Full Moon (13 page)

I turned around quickly, only to bump into a
guy who looked to be about my age. He was so scorching hot that if
I had wet my finger with my tongue and touched him, his chest would
have steamed and sizzled. He instinctively pushed me behind him as
if to protect me, then started shouting and throwing sticks at the
big cat. I joined in with some noise of my own, and in an instant,
the mountain lion fled into the grass.

The beautiful stranger eyed me up and down,
warmth and empathy radiating from the depths of his glare. “Are you
okay?”

Those gorgeous, winter-blue eyes
hypnotized me, and I was pulled into his hold with one look. My
breath had never literally been taken away before, but I was
absolutely suffocating under the power of his stare, and my knees
began to shake. “I-I…” The butterflies that had landed in my
stomach in fear of the cat were now turning flirty
summersaults.
My eyes
slid up his towering body, gliding over his high cheekbones and the
d
ark stubble shading his
sharp jaw. He was definitely tall, dark, and handsome, and even if
it was quite cliché of me to be so taken by him, I felt like I’d
been struck by lightning. I’d never been face to face with somebody
so beautiful and angelic. He was the kind of guy who I thought only
existed in movies, as if a Calvin Klein model had stepped down off
of one of those big, delicious billboards for a hike through the
woods.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” he said
when my stutter never turned into a complete answer. He didn’t
fidget or stumble for words like I did whenever I was standing in
front of a gorgeous stranger. Rather, his cool confidence spoke
volumes to me, as if he was used to girls throwing themselves at
him, which I was just about to do.

My breath froze in my throat, and my stomach
clenched. I’d never been so drawn to anyone before, never so
instantly, so madly attracted. I couldn’t stop staring at his messy
tangle of dark hair, that tousled, just-out-of-bed look that I
loved and found so sexy. From his piercing blue eyes to his strong,
chiseled jaw to his handsome face, he was absolutely godlike, even
if he was only dressed in a black t-shirt and blue jeans. I took a
deep breath to try to calm down, but it felt as if time had
stopped.

When our eyes locked, we seemed lost in each
other’s gaze, oblivious to anything else. I was fixated on his
piecing stare, and the explosive chemistry between us was
absolutely undeniable.

My ex had told me that sexual attraction and
chemistry couldn’t possibly be planned, that it was something that
would just happen naturally. I knew, standing there looking at this
new guy, that he wasn’t lying. I had never felt like that with my
old boyfriend. I couldn’t even explain the uncontrollable force
that was drawing me to him like a moth to flame. When he looked at
me with that sexy smile on his face, I’d never felt so desirable,
so wanted, and I wanted to jump into his strong embrace. He was a
smoldering hot hunk, and I couldn’t believe I had his
attention.

“Is everything okay?” he asked a third time,
snapping me back into reality.

My mouth dropped, and it took a minute for
my brain to function. “Uh, huh? Oh yeah. I’m, um…I’m fine,” I
babbled, as if that big cat had my tongue.

He stepped forward and looked off into the
vegetation. “It’s gone for now, but you must be careful of
predators out here.” He met my gaze straight on. “Predators are
always on the prowl. They’ll stalk their prey until an opportunity
arrives to pounce, then go for the neck
with a fatal bite.”

“I know. The thought of anything biting me
anywhere kind of freaks me out.”

“If you are not all right with fangs
piercing your skin, you definitely shouldn’t be out here.”

“You’re right. Let’s get outta here before
the big kitty comes back.”

He stared deeply into my eyes. “It
won’t.”

Max growled at the handsome stranger, then
began to bark.

A bit embarrassed that I didn’t have my dog
under better control, I patted the furry beast’s head and said,
“Don’t worry. He doesn’t bite.”

“
Well, tell him that I do.”

We both burst out in laughter; his
ice-breaker had worked.

Nevertheless, even with my soothing tone and
gentle touch, Max still continued.

“Max!” I scolded. “Knock it off, boy.”

“Don’t blame Max. It’s not his fault. All
dogs hate me. It’s their natural instinct.”

“Nah, he’s just protective and loyal, that’s
all. You’re still a stranger to him, and he is trying to look after
me.” I glanced around, still rattled by the mountain lion. “We’d
better go, just in case that snarling menace comes back looking for
dessert.”

“Like I said, it’s not coming back,” he said
sternly, then shifted his powerful stance. “It caught a whiff of my
scent. It fears me, just like your dog does.”

“You mean it’s afraid of shouting
humans?”

“The shouting, yes.”

I laughed. “So you’re telling me that big
lion is scared of our little voices?”

He stared at me with those dazzling blue
eyes and changed the subject. “Do you always hike unprepared?”

“No. It was an unintended hike. My dog took
off,” I said, “and I had to find him.”

“At the very least, you should carry pepper
spray to ward off bears.”

“I don’t see you sporting a can,” I said
with a chuckle.

He smirked. “I don’t need it. I can fight
off a black bear with my bare hands.”

I smiled. “All right, Davy Crockett.”

He grinned right back at me, nearly melting
me where I stood. “But all joking aside, you shouldn’t be out here.
As I said, these woods are full of hungry predators.”

I shot him a flirty look. “Well, then it’s a
good thing I’m safe here with you.”

I didn’t know what had come over me, but
something had.
Where are these wild emotions even coming from?
I’d never been so bold and
daring. It wasn’t like me at all, but I couldn’t keep the words and
the girly giggles from coming out of my mouth. I couldn’t explain
it, but there was some hot, intense, intoxicating connection
between us. The attraction was sizzling, but I didn’t have the guts
to ask him out or for his phone number. I didn’t even know if I was
his type or not, if he even liked brunettes with frizzy, curly hair
and chocolate-brown eyes. For all I knew, he was only into boob-job
bleach blondes, and that most definitely wasn’t me.

“You don’t know a thing about me,” he said.
“What makes you think you’re safe in my hands?”

“Are you saying I should fear you more than
that mountain lion?” I asked. “Maybe I should be carrying more than
pepper spray, if that’s the case.”

“What I’m saying is that you need to be
careful. Seemingly nice guys cannot always be trusted,” he said,
glancing down at the growling Max.

I smiled. “Are
you
a nice guy?”

His face lit up, and he grinned again. “I
suppose there’s only one way to find out.”

I took the bait and engaged him. “And, pray
tell, how’s that?”

Suddenly, his gorgeous grin faded, and worry
flashed across his features. He began to dart his eyes around from
tree to tree, shrub to shrub, and he listened so intently that I
could have sworn his ears perked up like a dog’s.

Max started to bark and snap at the air, but
when I peered into the foliage and thick brush, I couldn’t see a
thing.

“They’re back,” he whispered, then pointed
to Max. “Please keep him quiet.”

They?
I thought, worried that he was talking about more
than one mountain lion. As he suggested, I patted Max’s head and
tried my best to calm him, but it didn’t help.

Finally, Mr. Mysterious knelt down and
petted Max. “Shh, boy.”

Much to my surprise, Max immediately quit
barking.

The handsome stranger then placed his hand
on my lower back and briskly led me in the direction of our house.
He gently tapped Max’s head. “Go home.”

Obediently, Max bolted off.

When the house was in view, I glanced over
my shoulder to thank my escort, but he was gone, as quickly and
mysteriously as he’d shown up in the first place. I squinted and
looked through the dark spaces between the trees, but he was
nowhere in sight, as if he’d just vanished into thin air.
Who is he?
I wondered.
Where does he live? Gosh, I’m
an idiot. I didn’t even get his name.
Shaking my head at my foolishness, I walked to the
back door and opened it.

“There you are. What took so long,
sweetheart?” my mom asked. “And I know you didn’t stay in the back
yard like I told you to.”

I pointed in the direction of where I’d come
from. “I saw a mountain lion.”

My dad immediately pulled me into a tight
hug, then stepped back from me and began inspecting me from head to
toe. “Are you okay?”

I sighed. “I’m fine, Dad. Max ran off, and I
just—”

“You weren’t supposed to go in the woods,”
he said firmly.

“What was I supposed to do? I had to find
Max.”

“You shouldn’t go out there alone. You could
have hollered for me, and I would have gone with you.”

“It would’ve only taken a minute to get me
or your dad,” my mom said.

“I didn’t know he was gonna go so deep into
the woods, or I would have,” I said.

My dad’s brown gaze narrowed. “Are you sure
it was a bobcat you saw?”

“Positive. I just took off running and—”

“Taylor,” my father pushed, “if that was a
bobcat or mountain lion, its natural instinct would be to chase
you. Never run. Just yell, shout, and make yourself look
bigger.”

“Yeah, I know, but I panicked, I guess.
Still, it didn’t chase me.”

“I don’t want you going out there alone
again,” my mom said, as if I was five years old.

Dad handed me a plate with two slices of
pizza on it. “Well, you’re safe now, so sit down and eat.”

I tried to calm my breathing. I didn’t have
the guts to tell them I’d met a man in the woods and that he had
saved me from the mountain lion. My stomach was tangled in knots.
“Thanks, Dad, but I’m not really hungry. I think I’ll just go
unpack a few boxes.”

“All right. I guess you have had quite a
day,” Mom chimed in. “We’ll save your pizza, and you can just
microwave it later if you get hungry.”

“Thanks.”

On my way upstairs, I glanced out the window
but didn’t see anything unusual.

Later that night, when the moon began to
shine and the crickets began to chirp and the wind began to whisper
through the treetops, I thought about my mysterious stranger. The
entire scene played out in my head over and over again in my
dreams, and when I woke up the next morning, his beautiful face was
on my mind. I had to find him, to see him again, if only once more,
and to put a name to the beautiful face that I knew would linger in
my mind for a long, long time.

Chapter 2

“Taylor,” my mother called, “we’re going to
the lake to fish and take a paddleboat ride. C’mon, dear!”

“Can I stay and unpack?” I asked.

“No, we’re all going.”

I blew out a breath. “But I don’t want to
fish,” I whined, far more interested in reeling in the mysterious
hottie from the woods.

“Then you can try to get a tan. It’s
supposed to be warm and sunny today.”

I gazed at the leaning tower of boxes that
rivaled the one in Pisa. “How am I supposed to find my bathing suit
in this mess?”

“I’ve got an extra you can borrow.” She
chuckled. “But I must warn you that it has a skirt.”

“Mom!” I laughed and shook my head.

She smiled. “Besides, there’s someone I want
you to meet.”

My mouth dropped. “No way. Tell me you’re
not trying to set me up, especially not while I’m wearing a
swimsuit that makes me look like a nun.”

“Honey, it’s nothing like that. I met a
friend, and she has a daughter your age. I was thinking you two
could hang out. She’s new in town too.”

“Oh,” I said. “It’d be nice to have a friend
around here. But let me look for my own bathing suit. I think I
might know what box it’s in, now that I think about it.”

“Great. We’re leaving in a couple
hours.”

Knock
!

When I answered my door, a guy my age with
short brown hair and piercing green eyes looked at me. He shot me a
grin, and I smiled back. He wasn’t as built as the guy in the
forest, but he was definitely a cutie, dressed like a jock in a
t-shirt, shorts, and Nikes. I couldn’t fathom why this guy was
standing in my doorway.

“Hi,” I said. “Is there something I can help
you with?”

“Your dad hired me to do some yard
work.”

I suddenly remembered that my dad had told
me that, but I had no idea the landscaper would be so young and
attractive; I’d expected a short, balding man in a grubby old
flannel shirt and clunky boots. “Oh, okay. Let me get him for you.”
I called for him, and he came to the door.

“This is Fred,” Dad introduced. “He’s going
to give our back yard a makeover.”

“It can sure use one,” I said, smiling at
Fred. “I can give you a hand if—”

“No way,” my father interrupted. “The last
time you helped, the yard looked…well, let’s just say that yard
work isn’t your forte, honey.”

Just then, my mom opened the door and peeked
out. “Fred, would you like to come to the beach with us?”

Not wanting to be rude, my dad just cleared
his throat and looked at her in disbelief. He was paying Fred well
to do a job, and he didn’t expect it to be put off. “We’ve gotta
get this jungle under control, dear,” he said, looking a bit
harshly at her. “I think the sooner Fred gets started, the
better.”