for fleeing a bad relationship,” he went on, “I would probably say that anyone stupid enough to let you go deserves the loss.”
As soon as the words were out, he wished he hadn’t said them. She stared at him, for several seconds, eyes wide.
There he went, saying the wrong thing again. What was it about her?
“If you weren’t running from a relationship or the law, what other reason compelled you to take a job in a little town in Idaho? Was working for Caine Tech really that compelling?”
She appeared to give his question serious thought. “No one really compelling reason, I suppose, but a hundred little ones. I had a good job in London. I had good friends there, my family, and was on track for several big promotions over the next few years. And then one morning I woke up and realized I dreaded waking up in the morning and facing my day. I wanted something else but I wasn’t even sure what that was.”
She set down her spoon. “That very day I received an email from Aidan Caine. A few weeks earlier, we had met at a conference and he had asked for my card. I assumed he was only being polite, but apparently he had been researching some of the projects I’d worked on. Out of nowhere, really, he emailed me asking if I would consider taking a temporary job here in Idaho heading up a new project in the research and development department.”
“Wow. You must be amazing at your job, if Aidan would make that kind of ask on a short acquaintance. He’s known as a discerning kind of guy.”
She looked flattered. “It was certainly unexpected. I turned him down.”
“You what?”
“Yes. Quite firmly. I told him I would only consider if he would make the offer permanent.”
Oh, he liked her. Gemma Summerhill was a complicated, intriguing woman who fascinated him more than any woman he could remember. He wanted the storm to go on forever so he might have the chance to learn everything about her.
“Would you like more soup or bread?” he asked.
“No. Thank you. What about you? Have you always wanted to do what you’re doing now?”
He smiled a little ruefully. “Not even close. When I was young, I wanted to be a professional baseball player, probably like most other boys my age. I was a pitcher. At one point, I had a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball.”
“I’ll admit I’m not that familiar with the sport but that sounds impressive.” She rose and carried her bowl to the sink.
For the next few moments, they worked together to clear the table.
“I played college ball,” he told her as he loaded the dishwasher. “In the last game of my university career, a couple of pro talent scouts came down to take a look at me. I was pitching a shutout and had batted a double and a triple. In the top of the ninth, I was sliding into home and had a bad hit with the catcher and injured my shoulder.”
“Oh no!” she exclaimed.
“Yeah. It was a catastrophic injury. My big pro ball career was over before it ever began. After two surgeries, I tried to work back to the level I’d been before but something had changed. I just didn’t have it anymore and was quite sure I never would again. I knew I needed a plan B so came back and went to work for the local sporting goods store in Shelter Springs, which happened to be owned by an uncle. A year later, he asked if I wanted to buy him out. Two years after that, Bailey Outfitters expanded and we opened five more shops throughout the region. And here we are.”
“And still growing.”
He had big dreams, yes. Right now, all of them seemed to involve the woman in his kitchen.
He wanted to kiss her. She was standing only a few feet away. It wouldn’t take anything to take a step toward her, grab her hand and tug her into his arms.
And what a disaster that would be. He sensed she was nervous enough about having to stay overnight in an isolated mountain cabin with a man she didn’t know.
The power flickered suddenly, once, twice, then went out.
She gasped a little as the room was plunged into darkness except for the glow from the fire in the great room. He saw Toby rise from his favorite spot on the kitchen rug and head to her side. Gemma reached a hand down to pet the dog, a