea.”

Well, hell
. “Are you trying to chicken out?”

Her chin came up. “No. I do what I say I’m going to do. Our picnic lunch is ready and Inny is ready and I’m—”

“Beautiful.” She wore faded jeans and a pale pink camp shirt that shouldn’t have been sexy but was. “So what’s on the menu?”

“Fried chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, and peach cobbler for dessert. Zach, I haven’t been on a date since Kyle. I’m not ready for this.”

“It’s a picnic, Savannah. I’m not taking you back to my place to have hot, raunchy sex.”
Damn the bad luck
. “There is nothing for you to be ‘ready’ for other than maybe to catch a trout.”

“Fishing? You’re taking me fishing?”

“Do you have something against fishing?”

After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “I don’t know. I’ve never been fishing before.”

He gaped at her. “Now, that’s just sad. We will definitely take care of that this afternoon. I’m taking you up to this place I know on Murphy Mountain. It’s a beautiful picnic spot, and the fishing is great. You can give it a try, and if you don’t like it, we can hike over to Heartache Falls or just sit and talk.”

“Fishing sounds fun. I do like to hike, too.”

Zach followed the path of her gaze and noted she wore sneakers. “You might want to bring along some boots, just in case. Want help with the food?”

“Sure. The basket is on my kitchen table. Let me get my boots and Inny’s leash and we’re ready to go.”

Zach’s dog, Ace, gave a happy yip when Savannah put Inny in the backseat with him. The two dogs had played together twice before at the dog park and had become great friends.

They stopped by Cam Murphy’s sporting goods store and bought a fishing license for her. Zach kept the conversation general and light as he took the scenic back road up the mountain and she slowly relaxed.
Like gentling a horse
, he thought.

When he turned off the road and onto a rutted trail, she cut him a glance. “You sure you know where you’re going?”

“Trust me.” He flashed a wide grin and added, “It is
rough through here. You might want to grab the hold strap.”

She held on to it for dear life, her brow furrowed in concern until the moment the path curved and the Jeep burst onto the meadow. “Oh,” she breathed, a smile of pleasure brightening her face. “How lovely. The view is absolutely breathtaking.”

“Best view of Sinner’s Prayer Pass around. Cam would like to build a house up here, but Sarah says it’s not practical with them both having businesses in town.”

“He owns this land?”

“Yep. He owns all of Murphy Mountain except for the section he sold to Jack’s charitable foundation for the camp they’re building.”

“Cat mentioned something about it, but I haven’t heard the details. It’s for troubled kids?”

“Children whose lives have been touched by tragedy. They had hoped to open in June, but licensing red tape held them up. I think they’re set now for some time in August. They’re going to have a couple of test run sessions for local kids first.”

He drove to the center of the meadow and stopped the Jeep beside the creek. “Here’s our lunch spot. So, what would you like to do first? Eat? Hike? Fish?”

“You said we can hike to Heartache Falls from here?”

“Yes. Takes about half an hour.”

“Is it too difficult for the dogs?”

“No, but we’ll need to keep them on their leads. If we run across wildlife, it’s better that we keep control.”