Deep River Promise (Alaska Homecoming #2) - Jackie Ashenden Page 0,34

too. Unreasonably.

“In that case, you really should go to the mayor’s office.” She tried to keep the irritation from her voice. “My office hours are from nine onward.”

“It’s a Saturday,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be in the office.”

God, he was so reasonable. He made it impossible for her to sustain any kind of annoyance. Which naturally made her even more irritable.

It’s not him you’re annoyed at. It’s yourself.

Oh yes, she was well aware. But knowing that didn’t help one bit, especially when he smiled at her like that, watching her with that warm, steady gaze.

Trying to get ahold of herself, she pasted on a cool smile. “I can be. But I need to go home and have a shower first.” She started walking past him, determinedly keeping her attention forward. “Meet me at the mayor’s office in fifteen minutes.”

Much to her intense aggravation, he fell into step beside her. “Not a problem. Though we can just as easily meet at your place. Then you won’t have to—”

“The mayor’s office.” Astrid stopped walking and gave him a steady look, the thought of him in her actual house alarming for reasons she couldn’t have articulated even to herself. “Fifteen minutes.”

He studied her for a moment, making her feel even hotter than she already was. “Sure. I’ll get us coffee from April’s. And maybe a couple of donuts too.”

“I don’t want a donut. I have perfectly good granola at home.”

“But we’re not meeting at your home. Which means I’ll provide the breakfast.” He lifted a hand and then, quite casually, hooked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You’ll eat a donut and you’ll like it. And then we’ll discuss Deep River’s tourism possibilities.” His hand dropped, his expression becoming serious. “Don’t worry. We won’t talk about Connor if you don’t want to.”

“Oh, but I—”

“See you in fifteen, Ms. Mayor.”

And before she could say a word, he turned and strolled off in the direction of the town center, his hands in his pockets.

“What is going on with that man?” Debbie murmured from behind her. “He seems sweet on you.”

Great. The last thing she needed was people thinking that about her and Damon. What the hell had he been thinking, touching her the way he had? In full view of the others?

Her skin felt tingly and tight where his fingertips had brushed the side of her ear and her heartbeat was racing.

You liked it.

Argh. No, she had not liked it. Not in any way. And she was going to have words with him about doing that kind of thing in future. Strong words.

“No, he’s not,” she said crisply, not looking at Debbie. “He was just…brushing something off of my ear.” Then before Debbie could say anything else, she strode away determinedly.

Astrid went up the winding gravel road that led to the small scattering of homes sitting on the hillside above the town. Hers was white and wooden and had been built into the side of a rocky bluff, with wooden stairs constructed against the rock face leading up to her front door.

It wasn’t a big house—none of the houses in Deep River were—but it had an amazing view from the small deck that had been built around the front of it, and that was worth the aggravation of getting groceries up the steps.

Shutting the front door behind her, she went down the tiny hallway to the large living area with its views over the town and the river beyond.

Dumping her yoga mat on the old couch that had been pushed up against the wall facing the windows, she went back into the hallway, then stopped in front of Connor’s door. Childish wooden letters spelling his name had been stuck on the wood, but the first O had fallen off.

She lifted her hand to knock, then dropped it again. Was there any point trying to force a conversation with him? He’d been very clear that he didn’t want to talk to her and he’d always been a kid who didn’t like to be pushed into anything. He had to come to it in his own time. She didn’t know how to broach the topic anyway, and apart from anything else, he was likely still asleep.

Muttering a curse under her breath, she eventually stepped away and went to have her shower instead.

Ten minutes later, she found herself debating over clothing choices, which was ridiculous and never normally an issue. She didn’t dress for anyone but herself. Yet she couldn’t stop thinking about