Beauty and the Bigfoot Hunter

by Wynter Daniels

  Did he think she’d purposely chosen the place for the romantic atmosphere? Had she? She slipped off her glasses and stashed them in her purse. “Well, the food is excellent. And it’s dimly lit, so…”

  “So you’re less likely to be seen.” His eyes were darker when he met her stare as if he knew something about her, something intimate.

  Her pulse quickened. Clearing the cobwebs from her throat, she nodded. “Yes, that’s it exactly.” Although it was a half-truth. The rest of it was that she considered Guillermo’s one of the best ‘date’ restaurants. Sure, she’d wanted to take him out as a thank you, but why deny that she liked him?

  Dean closed his menu a moment before their waiter appeared at the table and filled their water glasses. After they’d ordered bruschetta for an appetizer, and pasta dishes for entrees, the waiter took a backward step and crashed into another server who was loaded down with a tray full of food.

  The two men gasped as plates slid off the tray. A huge portion of chicken marsala bounced off Dean’s right shoulder and landed upside-down on his lap. Fettuccini Alfredo ended up on the floor next to a neighboring table.

  “I’m sorry, Signore.” Antonio took the plate off Dean’s lap and started wiping up the mess with napkins.

  Dean grabbed his water and poured it on his pants. “It’s okay.” He grinned at Ember. “That was incredibly hot.”

  She laughed. “Not anymore it’s not.”

  Antonio appeared ready to cry. “Let’s get you a dry chair. The owner will pay to have your clothes cleaned.”

  Dean waved away the offer. “All I need is a towel. I can clean up the rest in the men’s room.”

  “Can I help?” Ember asked.

  He pulled himself up and shook his head. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Do you have any idea how much my purse cost?” The woman at the next table shook her finger at the other waiter.

  “I’m so sorry.” The poor guy tried to clean the spot, but the woman shooed him away.

  “You’ve done enough damage,” she growled.

  Ember looked at the purse in question and noticed a single flat noodle stuck to the side. As the woman continued to rail at the server, all Ember could think about was how easygoing Dean had been in the face of a plate of piping hot food in his lap. Dean’s response reminded her of how her papa had reacted in a similar situation several years ago.

  “No hay problema,” he told a teenage girl who worked at an ice cream shop after she’d accidentally dropped a scoop of rum raisin frozen yogurt on him as she’d delivered their sundaes. “Someone’s telling me that I shouldn’t have ordered the extra scoop.”

  When the teen walked away, Papa lowered his voice. “Accidents will always happen,” he told Ember and her sister. “Usually the damage can be fixed. Words cause way more harm.”

  Dean returned to the table a moment later with a big wet spot covering the crotch of his pants. “It’s not what it looks like.”

  Laughing, she set down her water glass. “Yeah, sure.”

  Antonio delivered the bruschetta. “Your meal is on the house. Again, please forgive the mishap.”

  “That’s not necessary,” Dean told him.

  “The manager insists,” the waiter said. “It’s the least we can do.”

  At the next table, the complainer woman threw her napkin down on top of her plate and loudly pushed out her chair.

  Antonio threw Ember and Dean an apologetic frown then walked off.

  Dean offered Ember a slice of bruschetta before taking the other for himself. As he bit into the thick Italian bread loaded high with fresh tomato, shaved cheese, and herbs, he widened his eyes. “That’s fantastic.” He scooted his chair closer and touched the tip of his index finger to her top lip. “Sorry, I guess that was…forward of me. There was a little sauce there. I couldn’t resist.” Rather than retreat, he stayed close, staring at her mouth and then her eyes.

  Her heart skipped a beat. “It’s…okay.” Better than okay. She reminded herself that Dean was temporary in her life but he’d unknowingly done her a solid. He’d pushed her to trust—at least a little—and that was a start. Maybe in a few months or a year, she’d be ready to venture out on a real date. If the right guy came along, someone like Dean.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” he said.

  Heat crawled up her neck. “I-I was thinking…how much I like the food here.”

  Narrowing his eyes at her, he grinned. “If you say so.”

  A blond woman appeared out of the blue and shoved a napkin at Ember. “Can I get your autograph? Or a picture?” She showed Ember her cell phone.

  The bruschetta churned in Ember’s stomach. She was about to deny that she was who she was when Dean loudly cleared his throat. “You’re mistaking my wife for someone else,” Dean told the woman. “Happens a lot.” Smiling at Ember, he said, “Isn’t that right, Mary?”

  “It is,” Ember replied. “All the time.”

  The blonde frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry. You bear a striking resemblance to a famous model.”

  Dean moved his chair even closer to Ember and covered her hand with his. “Enjoy your dinner,” he said as he turned his back to the woman.

  The knots in Ember’s gut loosened as the blonde walked away. Ember giggled. “You’re good at that.” For once, it was nice not to have to be the person who fended off well-meaning but impolite autograph seekers.

  His expression grew serious. “I get it. Your fame was what put you in harm’s way.”

  Almost no one understood that. “Yes, it was.” Their eyes met, and something sensual ricocheted between them.

  Their dinners arrived, and the time flew as they shared tastes with each other, along with stories from their childhoods. Ember glanced around after Antonio cleared away the last of their dishes—a complimentary sampler of delicious desserts the chef had sent out. The patio was empty except for a couple of servers cleaning the other tables. “How long have we been here?”

  Dean checked his watch and gasped. “Three hours. Wow. I had no idea.” His eyes sparkled with interest. “Must be the company.”

  When they left the restaurant, Dean offered his arm—as best he could while maneuvering with the crutches. She hooked hers through his, and they walked at a leisurely pace toward her car. The town had never appeared quite as magical as it did tonight. The fairy lights on all the stores winked at them as they passed.

  Dean opened the driver’s door, blocking her from getting in. His gaze fell to her lips. “I had a great time tonight.”

  Her mouth went dry. Her heart pounded against her ribs. But it was more than excitement—there was also fear.

  The wind blew a lock of hair into her face. Before she could smooth it away, Dean did, and let his hand linger on her neck.

  She wanted to kiss him.

  A loud bell startled them apart as the tourist trolley rolled past.

  “We should probably take that as a sign.” She slipped around him and climbed into the SUV, drawing a calming breath as she did.

  Dean got in a moment later. His cell buzzed. “No one calls me this late. I should check that.” After he’d buckled himself in, he took out the phone and frowned at it.

  Ember pulled onto the street. “Everything okay?”

  “My boss is a…” He grumbled something under his breath then shoved the device back into his pocket.

  The intimate moment was gone, which was probably for the best. She’d merely gotten caught up in the romantic atmosphere of the town. And Dean had been so sweet at the restaurant. “Thanks for coming to my rescue when that woman asked for an autograph.”

  “No problem.”

  “You can stay in the guest suite another night if you want.” He’d done something kind for her, so why not do the same for him?

  “Thanks, Mary.”

  She smiled. Having him around was nice. What could it hurt to let him stay a little longer?

  Chapter Five

>   As soon as Dean woke the next morning, he checked the video feeds. During the night, camera number one had captured a passing shadow that was too big to have been made by any of the local animals. He froze the frame and zoomed in, but he couldn’t be sure what it was. The shape was definitely that of a large, upright mammal.

  If he had more time here, he was sure that eventually, he’d capture a good photo of Bigfoot. His boss’s message last night had been clear, though. Dr. Vargas had said that due to budget cuts, the department was being forced to trim back some projects and to eliminate others. Although they hadn’t made any decisions yet, Dean suspected that funding for his Bigfoot research would be on the chopping block.

  Dean had to get proof of the creature’s existence—not only to justify his work to the school but also to vindicate his father. If Ember insisted he clear out of her property, though, it could take him months or even years to find a new research location, particularly one as promising as this. And the notion of leaving the area bothered him for other reasons as well—way more personal reasons.

  Ember.

  For the second night in a row, she’d starred in his dreams. Who wouldn’t be attracted to her? She was a super model, for goodness sakes. The more time he spent with her though, the more he realized that she wasn’t just a pretty face. She cared deeply about animals and nature. He loved her sense of humor and the way she playfully sparred with him. And how she’d stepped up and taken responsibility for his hospital bill—something few people would have done.

  A knock at the door drew him from his thoughts. It took him a few moments to get there and open it.

  Ember stood there looking even lovelier than she had the night before. Holding a leather cowboy hat in her hand, she wore a pair of faded jeans and a red and white polka dot shirt tied at her waist. “Morning.”

  “Hey.” He stepped aside for her to enter. As she brushed past him, he inhaled her sweet scent, like fresh lilacs.

  “I’ve been thinking.” She sat on the loveseat and waited for him to join her before continuing. “If you’d like to stay on for a few days until your ankle is a little better, that would be fine.”

  What was she offering? “And my research?”

  She wrung her hands. “I think it would be best if we removed the cameras today.”

  His mood clunked. “Today?” Which meant he’d have zero chance of capturing the footage he sought. He couldn’t just give up on his dream. His dad would be so disappointed.

  She folded her hands in her lap. “As I’ve explained before, I doubt that what you’re looking for is even here. On the off chance that it is, I hate the idea that it would be hunted, even for the sake of science. I love animals too much to subject one to that.”

  “Not hunted, merely observed. There’s a world of difference.”

  Her lips flattened to a thin line.

  He had to make her understand. “I’d like to take you on a field trip today.”

  “What?”

  “I promise I’ll have you back here in a few hours.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You can’t just not tell me anything about what you have in mind.”

  Offering up a silent prayer that she’d agree, he waited. “I know it doesn’t come easily to you, but I need you to trust me.”

  She blanched.

  He lifted his cast-covered foot. “I’m quite harmless, right now.”

  Finally, she huffed. “Okay, fine. But I have an appointment in Nocturne Falls at 4:30.”

  He held up three fingers in his best salute. “Scout’s honor.”

  After a quick breakfast, they left. Dean navigated as Ember drove south toward Atlanta. Almost two hours later, they arrived at the Natural History museum.

  “So this is it?” she asked. “Believe it or not, I’ve been to museums. I grew up in Miami, not in Timbuktu.”

  Getting out of her car, he caught her eye. “Bear with me.” Inside the building, he led her to the Early Mammals exhibit. Pointing to a rendering of Eozostrodon, he said, “This one of the first mammals, and it lived about the same time as the first dinosaurs.”

  Ember studied the drawings. “Looks like a cross between a mouse and an anteater.”

  “A lot like a modern-day shrew.” He gestured toward the fossil of a saber-tooth tiger. “Does he remind you of Artemis and Athena?”

  With a laugh, she shook her head. “More like their big cat cousin.”

  By the time they’d completed a circuit of the exhibit, they’d seen almost a hundred different types of mammals. Dean headed to the bench in the center of the room. “Let’s sit for a minute.”

  “Okay,” she said. “I get it. You wanted me to see this to prove a point. There’s no Bigfoot here.”

  “True, but that wasn’t my purpose,” he said.

  “Then what is?”

  He scanned the room, with its wide variety of depictions of living and extinct mammals. “The scientific purpose of mammology is to explore the mechanisms responsible for the evolution and extinction of animals. By studying those mechanisms, maybe we can prevent species now living from becoming extinct. We need as many pieces of that puzzle as we can find. And if we can understand that about animals, we’re likely to gain insights about ourselves.”

  “Ah ha. Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  She patted his arm. “For helping me to understand. I can see why you became a teacher.”

  “Any time, Mary.”

  Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “This has been very enlightening, but I’ve got an appointment in two hours so we’d better hit the road.”

  The fact that she’d been willing to indulge him meant a lot to him.

  “How about we stop at the grocery store in Nocturne Falls, and I’ll make you dinner tonight?” he asked. “I’m not a great chef by a longshot. I do know my way around a barbecue grill, though. And the one on your deck is like a Cadillac, as grills go.”

  Ember furrowed her brow. “I…”

  He touched her shoulder and felt her shiver. “Please,” he said. “You’ve already done so much for me. Let me do this for you.”

  Her lips bunched to one side as she stood. “Why not?”

  They listened to Chopin during the drive back. Finally, Ember parked outside a supermarket and grabbed several reusable grocery bags from the back seat before they headed inside the Shop-n-Save.

  “Let’s hit the candy section,” he said. “The only dessert I know how to make is s’mores.”

  “This way.” She grabbed a cart and steered left into the aisle, passing a goth-looking young woman with short, spiky blue-black hair and heavy eyeliner who had her basket loaded with every imaginable type of confection.

  “Looks like a healthy meal,” he joked.

  The blue-haired woman gave him a thumbs up. “Dinner of champions.”

  Were her ears pointy? Yes, definitely, and each had a small silver stud piercing the tip. Those sure didn’t look like prosthetic elf ears. Now he’d seen everything.

  A giant of a man—who looked like a cage fighter or bodybuilder with a shaved head and several tattoos—stopped next to a display of gourmet chocolate.

  Ember rolled her cart past him.

  “Pardon me,” the man said with a thick Russian accent.

  A pale woman with flame red hair came from the other direction and dropped a huge package of steak into the Russian’s cart.

  After they were out of earshot of the pair, Dean shook his head. “This is a weird place.”

  Ember waved off his comment. “It’s all for the tourists. You know, Halloween every day.”

  Even Ember was…different. A memory from the night they’d met flashed through his head. Ember had picked him up and placed him on her horse. What normal woman could do that? “You’re…unusually strong, like not-found-in-nature strong.”

  “Not really.” She struck a bodybuilder pose. “I work out.”

  Mm-hmm. He wasn’t buying that.
There was something odd going on in this place, and Ember was part of it, or she at least knew what it was. “As a scientist, I know that nature is full of…anomalies.”

  “Anomalies?” Ember tossed a bag of marshmallows into the cart then a three-pack of chocolate bars.

  “Yes, anomalies.” He waited until they’d left the sweets aisle to continue. “As a biologist, I’ve learned about some really strange animals. For example, the pangolin, a mammal that resembles an armadillo, but it has scales and a ridiculously lopsided body. In Equador, some researchers discovered a shape-shifting frog, would you believe?”

  “Interesting.” She turned into the produce section.

  “Yes. Its skin changes from smooth to spiny.” He tried to recall some of the other odd creatures he’d recently read about in science journals. “The most amazing octopus was discovered off the coast of Indonesia about twenty years ago. It’s capable not only of mirroring its background environment by changing the color and texture of its skin, but it’s able to mimic a diverse range of species, at least thirteen of them, including certain types of fish, snakes, and jellyfish.”

  “Wow.” Plucking an onion from a bin, she set it in her basket. “That’s amazing.”

  Glancing around the immediate area, he glimpsed a woman with strangely cat-like features. He lowered his voice. “If an octopus can shapeshift, why not people…or beings closely related to people?”

  Ember broke open the six-pack of water bottles she’d put in their cart and handed him one. “You need to drink this.”

  Why did she keep pushing him to drink? When he didn’t take the bottle, she twisted off the cap and tried again to give it to him. “Seriously, drink it. Staying hydrated is very important after an injury, and when you’re on medication.”

  Stopping, he leaned one crutch against the basket and drank. “There, are you happy now?”

  “Absolutely.”

  He lost his train of thought as he stared at her. God, she had a gorgeous smile. Her neck was so long and graceful. Skimming his gaze lower, he admired the way her shirt hugged her curves. He flashed on one of his dreams about her, the one in which she’d been wearing a sheer nightgown that left little to the imagination. His blood heated at the memory.