Free SHADOWLOVE--STALKERS by Claudy Conn Page B

wanted me to arrange. Not today .” He grinned like a boy. “Playing hooky, and damn glad that I am, for it led me to you.”
    Shawna’s lips curved slightly as she inclined her head and then looked away. “Hmm, I usually find that walking does something wonderful for the soul.”
    “Yes, but good company over a meal does so much more. Come on then, Shawna, walk with me to my home, and then I’ll drive you to the cottage after you have properly satisfied your appetite.”
    Shawna saw a sexual gleam in his eyes and inwardly paused. She liked him, and she wondered if she could like him more? But—no point in that. She shook her head. “I would love to, but I have to get back and unpack a few more boxes.”
    “Right, I won’t press you any longer on this now, but soon, Shawna MacBay, you will take tea…at the very least, tea with me.”
    She inclined her head. “Okay, you have a deal.” Before she could stop herself she dove in and asked, “Kenneth, do you have wild boars in this region?”
    He laughed. “Boars? No, no. Why do you ask?”
    “When I was in the wood, I thought I saw something…foraging, and I thought I saw a dark shape that might have resembled a very large wild boar.” She gave him a half-truth. She was actually fishing. She wanted to know if he had seen anything unusual recently in the woods.
    The squire looked puzzled. “It was probably just a trick of light and shadows. No doubt, it was one of the younger bucks.” He eyed her quizzically. “Do you feel uneasy?” He chuckled and reached for her arm. “Come then, I’ll walk you home.”
    “No, that is silly. I can’t let you do that.”
    “You don’t have a choice—besides, I have always wanted to rescue a damsel in distress. You will be doing me a great service as it will keep me away from my desk and the stack of work waiting for me.”
    She laughed. “Damsel in distress—I don’t see her.”
    He winked. “Nor do I.”
    She allowed him to walk her back to the narrow path that led to her cottage, and there she turned to him. She couldn’t allow him to take her to her door. She didn’t want him to see all the wire and contraptions she had laid out all over the floor.
    “I can’t take you any further out of your way,” she said as she extended her hand.
    “Can’t you now?” He arched a look at her and then decided to let it go. “I suppose I do have to get back and give myself over to my attorney for an hour or so before he leaves.” He already had her hand to his lips.
    She felt a wave of relief, as she half expected him to insist taking her to her door, and then she would have been obliged to ask him in. “Thank you, Kenneth, for the company.”
    He smiled and she started off. She turned, gave him a wave, and watched as he cut a path through the tall grass, back towards the woods.
    She liked the squire. He was personable, friendly, easy to talk to, and by the time she reached her laundry room door, she was sighing over him. It was just too bad that she would have to cut off their friendship at some point.

 
    ~ Six ~
     
    SHAWNA LOOKED OUT the window and scowled over the grayness of the day. It held a sure promise of rain, heavy rain, and the air was cold and damp. She hugged her pretty cream-colored sweater around herself. She had unpacked the last of her ‘weapons’ and had them scattered throughout the house where she could easily and readily get a hold of each.
    She had laid out all her wiring and various other materials the day before when she returned from her walk with the squire but hadn’t set them all.
    She looked at what was left and sighed. Traps —she needed them at every window, although she did not believe any vamps were even in the area of Stockton.
    She was setting an alarm at the kitchen window when the cell phone rang and made her jump. Frowning, she looked in its direction. It was still on the brown leather sofa where she had thrown it the other day. Off—she was sure it was shut down. It