Page 5 of Snowed In With the Mountain Man
Not that Dahlia was a horse. He had a hunch she’d clock him right in the nose if he were to suggest it.
But she wasn’t some mean-spirited harpy either. That much he knew for certain after watching her take care of her sister in her own unique way.
She shifted in the seat beside him, wrapping her arms around herself.
“You cold?” He reached for the air controllers. “I can make it warmer.”
“No.” After a pause, she added, “Thanks. I’m just nervous.”
He glanced over. He knew better than to try to put words in her mouth again. That’d only send this skittish colt shying away from him.
The image had him swallowing down a laugh, and her look pierced him like an arrow. “What?” she snapped. “Why are you laughing at me?”
He shook his head. “Just laughing, that’s all.” He made sure to meet her gaze. “Not at you. Never at you.”
There was that wariness again.
What on earth had happened to this woman to make her so strong yet so suspicious? A muscle ticked in his jaw as his mind raced to fill in the blanks.
He wasn’t an overly possessive man by nature, but he was protective. The idea of this woman facing danger made his insides coil and his muscles tense.
“What are you nervous about?” he asked.
“Missing this flight.” Her hands were still in her lap, but she was gnawing on her lower lip, a crease between her brows.
Would it really be so bad to be stuck here with your sisters a little while longer?
He knew better than to ask.
She glanced over. “What?”
He looked back to the road, a little startled as he realized he’d been staring again. She was entertaining to watch, that much he could admit. But right now she wasn’t so much entertaining as…well, fascinating.
No one could deny that Dahlia O’Sullivan was a beauty. Unlike Rose and her other two sisters that he’d met, Dahlia had dark hair, and it was thick, sleek, and shiny like silk.
His fingers shifted on the wheel as he wondered what it’d feel like to run his fingers through it. He shook off the thought just as quickly.
He felt sorry for the lady, that was all.
And yet he caught himself sneaking another glance in her direction. Just like her personality, her looks were another form of riddle. She had the smoothest, softest-looking skin, but her jawline and cheekbones were sharp enough to cut glass. Her eyebrows and nose were narrow and…well,dainty, for lack of a better word. But her lips were full, her eyes dark and observant.
They were getting close to the airport, and it was a good thing. The woman couldn’t seem to sit still for more than a few seconds. She kept crossing her legs and recrossing them, fidgeting with her zipper and then fussing with the contents of her purse.
For a lady who was so eager to be on this flight and out of the state, she sure seemed nervous.
“Don’t like flying?” he guessed.
She shot him a sidelong glare. “What?”
“You seem on edge again,” he offered.
She shrugged. “No. Yes. I mean…no one really loves flying, right?”
He didn’t answer. She wasn’t nervous about flying. “You looking forward to being home?”
She nodded, but her words came a second too late. “Yes. Yeah. Of course. It’ll be nice to get back to normal.”
He nodded but kept silent, inwardly counting as he waited for her to elaborate. She was too keyed up to stay silent for long.Three, two—
