A Great Kisser. Donna Kauffman

she said, “My mother? Why?”

      “I’ve learned, never come between a mama and her cub.”

      “I’m hardly a cub.”

      He smiled and reached out to catch a strand of hair that had caught across her face in the evening breeze. He untangled it and smoothed it away, but his hand lingered. “Where mothers are concerned, you’re always the cub.”

      Her smile softened, as did a little spot inside her chest. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Tears threatened to spring forth again, and at the same time, she fought a sudden, ferocious need to yawn. Relaxing, even a little bit, had demolished whatever reserve of energy she’d had left. “Well, this cub apparently needs to head back to the den for some sleep.”

      “I’ll be happy to drop you off. My truck is just down the street.”

      “It’s not that far. I thought I’d walk.” She wanted the time, the night air, the activity, before she ended up in bed, alone, with nothing more than her thoughts and several full-length, mental, frame-by-frame replays of tonight’s dinner to occupy her. If she was lucky, walking the few blocks back to her motel would both give her a chance to do an initial postgame review and drain whatever was left in the tank at the same time, allowing her to drop right off as soon as her head hit the pillow.

      “Care for some company, then?”

      Then again, maybe a little distraction would be even better.

      She smiled. “Thank you. I’d like that.”

      He crooked an elbow, and she slid her arm through. She smiled, he smiled back, and the silence was easy and companionable, with just the hint of combustibility below the surface. It was…perfect. A little, but not too much. And exactly what she needed.

      So much so, that she didn’t even hear the restaurant door swing open behind her. Or feel Arlen Thompson staring at her back, frowning at the sight of the newest member of his family arm in arm with one of the older thorns in his side. He’d thought hiring his kid sister would make the guy a bit more amenable to throwing his family’s name behind the plans he had for this town. He’d guessed wrong. When Charlene stepped out behind him, he turned, blocking the couple from view, and hustled her to the car parked a few feet away, thinking hard, thinking fast, about how he could make this latest ripple work to his advantage.

      Maybe the night hadn’t been a complete bust after all.