The Mighty Quinns: Eli. Kate Hoffmann

them over, only to see the shadows of healed blisters and new calluses. He ran his thumbs over the rough surface and he heard her take a ragged breath.

      “You need a pair of gloves,” he said.

      She nodded. “I have a pair but they don’t fit very well. And I accidentally left them out in the rain.”

      Eli gently massaged her palm and his blood warmed. When he looked up and met her wide-eyed gaze, he realized what he was doing and dropped her hand. “You have a lot of work to do if you’re going to finish it before the first snow,” he said

      “I can do it,” Lucy said. “I’m learning more every day and getting better at each of the tasks.”

      “Can I give you some advice?” he asked.

      She shook her head. “No. You can’t. It would be...cheating.”

      “This isn’t a game, princess,” he said. “I don’t see any referees around here.”

      “I am going to do this on my own. I want the project to have integrity. I need to make my own mistakes.”

      “It will be a costly mistake when you drag logs through thick underbrush because you didn’t want to let me tell you to get your logs cut and hauled early.”

      She clapped her hands to her ears and shook her head, sending him an angry glare. “No!”

      He cursed softly and shook his head. “Listen, I’m dead serious. The last thing I want to do is hike up here and find the vultures picking at your carcass. I know that’s crude, but it’s a reality in the mountains, especially when you’re alone.”

      “I’m careful. And prepared.”

      “Then let’s see it.” He strode over to where he’d left the rifle and shells and walked back to her. “Pace it off. We’ll start with twenty paces.”

      He followed her as she did as he ordered, then stood behind her. “If you come across a bear, stop and keep your eyes on the ground. Slowly bring your gun around, but keep it pointed down. Do that for me now.”

      He placed his hands on her shoulders, squaring her body to the target. But the moment he touched her, he realized his mistake. Suddenly, he couldn’t focus on the shooting lesson. Instead, he was fascinated by the warm flesh beneath the fabric of her shirt and the gentle curve between her shoulder and neck. The scent of her hair drifted on the breeze and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to identify the floral variety.

      “When you bring your rifle up, it’s important to stabilize it by pulling the butt into your shoulder with your cheek against the stock. Same place every time, nice and solid. If you do that, sighting your target shouldn’t take long.”

      He reached around her and showed her how to hold the gun. His blood surged and his pulse quickened, but he forced himself to ignore the reaction and focus on the job at hand.

      “Now, sight the target and when you have it, squeeze the trigger.”

      A few seconds later, a shot exploded out of the muzzle and Lucy winced. “Did I hit it?”

      “Nope.”

      “But I always hit the target at the range.”

      “Shooting at the range is a lot different than shooting when a bear is charging you. Or even with the wind blowing and the trees rustling. That can is about the size of the spot you need to hit to down a bear.”

      “But it’s so small from back here.”

      “Any closer to the target, you won’t have time to get a shot off.”

      Eli glanced at his watch. It was almost three. The hike out would be quicker as it was downhill and he’d have an empty pack, but it would still be tight. And he hadn’t brought along a headlamp, so he had to reach the ATV before sunset. “I have to get going. But I want you to practice this after I leave. Every day. Until you can hit those cans in the blink of an eye.”

      Lucy slowly turned. “Thank you,” she said.

      His gaze fell to her lips and he fought the urge to lean forward and take a taste. “No problem. I wish we could work on it some more, but then I’d have to spend the night. I’m sure that’s against the rules.” He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to practically beg for an invitation, and he wanted to take the words back the moment he said them.

      “Guidelines,” she corrected. “They’re really just guidelines. But I plan to follow them as if they were laws.”

      They walked back to the cabin together and Eli retrieved his pack and slipped the straps over his shoulders. “Well, Lucy Parker, I guess this is goodbye, then. Have a great year and stay safe.”

      “Won’t I see you next month?” she asked.

      “What about your law? I thought a man was against the rules,” he said.

      “You won’t be helping me with the cabin. And I don’t want to put Annalise out if she’s busy.”

      “Then I’ll see you next month,” he said.

      Lucy smiled, then pushed up on her toes and brushed a quick kiss across his cheek. “Thanks again. I enjoyed our visit.”

      He smoothed his hand along her arm and caught her hand in his. “If I kissed you,” he murmured, “would that be against the guidelines?”

      “It definitely would,” she said.

      Eli nodded, the conflict between his common sense and his impulses raging on in his head. In the end, he stepped back, gradually moving away from her, their gazes still locked. “Stay safe,” he said, giving her a halfhearted wave.

      She waved back and he turned and headed across the meadow toward the trailhead. Eli looked over his shoulder once and found her still watching him from the porch, her arms wrapped around the post, her hair tossed by the breeze. Riley sat at her feet, his head resting on his paws.

      Eli tried to forget her the moment she was out of sight. But instead, she plagued his thoughts for the entire hike down the mountain, then the ride back into town and through the rest of his night. He’d almost convinced himself that it was simple worry that kept her on his mind. After all, she was a vulnerable young woman, alone in the wilderness with no one to protect her. He couldn’t just leave her to fend for herself.

      But when his dreams turned into scorching sexual fantasies of naked limbs entwined and wild sensations racing through his body, Eli knew protecting Lucy wasn’t the only reason he wanted to go back to the cabin.