Chapter 2
Kipp
Present
The tourist had been talking to herself for twenty minutes.
Or, at least, that’s what it looked like.
She stood by the window of her car, some kind of recorder in her hand, words coming in waves — low, animated, then quiet again, like she was practicing something important.
Whatever she was saying seemed to capture every part of her as she spoke, one hand moving animatedly as she narrated into her phone.
Wildwood Meadows saw its fair share of outsiders: hikers, birders, people chasing their small-town dreams, but this one didn’t fit the mold. It was hard to pin down the exact reason why; it was a gut feeling that told me to pay attention.
She was damn pretty, too. Don’t get me wrong. I saw pretty tourists all the time. Fucked plenty of them when I was interested in picking one up over in the nearby town of King Creek. They were my specialty. Attachments weren’t my thing.
But this woman was gorgeous, all soft curves, sun-kissed legs, cutoff shorts, and boots that looked properly broken in.
When she stretched, reaching her arms overhead as if she’d been sitting too long, the move caught me off guard as her tits curved against her tank top, stretching against it in a way that made me wish for obscene things.
I gave Fish a side-eye. “Yeah, yeah,” I muttered. “Don’t judge me.” When the mood struck, most of my hookups happened over in one of the towns close by. Tourists who knew the score and were looking for something to pass the time. Complications weren’t my thing.
The cattle dog bumped my leg in solidarity. Fish had a moral compass about as crooked as mine when it came to the fairer sex. He was a lover of attention for anyone who would pet him. Not that I could blame him.
When she walked toward the grocery store, I almost looked away — almost. Then she stopped in front of the bulletin board and went still. My sister Sage’s bright yellow flyer for Holt Cabins – Available Now! fluttered right at her eye level.
My siblings had plastered those damn things all over town, swearing I needed to “get out there” and “start renting already.” They didn’t understand my reluctance or that small pit in my stomach that yawned when I thought about taking the next step.
I’d built them for the express purpose of renting them out.
There were big dreams that went along with it.
Sage had really helped me with the website build she’d done, and everything was ready …
it was just hard to explain to my siblings that I was worried people might not like them or the concept.
It shouldn’t matter what strangers thought.
Still, I found myself watching her read it.
The tilt of her head. The way her fingers traced the tear-off tabs, but didn’t take one yet.
She paused over a few of the other flyers, rocking back and forth on her heels as she looked at them.
I could see her stopping on one in particular and putting her fingers to it. She almost looked sad.
Fish whined softly. “Fine. Let’s go say hello.
Maybe you’ll get your wish, and she’ll pet you.
” Maybe I would, too. It had been a very long dry spell for me lately, and the whole hook-up shtick was getting really old, so I’d kept to myself this past year.
Seeing my brother East and his fiancée together sparked a new interest in me in trying again in the dating game.
My boots scuffed on gravel as I crossed the lot, trying to be as casual as I could. Keeping my hands in my pockets so I didn’t seem threatening, I cleared my throat. “Looking for a place to stay?”
Her hand moved to her chest in surprise, then dropped when she saw me.
Her eyes were a soft brown, nearly golden like the color of honey, with green specks around the edges, framed by thick lashes that fluttered slightly as she took me in from head to toe.
Damn, she looked even prettier up close.
There was nothing artificial about this woman; she was completely natural.
I didn’t even think she was wearing any makeup, and it was a huge turn-on.
“Maybe,” she said, something guarded sliding over her eyes that I totally approved of. “Maybe not.”Then her gaze flicked to Fish, who was sitting politely at my heels, tail sweeping slowly. “Nice dog. Can I?”
“He’d be offended if you didn’t. It was the only reason we came over here. He couldn’t help himself.” That was a lie, but I gave her a slow smile anyway, like I could read my dog’s mind.
“Of course.” She gave me a nod as if she believed one word of the shit I was shoveling.
“It’s true. Fish here loves his pets, which is a miracle, you know.
He adopted me this year. I found him half-starved in the middle of nowhere.
” That was not a lie. I’d been out on patrol and found him in the middle of the damn woods with whip marks all over him.
Our bond had been immediate. You’d think he’d be afraid of people, but not Fish.
He had more courage than ninety percent of the population.
If I’d found someone responsible, they’d have been hauled in and charged (after tripping a few times and landing on their face). I might work for the Oregon State Police as a game warden, but animals were my soft spot.
“People are so fucked up, aren’t they, you poor baby.
Look at you, how special you are. What meany would do that to you?
” She crouched down, and my dog melted into her touch, shameless as always as she made a big show of snuffling into Fish’s face while he licked her.
The sight of her laughing softly as she rubbed his belly sent something sharp and stupid through my chest.
“You just made his week.” Fish rolled a little on his back so he could angle himself closer to her as she leaned over him, letting her waterfall of hair spread over him.
He was happy as a dang clam as his tongue darted towards her face.
She obliged, bending lower so he could lick her cheek. Jesus. Lucky dog.
“Seems easy to please.” She tipped a smile up at me, genuine and lighthearted, clear of anything that she’d been holding onto a few moments ago.
Dang, I was a sucker for a fellow pet lover. “Yeah, that’s the thing about Fish. He’s an absolute glutton for any sort of affection. I’m not one to deny him belly rubs.”
She looked up then, a smile tugging at her lips. “So, you saw me looking at the cabin flyer.” Getting back to her feet, she tucked a hand in her pocket and looked back at the bulletin board. “You know anything about them?”
“Yeah, actually I do.” Debating what to tell her, I contemplated her profile as she studied the board again.
The cabins were for rent, and if she wanted one, I had no problem with her staying out there.
Maybe I could coax her out for a date if she was staying for a while.
“They’re quiet. Clean. Out past town, about twenty minutes.
Good for people who want to disappear for a while. ”
Her eyes narrowed just slightly, like the words struck a nerve. “That’s a strange selling point.”
“Depends on who you’re selling to, I suppose. You can look them up online. There’s a website.” Sage had gotten fancy taking pictures of the property and the cabins, much to my annoyance. “You can even book that way.”
Her mouth quirked — the kind of half smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re not trying to talk me into something, are you?”
“Well, small towns, you know?” I gave Fish an indulgent pat. “We’re all about being welcoming. I know a good coffee shop just up the street. My treat. I’m Kipp.”
“What about your dog? If we go for coffee, what happens to poor Fish? That wouldn’t be fair.” Those perfect pink lips gave a little exaggerated moue, and I nearly groaned at the thought of them wrapped around another part of my body.
“Fish can come. They have a few tables outside.” I’d guess that guys tried to talk her into stuff all the time. “Just being neighborly.”
One eyebrow raised to show she didn’t believe in the term.
She was justified in being skeptical overall.
Usually, being neighborly wasn’t my thing.
I liked to keep to myself. My family and my job were all I needed.
Fish wiggled a little as if to remind me that now I had more responsibilities.
Now I had Fish. Life was good. I didn’t need to wonder about some random tourist.
She was watching me closely, and it seemed as if I wasn’t the only one who was good at reading people. “You from around here?” she asked.
“Born and raised.” That was the easy answer. There were layers to that question, but there was no reason to delve into them with her, even if I were taking her to coffee. “You?”
“Nope.” She wrinkled up that cute little nose of hers. “Somewhere else,” she said vaguely. Her hand brushed the flyer again. “You said quiet, huh?” She studied me for a moment. “You don’t strike me as the chatty type.”
“Usually not.”
“And yet here you are chatting it up.” She kicked her boots in the dust a little as if she were thinking about it.
“Guess you bring it out in me.” My mouth couldn’t help but quirk into a smile. “You gonna go have that coffee with me?”
That earned the smallest laugh that made her eyes warm as she looked me up and down as if she liked what she saw, and that was a turn on. “Maybe.”
Finally, she tore a tab from the flyer and tucked it into her pocket. “What’s the owner like?”
“Depends who you ask. Kind of a hermit. Doesn’t talk much. Needs to shower more often. Has a dog.”
“Ah.” She nodded in understanding. “So... not exactly hospitality material. Probably why these cabins are so private. Really selling these things as a great place to stay, Kipp.”
“Doing my best.” My sister would kill me if she knew this was how I was pitching my cabins, but I enjoyed watching how this woman reacted to me. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get into some stupid sales pitch just to make a few bucks.
Her eyes met mine again — steady, unflinching. “Maybe I’ll give him a call.” She extended her hand. “I’m Hattie.”
Maybe I should have clarified that I owned the cabins, but instead I only nodded once. “He’ll probably answer.”
The name fit, and I took her hand eagerly, wanting a chance to touch her. “Kipp Holt,” I said, letting my hand enclose her smaller one, taking delight in the smooth brush of her soft skin against mine.
Her mouth curved slightly. “Of course you are. Well, if you’re still here when I’m finished with my grocery shopping, we’ll see about that coffee.”
Watching her walk away as the sunlight caught in her hair, the curve of her shoulders disappearing through the doorway gave me a good view of her ass. “Damn.” Geez, I was such a perv. Fish gave a quiet grunt. “Yeah, I know. She’s trouble. The very best kind.”
By the time she came back out with a paper bag and sunglasses down over her eyes, I was leaning against my Jeep, pretending not to wait and not doing a very good job. She slowed when she saw me.
“Didn’t take you for the loitering type,” she said.
“Didn’t take you for the kind who buys canned peaches and beef jerky,” I shot back, nodding at her bag.
Her brows lifted. “What makes you think that’s what I bought? Maybe I bought tampons and chocolate.”
“Small town. We know things. Although I’ve got room to be wrong.” She wouldn’t be scaring me away with period talk that was for sure. I’d been raised with sisters.
“That sounds promising. You always this cryptic, Kipp Holt?” She smiled then, and I started thinking I wasn’t the only one who was cryptic.
“Only on weekdays. I take Saturdays and Sundays off. Got to make sure Monday through Friday I’m ready to go.”
“Lucky me.” She slid the bag into her passenger seat. “So... Is this coffee shop walkable?”