The Accidental Mrs. Mackenzie by Bonnie K. Winn Read Free Book Online Page B

Kick Me signs on them.
    The thought of his brother being a father was unsettling. Gregory hadn’t had time or energy for anyone except himself for years. When their father’s health had deteriorated, Gregory hadn’t even considered helping at the resort. As he’d told Matt, it was unfortunate, but he simply didn’t have the time.
    It was hard to reconcile that attitude with one that could have changed enough for him to marry a woman like Brynn.
    As Matt watched, the ill-named dog jumped up at her, his short legs pawing at her knees, trying to get the toy she was holding just out of reach. With a laugh, she tossed it to him, clearly a game they often played since the dog retrieved the toy and then began another tug-of-war with her.
    The cat, meanwhile, lay in the shadow of Brynn’s feet, apparently content to simply be close by. Matt wondered why she hadn’t brought her foulmouthed bird along as well. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bird waddling through the open doors. Her menagerie was complete.
    Matt wondered how Gregory handled her animals. His brother thought all pets were worthless—messy, troublesome, and in the way. Whatever spell Brynn had cast over him had been all-encompassing. And how had she spun this magical hex?
    It was difficult to tell much about Brynn with her face hidden behind those mammoth glasses and the wild mop of shiny black hair that almost obscured her features. And any time he got close enough to try and see, she nearly ran. The early-morning light skipped over her face, then gleamed on her hair, unexpectedly casting her in a soft, feminine glow as she continued her carefree laughter.
    Matt hadn’t seen her in an unguarded mood before. Relaxed, with no one around but her animals, she acted like a different person. Normally she was so stiff she looked like she’d been dipped in starch. He wondered why.
    Of course, having all your in-laws thrust on you at once could be pretty intimidating. Especially his family. Still...there was something. Something else, he guessed. Something he couldn’t put his finger on.
    Seeing her stroll to the other end of the deck, Matt took the opportunity to hike back down the path, catching her unaware as she spun around to throw the dog’s toy. Her pale skin was flushed and her huge blue eyes sparkled. For once, her full lips were turned upward in a wide, genuine smile.
    Until she spotted him.
    Then they formed an “O” of surprise. The dog immediately leaped in front of her, providing a small but determined barrier.
    “Hello! I didn’t hear you.” She gestured toward the dog. “I was playing with Lancelot.”
    “I know. I was watching.” At her puzzled look, he pointed upward. “From the ledge.”
    She cast her startled gaze upward, apparently surprised to see there was a ledge above. “Oh.”
    Matt guessed it made her uncomfortable to know he’d been watching. “I climbed up to check the condition of the path. We like to keep our guests in one piece.”
    “Of course.” She pushed at her glasses. “You’re sort of a jack-of-all-trades, aren’t you? A little bookkeeping, some garden maintenance. I imagine it keeps you from getting bored before the ski season.”
    He repressed a smile. “You could say that.”
    She dared a shy smile of her own. “I’ve never skied myself. But it looks so graceful...and beautiful.” Her face pinkened a bit. “But then I guess men don’t like to hear something they do being described as beautiful..”
    Actually, it was unexpectedly affecting. “Skiing is beautiful. It won’t cost me my macho image to admit that.”
    There was a strange expression in her eyes that flickered, then disappeared. Before he could analyze it, she was backing away, ready to flee again if he guessed right.
    Anticipating her move, he reached out and caught her arm. Surprised by the unexpected connection, he let his hand linger, his grip tightening briefly. Seeing an answering light in her eyes, he withdrew his hand