Taming the Hunter

by Michele Hauf

  “Yes, but you seem to be on your way out?”

  Her gaze wandered to his broad shoulders, down the white shirt, rolled to his elbows to reveal a manly dusting of dark hairs on his—oddly, tan—forearms, and to the thick veins that corded the back of his hands. Leave now when she’d just stumbled into the man she’d been waiting for?

  “Leaving? Heck, no! Will you join me for a hot chocolate?”

  “I should be honored to share libations with such a lovely queen,” he replied.

  Libations? The man most definitely was not the standard bar slug or even a hipster (the brewery’s standard customer). And Eryss remembered that she had been feeling horny not too long ago. How lucky could a girl get to find her soul mate and have him be übersexy, as well?

  When he offered it, she took his arm and allowed him to lure her over to the bonfire. They found a spot close enough to warm their hands but far enough away so as not to ignite Eryss’s sparkly skirt. The man with the sudden and seductive laughter got them hot chocolates from the bar posted outside the front of the mansion. It served eggnog, hot chocolate, hot brandy and some kind of drink called a Dirty Snowman. Despite her trade, Eryss didn’t like beer all that much, so she was thankful to sip something sweet with just a touch of alcohol.

  “I’m Dane Winther, by the way.” He handed her a paper mug. “I was on my way inside to find my coat, but I suddenly find the need for warmth has dissipated. And I’ve yet to take a sip of this thick brew.” He winked at her. “Must be the company.”

  A charmer? She could work with that. “Eryss Norling.” She offered her hand, which he shook. “Stand closer to the fire. You really need to warm those hands.”

  He moved closer and wrapped both hands around the mug. After blowing over the hot chocolate, he took a sip. “Norling? I believe that means something like ‘they who come from the north’?”

  “Got it in one guess. But I’ve always lived here in the north. I own The Decadent Dames brewery in town.”

  “Ah, yes, I noticed that place. Across from the antiques store? I had wondered how decadent a beer could be, but you were closed when I passed by.”

  “We had to finish kegging the Iced Kiss for tonight. We’ll be open tomorrow. And I promise a very decadent experience if you try the oatmeal cream stout.”

  “I do like a nice dark beer. And chocolate.” He held up his mug, tapped it against hers in a paper-thud toast, then tilted back a swallow. “Mmm...you Minnesotans do know how to do hot chocolate. I think there’s booze in this.”

  Eryss smirked. “It’s got crème de menthe in it. We call it a Chocolate Kiss.”

  A bemused smile danced in his eyes, and once again captivated by his utter and easy merriment, Eryss swayed, but stopped herself as soon as she felt her body lean toward him, toward his interesting ocean-surf scent. It was a scent she’d recently smelled. But...where and when? Wow, she was really leaning close now. She did not want to scare the man away because he thought she was weird. Or excited over finding someone she had known for ages.

  “Mmm, yes, it’s got a touch of mint in it. A kiss, indeed.” He grinned and took another sip.

  His eyes actually smiled. And with all that thick, carelessly swept hair that virtually demanded a woman run her fingers through it, could the man be any cuter?

  Eryss stepped closer until they stood shoulder to shoulder before the bonfire. The blaze toasted her cheeks. Or was that Dane? She loved the name. Very Nordic.

  Did he feel the same way about her? As if he knew her? She jittered on her toes, knowing she stood next to him. The one!

  Maybe. She shouldn’t get ahead of herself. She could simply be feeling giddy over bumping into one heck of a hot man.

  “I’ll have to stop in to your brewery,” he said. “I find I’m on a forced vacation in your chilly little town. I was supposed to pick up a rare dagger from Stuart’s Stuff, but the proprietor is out of town.”

  “Hawaii for a funeral. Isn’t that lucky?”

  “I said the same thing, but I don’t think the owner’s sister found the humor in my wishing for warmer weather. Though she did allow me to take a second cookie.”

  “Ha! Gladiola Stuart is discerning about whom she allows to have a cookie. Apparently, you passed the test. And I can see why.”

  Eryss cautioned herself from drawing her gaze up and down his body in an indiscreet droolfest. She wasn’t that kind of girl. Mostly. She was much more stealthy, and had already checked out his ass when he’d gone to get the hot chocolates. Nice and tight. And no, he hadn’t given any indication that he recognized her in any way.

  Chill, she cautioned inwardly. Do not freak the man out.

  “Where did you come from?” she asked over her steaming mug. “I’m guessing someplace warmer by your thin shirt and vest? And the tan.”

  He palmed his chest. The tweed vest granted him an astute, teacherly vibe, which, when added to the smoldering dark looks, Eryss found intriguing.

  “I’m from Santa Cruz, about an hour from San Francisco. I’m afraid the tan is a permanent condition. And I had to buy a warm coat in the Minneapolis airport after I’d arrived. Can you believe I’ve never experienced snow before? And I’m a geologist.”

  “You’ll be baptized by fire, or rather ice, here in Minnesota. What branch of geology?”

  “Geochemistry. Which means I really like rocks. But I also dabble in botany and anthropological genetics. I like to have options.”

  “I guess you do. I like rocks and plants. Genetics is beyond my grasp.”

  “It’s my weakest field of study. But the little I know tells me that you had at least one blue-eyed parent to be sporting the color yourself. Gorgeous.”

  Eryss parted her lips to speak, but then couldn’t think of a thing to say. He smiled a little when she caught him staring into her eyes. It was a flirtatious moment that made her giggle.

  “So what are you dressed as tonight?” she asked.

  “I didn’t have time for a costume. Gladiola Stuart told me about the party earlier. I guess you could say I’m a scientist.”

  Eryss purred over the steamy chocolate. “I suddenly find myself quite fond of science.”

  His brow lifted and a smile glittered in the man’s deep brown eyes. And like that, Eryss’s ovaries did the dance of joy.

  “To science.” He offered his mug in another toast.

  Eryss tapped her mug gently against his and shivered one of those good, warm-all-over shivers. First handsome man she’d met since the anacampserote, and here she was thinking he was the one.

  Or was she overreacting because he was also the sexiest thing on two legs that managed to touch her with his dancing eyes and laughter?

  “So you said you’re in town for a while?”

  “Seems Mr. Stuart won’t be back for a week. Can you recommend some good restaurants and places to visit?”

  “I probably can. But you’ll have to drive into Minneapolis for culture and fine dining.”

  “I may do that. If I can find a car rental place. I took a cab here. Though I’m not so sure how I would fare driving on these snow-encrusted streets.”

  “It does require some talent to navigate the black ice. But you’ll have a few good days before we get walloped again.”

  “Walloped?”

  “There’s snow headed our way. It’s going to warm up to the twenties, which provides great conditions for snow.”

  “Warm up to the twenties,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I suppose you think that’s downright balmy?”

  “Oh, it is.” It was always fun to tease the out-of-towners. In reality, Eryss wasn’t much for the below-zero weather, but she took it all in stride. Living in Minnesota afforded her all the seasons. Too bad winter generally lasted almost six months. “So what kind of dagger would a scientist be looking for?”

  “There’s some fantastical lore attached to it, but I’m mostly interested in it because it’s supposed to be thirteenth century. The lore says it was forged with cold iron, and
don’t get me started on the fascinating aspects of ancient forged metals. I’ll nerd out on you.”

  “I like a nerd.” Especially one smelling like chocolate and mint, mixed with a hint of tweed. “I’m a bit of a brew nerd myself.”

  “So you actually brew beer in your little place?”

  “Yes, we’re a microbrewery. Me and three other women are all part owners. We’ve been friends for ages.”

  “The Decadent Dames. Decadence is such a delicious word, don’t you think? It speaks of glamour and ritual, embellishment and desire.”

  “And velvets and silk, and sweet spices and honey,” Eryss chimed in.

  “I love that. What about warm summer grass threading between your toes and constellations of fireflies buzzing about the midnight sky?”

  “Wow. You really miss summer, don’t you?”

  “I do.” He sipped the cocoa. “But I’m learning winter does have its sweetness in the form of a lovely snow goddess.”

  “It’s the tinsel hair. You just want to run your fingers through it, don’t you?”

  “It’s the whole look. If you were carrying a wand that shot out snow sparkles from the tip, I’d totally buy into it.”

  “You’ve seen Frozen.”

  “How to avoid it when even the cereal I buy features the characters on the box? But I confess, I did see it. It was for a date.”

  “You took a woman out to a Disney movie?”

  “I wasn’t my first choice, but I didn’t complain. I got to pick the restaurant, so it was fun all around.”

  The man was racking up some seriously sexy, dateable points. And Eryss wouldn’t even begin to calculate how many points he’d earn if he truly did turn out to be her soul mate.

  “What kind of food do you like?” she asked.

  “Seafood and good wine.”

  “I can recommend an excellent Scandinavian restaurant for you to check out while you’re here. It would be a shame for you not to try lutefisk and lefse before leaving.”

  “I’ve heard of lefse. A Norwegian staple made with flour and...”

  “Potatoes. It’s like a very soft flatbread, and you butter it and sprinkle sugar on top. Roll it up, and have at it!”

  “Sounds like a treat. Do I want to know what lutefisk is?”

  “It’s seafood. Sort of. Whitefish soaked in lye. But if you cook it right, it’s awesome.” She noticed his distasteful swallow and laughed. “I haven’t eaten it since I was a kid. I know better now.” She winked at him.

  Behind them, strains of music echoed out from the mansion. Dane took her hand, the one clasping the empty mug, and she startled. “Would you like to dance?”

  Suddenly feeling more ungrounded than she ever had in her life, Eryss delighted in the airy lift to her being. “Yes, please.”

  * * *

  The winter queen bewigged with tinsel knew how to dance a waltz. And so did Dane, thanks to his mother’s insistence that a well-rounded man could make his way through life with ease and grace. Of course, she didn’t have to know he’d also taken martial arts classes and was a damn good hand at knife-throwing, courtesy of his own desires to round out his life. But as they glided about the dance floor and the song came to an end, he was thankful for the next, slower song so he could hold his partner closer and look into her eyes. Those mysterious blue eyes.

  There was something about Eryss that he couldn’t quite put a finger on. She was pretty, but not in a conventional, overdone way where men’s jaws dropped and they stared long after she’d passed. She had flawless skin and bright eyes. A soft pink mouth and no visible blush on her cheeks. And yet Dane felt as if he had scored a dance with the most gorgeous woman in the world, for her attention warmed him to the bone and he was quite sure he hadn’t stopped smiling since they’d taken the dance floor.

  He leaned in close, brushing her cheek with his. He should have shaved. But she didn’t flinch or seem to mind his stubble. In fact, she nestled in closer, pressing her breasts against his chest and bringing their hands down so they swayed together in the middle of the dance floor, barely moving.

  Yet his heart raced. He felt like the awkward geek he’d once been at high school dances. Nervous. Unsure. Most definitely not as suave as he liked to think he was. Was everyone staring at the fumbling nerd? And yet he’d scored the cheerleader this time, and hell, yeah, he wanted everyone to look at him.

  Eryss tilted her head and whispered, “I feel airy when I’m with you, Dane. Not at all grounded.”

  “Is that a good or bad thing?”

  “I haven’t decided.”

  Hmm...well, he didn’t want her to decide it was the latter, so he clasped one hand across her back and held her securely. Grounding her? He wasn’t sure how that worked, but the feeling took him and all he wanted to do was hold this beautiful queen and forget the unfortunate luck he’d had at the antiques store.

  Something about this embrace felt...familiar? It was an odd thing to notice. He’d never met this woman. Surely he would remember those blue eyes. And he’d never once set foot in Minnesota before today.

  He’d take the feeling for whatever it was, and count his luck as having turned toward the good side.

  When the slow music segued into a bouncy beat, they paused and her eyes sought his. She asked, “Want to come to my place?”

  Dane’s reaction went from surprised, to curious, to aroused in a matter of seconds. That had been an abrupt invite.

  She didn’t blush so much as glow, even under the silly tinsel wig. “Uh, I think I can show you a little taste of summer. I promise I won’t molest you.”

  He intentionally dropped the smirk. “Now I’m disappointed.”

  She laughed. “Unless you want me to? Come on. I know where summer lives.”

  He clasped her hand, and sucked in a breath at the sudden electric zing that coursed from that connection. It felt as if he’d been jolted by static electricity directly on the heart.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked innocently.

  Eryss peered into his eyes once again. He’d never seen this woman before. And yet...had he?

  “You do recognize me,” she said with an effusive smile. And with that weird announcement, she tugged him off the dance floor. “Come with me.”

  As they grabbed Dane’s coat and glided down the mansion stairs, Dane felt as though he was following a familiar path to something he had wondered about for so long.

  Chapter 3

  Bemused was one way to describe Dane’s mood. He’d only just arrived in Minnesota this morning. Had nearly slid into the ditch at the mercy of an angry cab driver while being transported from airport to northern suburbs. Plowed his way to the antiques shop. Learned he’d have to stay a miserable week in the tundra. Decided to check out a costume party on a night that featured single-digit temperatures. And now he was about to hook up with a pretty woman smelling like chocolate, mint and sage.

  Maybe. This might not be a hookup. She could be taking him to her house to—hell yes, it was a hookup! With a woman wearing a silver wig and a blue gown glittering with spangled snowflakes. But he could see beyond the costume and knew she was more interesting than a meteor dug up from a farmer’s field. And he wanted to get to know her better. He had a week in this town. Why not start it off with a bang?

  “Do you do this often?” he asked as she navigated her Prius down a dark road that was just out of the main city, as she’d stated. Her own little bit of sanity that edged the suburbs.

  “What? Navigate icy roads wearing a snow queen costume?”

  Dane chuckled. “No. Pick up stray scientists you’ve found bumbling about fire pits on frozen winter nights.”

  “Ah. All the time! Though I’d never assign the word bumbling to you.” She laughed, and a slip of dark hair fell out from under her wig. “No, this is a new one for me.” She clicked on the turn signal and slowed for a right. “But how could I resist a scientist looking so out of his element and in need of a little tender-loving summer?”

&n
bsp; “Out of my element? Yes. I prefer carbon.”

  “Ha! A science joke. My element is earth, in case you’re wondering.”

  “Earth isn’t exactly an element. I’ll assign you silica, since that is abundant in sand, which is earth. Of course, you could also be nitrogen, because when that freezes—well, it’s icy and fun to play with.”

  “I’m not an ice queen, I just play one at the annual winter festival. And if you’re not nice to me, I’ll turn around and you’ll never see summer.”

  “Sorry. But I will reserve judgment on your summer-invoking abilities until I can feel the grass beneath my feet.”

  “It will happen. Promise. Just ahead. So where are you staying?”

  “I found a hotel next to an Applebee’s. Classy place, the hotel. They even offer all-you-can-eat pastries glopped with thick pink frosting in the mornings. I could not contain my enthusiasm when I learned that.”

  “Really?” She flashed him a genuinely doubtful look.

  “I’m kidding. I have a tendency to find sarcasm in all the wrong places. Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. You’re a breath of fresh air, Dane. I don’t run into men like you around town all that often.”

  “So you’ve snatched me up and now you’re going to do what with me, exactly?”

  She waggled her eyebrows and pulled the car into a garage set beside a Victorian-style house. “Just wait and find out. Come in, if you dare.” She turned off the car and opened the door.

  And Dane followed with the eagerness of a scientist discovering a new element. This could be interesting. Or at the very least, a distraction from the local television reruns and stale sheets he had been headed for back at the hotel.

  Inside the house, the lights were low and the kitchen vast, four times the size of a normal kitchen. Dane was drawn to the center, where a butcher-block table stretched ten feet and was paralleled by random unmatched bar stools in a range of heights. Above the table hung various dried herbs and flowers among copper pans and lightbulbs caged by chicken wire.