Free Unmasking Juliet by Teri Wilson Page B

sorry. It’s my dog...she ran across the street, and I just followed her. I wasn’t thinking.” Panic coiled in Juliet’s belly. At least she assumed it was panic, even though it felt oddly like anticipation. Maybe even some sort of longing.
    Clearly she was sleep deprived.
    Leo’s mouth curved into a wicked smile. “By all means, don’t apologize.”
    Juliet took a giant step backward and almost tumbled over Cocoa and her petite companion.
    “Careful, there.” Leo reached for her, and before she could register what was happening, he’d managed to scoop her up in his arms and deposit her back on her feet in perilously close proximity to himself.
    The words sweep me off my feet swirled in Juliet’s consciousness. She blinked. Hard. “Thank you. Well, I should get going before someone sees...”
    Her gaze darted toward the warm cozy light coming from the windows of Mezzanotte Chocolates.
    “No one’s here. Just me. Your secret is safe.” He lifted an amused brow. “Again.”
    She cleared her throat. Why did this keep happening? She’d managed to avoid Mezzanotte territory her whole life up until the past week. Accidentally, of course.
    There are no accidents. Only fate.
    Isn’t that what her mother was always saying? She wondered what her mom would think about the hands of fate leading her daughter to the door of Mezzanotte Chocolates.
    On the other hand, maybe she didn’t want to know what her mother would think about anything having to do with Leo.
    “I’ve been meaning to thank you, actually,” she said.
    “For?” His voice was like melted caramel. Warm. Rich. Smooth.
    “For keeping your promise and not saying anything to your family about the circumstances surrounding our meeting. I owe you a debt of gratitude.” A salty ocean breeze drifted through the valley, lifting Juliet’s hair and sending it flying in all directions.
    “‘The circumstances surrounding our meeting?’ That sounds awfully clinical. Forgive me, but I don’t remember it quite that way.” He reached for an errant strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear.
    A shiver coursed through her. Juliet would have loved to blame it on the gentle wind, but she would have just been fooling herself. “Fine. Thank you for not mentioning the kiss.”
    He tilted his head, his blue eyes searching, probing. “Don’t you mean the kisses? I’m certain there were more than one.”
    Like she’d kept count. He’d pretty much kissed away her ability to reason, much less undertake anything involving math. “You know what I mean.”
    “Yes, I believe I do.” His gaze fell squarely on her mouth.
    She needed to get out of here. Immediately. Before she did something monumentally stupid.
    She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Like I said, I should go. I have an early day tomorrow.”
    She gestured to the dogs. Cocoa had lowered herself to a commando crawl position and was thus now on even ground with the poodle. The little dog was pawing at the big one with dainty swipes of her paws. “You said her name was Sugar? Do you know who she belongs to?”
    His muscular shoulders rose and fell. “Sure, I do. She’s mine.”
    Juliet snorted with laughter. “You’re telling me that this is your dog?”
    “Yes.”
    Why wasn’t he laughing? Surely this was a joke. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
    He furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong with my dog?”
    “Look at her.” Juliet waved a hand at the petite poodle and saw something twinkle in the moonlight. Was that a rhinestone collar? Oh, this was just too good to be true. “She’s miniscule. And a little on the feminine side. And you’re...well, you’re...”
    Now she was in trouble. How was she supposed to complete that thought without mentioning his obvious masculinity? His commanding presence? His big, strong hands? The lean, hard muscles she knew lay buried beneath his shirt?
    He crossed his arms and narrowed his gaze at her. Even in the semidarkness, the mischief in his