Moonlight Over Manhattan(89)

“Have you ever seen that happen?”

“Not many moose in Times Square.”

“Oh funny.” She pulled a face. “You worked out in the boonies, and you’ve visited here every year for decades. You must have had a moose encounter.”

“Only when hiking.”

“Are they dangerous?”

“They’re probably more scared of you than you are of them.” He turned down a narrow lane and she craned her neck to see through the trees.

“The lake is frozen! People are skating.”

“If there’s one thing Vermont has plenty of, it’s ice.”

“What about wildlife? Any bears I should know about?”

“They’re hibernating. If you’re lucky you might see white-tailed deer, snowshoe hare, coyote, bobcats and the odd porcupine.” He pulled up outside a rustic gate. “We have to walk from here. It’s not far.”

Trees drooped under the heavy load of snow, the silence broken only when the weight of their burden became too much and it thudded to the ground in a soft avalanche of white.

Harriet stared upward feeling as if she were a million miles from her life.

Her eyes stung. She told herself it was because of the cold, but she knew she was lying.

It was because she’d never been anywhere more beautiful.

Behind her, she heard the slam of the trunk as Ethan removed their cases.

The path had been cleared recently, although judging from the layer of new snow it had snowed again since. Their footsteps were muffled and their breath clouded the freezing air. She felt the cold penetrate her gloves, stinging the tips of her fingers. She didn’t care. They turned a corner and there, right in front of them, was a cabin that looked like something out of a fairy tale. A tasteful blend of wood and glass, it merged with the forest as if it were part of it. The cabin was framed by the forest and set on the shores of the lake.

Harriet admired it. “I’m beginning to understand why you come back here every year.”

“This is a relatively recent development. Jackson upgraded the place when he took over. Made a few changes.”

“I think the place is gorgeous.”

“Wait until you see inside.”

They stamped the snow from their boots and stepped through the door.

Harriet stared up at the cathedral ceiling and the glass windows that soared into the eaves. In the corner of the room a pretty iron staircase led to a sleeping “shelf” overlooking the forest.

Roughly chopped logs had been stacked in a basket next to the flickering fire and someone had hung tiny lights from the rafters, turning the whole place into the adult equivalent of a fairy grotto. Deep cushioned sofas faced each other across a rug and tall bookshelves made from reclaimed wood hugged one wall of the cabin.

It occurred to her that if she hadn’t challenged herself to agree to dog sitting she never would have met Ethan, at least not properly because she didn’t count the whole bruised ankle incident. And if she hadn’t met Ethan, she wouldn’t be here now. Which proved, once again, that Challenge Harriet paid dividends. Doing things you’d never thought of doing led to discoveries like this one.

Harriet walked across the room, feeling her feet sink into the soft rug. “I want to move in and live here forever.”

“Yeah, it has that effect on people.” Ethan dumped their cases by the door. “It’s one of the reasons it’s a success. Some of their guests have been coming back for years. Jackson could have crammed in more lodges, but he chose to keep it exclusive. Each cabin feels secluded and intimate. You wouldn’t even know there was anyone else nearby. Which is handy if you feel like having sex in the hot tub on the deck. Unless that’s something Harriet Knight would never do.”

She turned her head and met his gaze. “It’s definitely something Harriet Knight would do.”

But first there was something she needed to show him.

Hoping she hadn’t made a mistake, she slipped off her coat and finally pulled off her hat, watching him the whole time.

His eyes widened. He opened his mouth, but no words emerged.

It was the reaction she’d been hoping for.

She smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

He swallowed. “You had it cut?”

“No, a madman attacked me with a pair of scissors when I was in Bloomingdale’s. Of course I had it cut.” She stroked the ends of her hair self-consciously. It still felt strange to have short hair brushing against her jaw.

“Have you had it short before?”

“Never.” And she still wasn’t used to it herself. Her whole life she’d had hair down her back. Now it swung in a short cut that ended at her chin. “I was worried you might hate it.”

“I love it.” He crossed the room toward her. “It makes your eyes look huge. And you have great bones. You’re beautiful—”

“Keep talking. Don’t stop.”

“I have to stop. I can’t talk and kiss you and I really have to kiss you.” He slid his fingers into her hair and brought his mouth down on hers, the intimate slide of his tongue the most erotic thing she’d ever experienced. Heat blasted through her, spreading through her body. He wrapped his arms round her, his arms strong, and she melted against him, passion consuming both of them.