Not being able to see into the woods made her feel as if someone was watching them. “In the morning, you’ll probably catch a few deer wandering past. I’ve seen a few foxes at night, too. I think they have a den nearby. I’ll bring you some fire starters and some logs.” She turned, feeling the heat of Nathan’s gaze at her back. He was watching her with those perceptive eyes, eyes she knew were taking in every detail.
She started the pellet stove. Though it was weak when first ignited, an hour from now, it would be throwing off a lot of heat.
“Don’t put yourself out. I can gather wood if I need it.” His voice had taken on a husky baritone, lower than it had been before. She felt the shift in the atmosphere, heat that crackled in the air.
Her skin felt achy and hungry to be touched. It had been six months, almost seven, since she’d had a date, too long since she’d gone out with a man. Her last date had been with Daniel, and by then their relationship had been circling the drain. She had found out he was cheating, and they’d been pretending they could move past it. That denial lasted about a week. “If you’re running short on time and can’t find dry wood, I have a woodshed twenty feet behind my cabin. You’re welcome to take whatever you need. The pellet stove is pretty warm, but it can get cold in the morning. The bucket on the hearth has more fuel.” She was rambling, a nervous habit, trying to deflect some of her feelings away from Nathan and fixate instead on the cabin.
He stopped a foot from her, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets, setting his attention on her. His gaze smoldered and a shower of sparks burst from her chest. Was she imagining the fire between them, or was this a reflection of her feelings for him?
He shifted and she caught a glimpse of the gun strapped to his side. His eyes blazed with passion, never leaving her face. This man was dangerous in more than one way.
She was hyperaware of the bed eight feet away, knowing the sheets would be cool and clean, and the feel of his body on top of hers heavenly. She drew in a deep breath, feeling as if there wasn’t enough oxygen in it. She wouldn’t let herself be stupid over a man again.
Nathan had warning signs she couldn’t ignore. He had lost his sister, he was desperate for her help to find a killer and he was around for only a short time. They could keep their relationship firmly on professional ground for a week. When the killer moved on, so would Nathan.
Autumn needed to go outside and get some fresh air before she became light-headed. “Let me know if I can get you anything.” She said it casually, but replaying the words in her mind, she wondered if he heard the unintended double entendre. Anything. Her in bed?
He caught her arm and heat sizzled in his touch. “Tomorrow evening, drinks and dinner at seven?”
She made the mistake of meeting his gaze. It was impossible to say no to him when his face filled with intensity and expectation. “Seven is fine, but I can’t stay out late.” She needed some boundaries between them and she wanted an excuse to end the night early.
He dropped her arm and stepped back. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With a final nod, Autumn fled outside.
* * *
The FBI and park rangers finished at the scene at 10:00 a.m. the morning after Autumn and her dog had found the body. The last vehicle to leave was the county coroner’s van.
Nathan had slept restlessly. It wasn’t just the noise. It wasn’t just the gorgeous brunette sleeping in the cabin next door. He was closer than he’d ever been to catching the Huntsman. Excitement and determination sizzled in his veins. Nothing could get in his way. Not Roger Ford and not Nathan’s attraction to Autumn Reed.
Nathan dragged a hand through his hair, rereading the page of case notes he’d written. Too little sleep and too much coffee had his nerves on edge, his concentration frayed. The words on the page were interrupted by thoughts of Autumn Reed. Of course the only witness on the case would be strikingly beautiful. Nathan enjoyed the company of a pretty woman, but in this situation, he would have preferred a bridge troll whom he found unbelievably unattractive and who wouldn’t create any unnecessary distractions. He needed to focus on the case. He had enough factors playing against him.
Nathan turned to a fresh sheet of paper and jotted down a few notes about Autumn, her brother, Blaine, and the Trail’s Edge. It was easier to record his observations of her while she was on his mind. Maybe if he wrote it down, he’d stop thinking about her.
He was sucked into his work, one detail leading to another, and when he looked at the clock, it was nearly six-thirty. He’d been reviewing the case since six in the morning, and after more than eleven hours of graphic descriptions, photos and notes, he needed a break.
Nathan showered and changed into clean clothes, figuring he’d treat his evening out with Autumn like a date to make it easier to blend with the residents of Smithsburg. Waltzing into a local hangout and announcing he was investigating a murder had a way of sealing lips and making people nervous. But taking a woman out for dinner had a way of inviting gossip, and if anyone had learned what had happened at the Trail’s Edge, they’d be eager to talk about the case.
Which suited his motives perfectly.
At precisely 7:00 p.m., he knocked on Autumn’s door. She opened it almost immediately, making him wonder if she’d been waiting for him, and if she had, why it sent a pulse of excitement through his body. He was doing this to find justice for his sister, not have an affair with a pretty outdoorswoman.
He let his eyes wander over Autumn. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and she wore a pair of black trousers and a green fitted top. It was a casual outfit, but it would catch the attention of every man in the restaurant.
A possessive streak tore through him and Nathan found himself disliking the idea of her flirting with someone else. He had suggested this outing as a means to gather information, purely professional. Yet seeing her now, his interest roved south of professional, straight into the full burn of sexual interest.
He focused on their professional relationship. Autumn could point out people most likely to have heard rumors about the killer, or better, have useful information about the case. It didn’t matter how she looked. His attraction shouldn’t factor in to their relationship.
Realizing he was staring, he strove for indifference. “You look great,” he said.
She touched the ends of her hair with her left hand. “Thank you. You look nice, too. Maybe a little too dressed up for the Wild Berry.”
“I’m more comfortable in a suit than I am in hiking gear.”
She shrugged and stepped onto the porch, pulling the door closed behind her. He tamped down the disappointment that she hadn’t invited him inside. His primary intention was to find Colleen’s killer. As Autumn moved past him, her shoulder brushed his chest and he caught the scent of pine and spice, a unique and yet distinctly feminine scent.
The drive down the mountain took twenty minutes and it was another five to the Wild Berry. Nathan parked next to a pickup truck with a rusted-out bumper and a red sedan with a plush monkey pressed to the back window. He took the keys from the ignition and turned to Autumn. “I’d prefer it if we pretended to be a couple.”
Autumn fiddled with the strap of her handbag. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He set his hand on her upper arm and smiled at her. If anyone saw them, he didn’t want to
