Mountain Lion by Terry Bolryder Read Free Book Online Page B

her that way. She’d hoped, when she chose her tighter clothes and did her hair for him, to maybe make him notice her in a different way.
    But looking around now, seeing elegant, skinny women with nice sweaters and jeans so tight they looked poured into them, she didn’t feel well dressed at all.
    She looked at Wyatt, with his perfect sense of style, and knew he’d probably go better with one of those women. When he was ready to settle down. She got the feeling he was only in his mid to late twenties and didn’t seem in any rush to find a companion.
    After all, he had her for now. A good friend.
    She let out a little sigh and he turned to her. “What would you like to do first?”
    She looked up at the haunted barn attraction and saw a couple go in, with the girl holding on tight to the man’s arm as the man laughed.
    “There,” she said, pointing at it. He nodded with a small smile and walked toward it. On the way, he stopped at a ticket booth and bought tickets, and she flushed, wondering if he should be paying for everything since it wasn’t a real date.
    As they walked to the barn, a plan formed in her mind. Perhaps if she pretended to be scared, Wyatt would let her grab his arm. What would that feel like? Probably all muscled and warm. The thought made her warm between her legs, and she nodded to herself to confirm.
    On the first scare, she’d be grabbing him.
    “You like places like this?” he asked, looking down at her with a smile quirking one side of his perfect lips. “You seem excited.”
    “No,” she said. “I’m easily scared.” She lied. “But I’ve never been in one. They seem fun.”
    “Well, I’m right here if you need me,” he said. But then he looked away, as if avoiding what he’d just said.
    Why were things suddenly so weird between them?
    There was a man counting people off and letting them through one group at a time, so they had to wait a few minutes for their turn. When it was time, the barn door opened with a spooky creak, and the host gestured for them to walk forward into the darkness.
    “You ready?” Wyatt asked.
    “Yup,” she said, heart pounding in her chest. She wasn’t nervous about what she would find in the haunted house. She was nervous about what it would feel like to finally make a move on the hottest man in the world.
    What would he do about it? Would he get mad? She couldn’t picture it. He was too sweet with everyone. Too patient.
    Come to think of it, she’d never seen him really get mad at anyone. Could he really be as protective as he’d promised to be?
    They walked through fake cobwebs into a dark, empty room. A chill went through her as she looked around, unable to see anything when a door slammed shut behind them.
    She felt Wyatt tense in front of her and then scuffling on the ground.
    “Come on,” he said. “Let’s keep moving.” She heard the amusement in his voice as she walked forward, with the odd feeling that someone was following them.
    When they were halfway across the room, she felt something jump out behind them, with a loud scream.
    She jumped about a foot in the air and grabbed onto Wyatt. No prior planning needed. She mashed herself into his arm, scrabbling to get away from the grinning, costumed ghoul who was retreating back into the darkness.
    “You okay?” Wyatt asked, gently disentangling her from him so he could look her over.
    She swallowed, her heart beating rapidly. “Yup. I didn’t know they would jump out like that.”
    “Stay close,” he said. “There’s a tunnel coming up. I’ll walk behind you so anyone who jumps out in the back will get me instead.”
    She nodded, walking ahead of him. When she stopped, she felt her back bump into his firm, muscled chest, and she bit her lip and forced herself to move on.
    She couldn’t forget the feel of his arm in the few seconds she’d been able to grab it. She wanted to do it again, but it wasn’t really possible in the position they were in.
    Unfortunately, as she