Free Fatal Wild Child by Tracy Cooper-Posey Page B

I should have put this together sooner. There's too many things you don't say that I should be hearing."
    Something touched his face and was gone, so swiftly that she thought she may have imagined it.
    "What?" she said.
    "Dinner," he said firmly, and picked up her hand. He threw the can in the garbage bin, and led her from the office.
    * * * * *
     
    While the luxury chalets and cabin areas were foreign territory to Seth, he was quite familiar with the public areas and restaurants in the main building of the lodge. Once they were out in the public section of the main building, his senses went on alert, as all the subliminal feeds of information worked to keep him aware of any possible dangers or concerns, all focused on Gabrielle.
    Thanks to the steadily thickening snow and heavy fall warnings, there were very few people using the public restaurants tonight. Jasper Park Lodge was outside the main town of Jasper and in heavy snows, it became a challenge to reach. Tourists tended to stay in the town itself for meals. That meant the only patrons would be residents.
    Gabrielle's fame would be an issue. Seth murmured in the maitre d's ear. "A discrete table, please. Not somewhere where everyone passing will see her."
    They were offered a corner table guarded by a big potted palm tree. The only way Gabrielle would be recognized was if someone walked right up to the table and leaned in to peer at her face. Gabrielle visibly relaxed when she saw the location and beamed her thanks at the maitre d', who swelled with pride at her reaction.
    They ordered a small meal each, for they had just eaten a short while before. Seth ordered a bottle of wine. The waiter hurried away after the wine was opened.
    "I don't usually drink, anymore," Gabrielle confessed, lifting the glass of ruby red liquid. "And I'm surprised you would, under the circumstances."
    "A few mouthfuls—enough to keep up appearances," Seth told her. "If I'm eating, it's not a big deal. Don't drink if you don't want to. I thought you might like a glass to relax. You've had quite an afternoon and I just hit you with hard news."
    She finally looked directly at him for the first time. There was pain in her marvelous brown eyes and his gut clenched. "Why is someone trying to kill me, Seth?" she whispered.
    "I don't know. And for right now, it's not my job to find out. The only thing I have to do is stick with you and keep you alive."
    "You don't care to know?" she asked. "It doesn't bother you that someone out there hates me that much?"
    Seth winced. She had misunderstood, as most people did. "Other people are working on the reasons why, Gabrielle. If I run around trying to find out, I'll trip over their work and worse, I'll lose focus on my job. And as far as I'm concerned, my job is the most important work in the world right now."
    She still looked miserable, so he relented a little. "They'll let me know as soon as they know anything," he said. "And I'll tell you anything I learn."
    "You promise?" Gabrielle said. "None of this top secret, I'll-have-to-kill-you crap?"
    Seth stared at her. It was her life the explosive had been set to take out, he reasoned. So he nodded. "I promise," he said and meant it.
    She took a deep breath, her shoulders lifting. Then she settled back in her chair. And she smiled. It was the same full-wattage smile she had given the maitre d' and Seth felt just as rewarded. Abruptly, he realized that Gabrielle trusted him. Just like that. He'd promised, and she took him at his word.
    Wow. Suddenly, he was the one who couldn't look her in the eye. He felt like an awkward school boy on his first date. He gripped the wine glass and fought hard not to drain the damn thing. He looked around the room, scanning it automatically, and saw a familiar face.
    Tyler Winters was settling at a dining table with a companion, both in civvies. No recognition on his face, but he moved the salt shaker, then moved it back. He was on duty, then. Back-up had arrived.
    Seth looked