Free Every Move She Makes by Jannine Gallant

raised a brow. “Daughter number three doing her own thing as usual, I suspect.”
    “At least she’s not moping.”
    His spirits lifted as he and Rachel hiked toward the north, following the Pacific Crest Trail on a steep uphill climb. Sweat stuck his shirt to his back and glistened on Rachel’s brow before he finally stopped near a stream. The temperature was climbing, and looking at this woman with her toned arms and slim hips made him even hotter. Definitely time to cool off.
    She tipped back her water bottle and gulped then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Daisy teetered on the edge of the creek. When the dog’s front feet slipped, and she landed nose first in the water, Rachel laughed.
    Kane grinned. “You have a weird dog. Doesn’t she know retrievers are supposed to like water?”
    “I don’t think she even knows she’s a dog.”
    “That’s because you treat her like one of your kids. Are you ready to go, or would you like to rest a while longer?”
    If they didn’t keep walking, he wouldn’t be able to keep from touching her, and the last thing he wanted was to scare her off.
    “I’m ready.” She shoved the water bottle back into her daypack. “Where’re we headed?”
    “There’s a pretty little lake about an hour from here. I thought we’d stop there for lunch.”
    “Sounds like a plan.”
    A short distance later, the trail leveled out and they were able to walk side by side with Daisy leading the way. A light breeze set the pine trees swaying as Rachel tucked a stray curl behind her ear and lifted her face to the sun.
    Kane gave her ponytail a gentle tug. “Did you put on sunscreen? At this altitude, people burn easily.”
    She nodded. “I slathered it on all of us this morning before breakfast, and the girls have strict instructions to reapply. What about you? You look awfully tan.”
    He glanced down at his nut-brown arms. “I wear it, but I still tan. Jed does, too, so it must be in our genes.”
    “I’ve been wondering how your brother owns a camp in the middle of all this.” She spread her arms wide. “Isn’t this area part of the Tahoe National Forest?”
    “Yes, but Jed has some sort of ninety-nine year lease from the Forest Service. I’m not sure exactly how it works.”
    “What does he do in the winter?”
    “He lives up here year round.”
    “Surely not at the camp! It must be buried under twenty feet of snow by February.”
    “Sometimes more.” Kane laughed. “Don’t look so horror-stricken. He has a cabin near Norden, the little town just off the freeway. He works out of a ski rental shop, offering guided cross-country tours.”
    “Your brother’s obviously the outdoorsy type. What about you?”
    “I am, too. I hike and mountain bike in the summer and ski in the winter whenever I have time. With my job, it isn’t as often as I’d like. Sometimes I envy Jed his lifestyle.”
    She was quiet for a moment then blurted, “I know about your partner getting shot and the boy you killed. Grace told me.”
    Kane sucked in a breath. Pressure weighed on his chest like a ten-ton boulder. The day had been going so well, too. They’d been getting to know each other, taking it slow. Now this.
    “Nolan has a big mouth.”
    She touched his arm. “Grace was concerned about me. She noticed the chemistry between us right away. I’m sorry. I don’t want to spoil the day, but I wasn’t comfortable keeping it a secret.”
    The trail meandered out of the trees onto a ridgeline, which dropped off in a sheer descent to a valley below. Kane stopped and turned to face her, holding her gaze.
    “Are you attracted to me?”
    A blush colored her cheeks, but she didn’t hesitate to speak. “Yes, my sister knows me well.”
    A bit of the weight eased. “The feeling’s mutual.” He bent to pick up a rock then sent it soaring into space. “So, Nolan and Grace wanted to warn you I’m a head case.”
    “It wasn’t like that.”
    “Then what was it like?”
    Rachel