Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com

RAEANNE THAYNE
165
He raised an eyebrow at the last word and gave
Maggie a hard look but said nothing, to her vast relief.
She didn’t want to have to explain about the balance
issues that still plagued her when she was tired.
“You can put me down anytime now,” she snapped.
“Now why would I want to do that?” he asked,
sounding genuinely puzzled, though she didn’t miss the
amusement in his gaze.
“You have any idea how many ways the Army
teaches you to emasculate a man?” she asked idly.
He laughed. “A fair few, I’d guess.”
He didn’t seem threatened in the least as he carried
her up the porch steps and into the house. In the living
room, he lowered her to the couch, then stepped back,
leaving her oddly, irrationally bereft.
Viviana had followed them and she stood in the
doorway, watching their interaction with eyes still dark
with worry.
“I’d ask you to let me take a look at your leg,” Jake
said, “but I don’t want to risk you calling me a pervert
again in front of your mother.”
She felt color soak her cheeks as Viviana’s worry
changed to surprised laughter.
“Shut up, Dalton,” Maggie snapped.
“Lena, your manners! Jacob, will you stay for
dinner? I will have it fixed in only a moment.”
“Can’t tonight. Sorry. But Maggie and I are going out
tomorrow. I told her six-thirty.”
As she watched, a strange look passed between them,
and Viviana nodded. “Good. Good. I will be sure she at