Shaking her head, Mary did up her shorts, and then ran her fingers quickly through her hair as she rushed ahead of him to get to the door first. If it was Dave, she was going to make sure he didn’t step foot in the RV . . . for his own good.
“There you are,” Carol said cheerfully as Mary opened the RV door. When Mary smiled and stepped back for her, Carol stepped up into the RV carrying a large box, then stopped abruptly as she got a good look at her. Her eyes immediately went wide and her mouth made a perfect O of surprise. “Oh, you’re—did I—you—”
“I was doing my calisthenics,” Mary blurted, not sure what the woman was seeing, but hoping that would explain away whatever it was.
“Si, she was working very hard,” Dante added, completely straight-faced. Then he stepped between them, placing his back to Carol as he quickly shifted Mary’s breast back into her bra and tugged her shirt down. And he was grinning, dammit.
Mary closed her eyes on a sigh and wondered when she had lost control of her life. Or was it her mind she’d lost?
“She will not remember what she saw,” Dante murmured softly by her ear, his voice affectionate. Then he stepped aside and she saw that Carol had the same blank look on her face now that Dave had worn earlier. Mary sagged with relief, then straightened when Carol suddenly took on expression and movement again as if someone had pushed a button on her back to activate her.
“I went into town to pick up mail, and two boxes were waiting for you there,” Carol announced cheerfully, nodding down at the heavy-looking box she carried before adding, “The other one is still in the golf cart.”
Dante immediately moved forward to take the box Carol carried. He set it on the dinette table for her, and then went out to fetch the second box from the golf cart as well.
“Oh, thank you, Carol,” Mary murmured as Dante quickly returned with the second box and set it on the table as well. She eyed the boxes curiously, wondering what they held, but she was also thinking that Dante had obviously been telling the truth. Carol hadn’t been in the office to visit. Dave had been lying.
“My pleasure,” Carol said easily, and then asked, “Have you seen Dave? He was heading out to handle an issue with one of the campers when I left, and still isn’t back.”
“Oh . . . er . . .” Mary glanced to Dante with alarm, worried that he’d done something to the man. Or made the man do something to himself under his influence.
“I believe he mentioned going down to the river,” Dante said mildly in response to her look. When Mary narrowed her eyes suspiciously, he added, “To feed the birds.”
Mary relaxed a little and turned to offer Carol a forced smile as the woman said, “Well then I guess I’d better go find him. He’ll forget to eat lunch otherwise.”
“Is it lunchtime already?” Mary asked with surprise. It seemed like they’d just had breakfast.
“Just about,” Carol said lightly as she turned to head out of the RV.
Mary waved her off and closed the door behind her, then turned to peer at Dante suspiciously. “Did you really send him to feed the birds?”
“Yes.”
“And that’s it?” Mary asked, eyes narrowed.
Dante scowled, but then grimaced and admitted reluctantly, “I may have put the suggestion in his mind that while he was down there he should perhaps fall in . . . a couple or three times,” he muttered and when she opened her mouth, added quickly, “He needed to cool off.”
“He did, did he?” Mary asked with sudden amusement. He looked so much like a little boy caught being bad in that moment.
“Yes, he did,” Dante assured her. “Besides, it is better than he deserved for his thoughts. You are mine.”
“Am I?” she asked softly.
“Oh, yes,” he assured her and drew her into his arms. His head was just lowering toward hers when Bailey whined and pawed at the door.
They both closed their eyes briefly, and then Mary reluctantly pulled gently out of his arms. “She has to go out.”
She turned to collect the leash from the hook, but Dante leaned past and took it from her, kissing her ear as he did and murmuring, “I’ll do it.”
“Thank you.” Mary smiled, and stepped out of the way so that he could put Bailey’s leash on. Once he’d finished and straightened to reach for the door, she said, “I’ll make lunch while you’re out.”
“No need,” he said lightly, allowing Bailey to trot down the steps ahead of him. “I already know what I want.”
“What’s that?” she asked with a frown, wondering if he was thinking of going back to the restaurant for lunch or wanted sausages or hamburgers on the barbecue.