What did it look like?"
"My watch? It was silver. Not expensive or anything. Just a regular watch."
"Shiny?"
"I guess."
"Raccoons."
Determined not to say anything stupid for at least the next ten minutes, she considered his single-word statement. Raccoons? Okay. He probably hadn't started a word-association game, so what did he mean?
Going with the safest response, she cautiously repeated, "Raccoons?"
"They like shiny things. Take off with them whenever they can."
"You're saying a raccoon stole my watch?"
"Probably."
She really wanted to point out that they couldn't possibly tell time, but knew instinctively that was a bad idea.
"Can I get it back?"
"Sure. If you can find it."
Could she? She glanced around at the underbrush, the trees, the stream.
"Is it safe for me to go exploring?" she asked.
"You're not likely to be attacked by raccoons, but you'll probably get lost, fall down a ravine, break your leg and starve to death. But if the watch is that important to you, have at it."
She felt herself deflating. "You don't like me much, do you?" she asked sadly.
She half expected Zane to stalk away, but instead he exhaled and shook his head.
"Sorry." She blinked. "What?"
"I said I'm sorry."
Had the earth stopped turning, or had the taciturn hunky cowboy standing in front of her just apologized?
"I--you--" She paused for breath. "That's okay. I guess it was a stupid question."
"No. It was a reasonable question under the circumstances." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "I get a little sarcastic sometimes."
"Let's call it a dry sense of humor."
He half nodded in acknowledgement. "You'll never find them, and even if you did, your watch would probably be all broken up and rusty from them dunking it in the water. Don't leave out anything they'll take. Shiny jewelry, another watch."
"I don't have another watch. Not with me."
"You need to know the time?"
"Just when the meals are."
"Cookie rings a bell."
"Really? Just like in the movies?"
"Yeah." One corner of his mouth turned up as he spoke. It wasn't exactly a smile, but it was close enough to get her breathing up to Mach 3.
"Come on," he said. "It's nearly time for lunch."
He started back toward the camp. Phoebe followed him happily.
"You think the raccoons could ever learn to tell time?" she asked.
He glanced at her. "You're kidding, right?"
"Maybe I have a dry sense of humor, too."
"City girl."
He was probably insulting her, but the way he said the word made her feel almost tall and, if not blonde, then certainly highlighted.
"I think Rocky likes me," she confided.
"I'm sure he does.
"My watch? It was silver. Not expensive or anything. Just a regular watch."
"Shiny?"
"I guess."
"Raccoons."
Determined not to say anything stupid for at least the next ten minutes, she considered his single-word statement. Raccoons? Okay. He probably hadn't started a word-association game, so what did he mean?
Going with the safest response, she cautiously repeated, "Raccoons?"
"They like shiny things. Take off with them whenever they can."
"You're saying a raccoon stole my watch?"
"Probably."
She really wanted to point out that they couldn't possibly tell time, but knew instinctively that was a bad idea.
"Can I get it back?"
"Sure. If you can find it."
Could she? She glanced around at the underbrush, the trees, the stream.
"Is it safe for me to go exploring?" she asked.
"You're not likely to be attacked by raccoons, but you'll probably get lost, fall down a ravine, break your leg and starve to death. But if the watch is that important to you, have at it."
She felt herself deflating. "You don't like me much, do you?" she asked sadly.
She half expected Zane to stalk away, but instead he exhaled and shook his head.
"Sorry." She blinked. "What?"
"I said I'm sorry."
Had the earth stopped turning, or had the taciturn hunky cowboy standing in front of her just apologized?
"I--you--" She paused for breath. "That's okay. I guess it was a stupid question."
"No. It was a reasonable question under the circumstances." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "I get a little sarcastic sometimes."
"Let's call it a dry sense of humor."
He half nodded in acknowledgement. "You'll never find them, and even if you did, your watch would probably be all broken up and rusty from them dunking it in the water. Don't leave out anything they'll take. Shiny jewelry, another watch."
"I don't have another watch. Not with me."
"You need to know the time?"
"Just when the meals are."
"Cookie rings a bell."
"Really? Just like in the movies?"
"Yeah." One corner of his mouth turned up as he spoke. It wasn't exactly a smile, but it was close enough to get her breathing up to Mach 3.
"Come on," he said. "It's nearly time for lunch."
He started back toward the camp. Phoebe followed him happily.
"You think the raccoons could ever learn to tell time?" she asked.
He glanced at her. "You're kidding, right?"
"Maybe I have a dry sense of humor, too."
"City girl."
He was probably insulting her, but the way he said the word made her feel almost tall and, if not blonde, then certainly highlighted.
"I think Rocky likes me," she confided.
"I'm sure he does.
( Susan Mallery )
[ Kiss Me ]
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