Nerd Gone Wild by Vicki Lewis Thompson Read Free Book Online

jaw.”
    “That’s nice to know.” A glint of humor flashed in his brown eyes.
    He looked good with that glint of humor. It went well with the sensual shape of his mouth and his Dudley Do-Right chin. She cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “Mitchell, do you have a thing for me?”
    He frowned and leaned closer. “A what?”
    “A thing,” she said, raising her voice a fraction.
    “What kind of thing?”
    She rolled her eyes. Mr. Smooth Operator he was not. She’d have to be more blunt. And louder. Nobody was listening, anyway. “Do you have the hots for me?” Too late she realized the music had stopped and her words had neatly filled that little dead space between the end of the performance and the start of the applause. That very explicit question of hers seemed to echo through the room as everyone turned to stare.
    Mitchell looked as if he’d been run over by Rudy’s Bronco, Slewfoot Sue. He swallowed. “Um…”
    Ally wanted to crawl under the table. If she hadn’t had so much booze, she might have done it. Poor Mitchell. He was a pain in the ass, but he didn’t deserve this.
    “Go on, ‘fess up, Mitchell,” Betsy said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. “I told you she’d guess.”
    Rudy touched Ally’s arm. “He’s crazy about you. Told me so when you went to the bathroom.”
    Ally glanced at Betsy and Rudy, astonished by this new piece of information. “He told you guys?”
    They both nodded.
    Oh, God. Mitchell must really have it bad if he’d confided in the first two people he’d met in Porcupine. How unbelievably awkward. She couldn’t be furious with a guy who’d impetuously followed his heart. She just wished his heart hadn’t led him to her.
    Mitchell cleared his throat. “Ally, I think—”
    “We have to talk. Alone.”
    He nodded. “Yep.”
    And yet she had more pressing matters than public humiliation to think about. If they both went back to the Loose Moose to talk without getting any food first, she would be in terrible shape. “The thing is, I’m starving. I need to eat something, especially after four Irish coffees.”
    “
Four?
” His eyes widened.
    “Yes, four, and there’s enough mellow mood left over to get me through this unfortunate episode. I would suggest, however, that you have several more glasses of beer. You’ll be amazed at how that helps neutralize the shock.”
    He shook his head. “I just need to eat.”
    Betsy punched him on the arm. “Shame on you, Mitchell! You told me you didn’t want anything! I was ready to feed you leftover moose-meat pie and you turned it down!”
    Rudy groaned. “He turned it down? Can I have whatever you were plannin’ to give him?”
    “No, you cannot.” Betsy stood and pulled on her coat. “Mitchell, Ally, come with me right this minute. I’m going to warm up a hearty portion of my famous moose-meat pie.”
    Mitchell exchanged a look of dismay with Ally, and for the first time in their relationship, she felt a common bond. Neither of them was ready to face Betsy’s famous moose-meat pie. But they didn’t have a lot of choice, now that they’d both admitted they were hungry. If they turned down a chance to eat one of Porcupine’s greatest delicacies, they’d be outcasts.
    Mitchell might not care, but Ally did. She wanted to be accepted here, because this was where she intended to launch her career as a wildlife photographer. When she was an internationally famous photog, she planned to refer fondly to the tiny town of Porcupine, whose residents had taken her into their hearts. She didn’t want anything to screw with that.
    “Sounds wonderful, Betsy.” She stood and put on her jacket, knit cap, and gloves.
    Rudy stood, too. “How much pie you got, Betsy?”
    “Never you mind, Rudy. You’re not going over there with us. I can be discreet and retire to my private quarters, but you’d end up hanging around and ruining their private moment.”
    “No I wouldn’t. I’d just eat and leave. I haven’t