“What?”
He pointed to a spot across the lake where a bald eagle towered in its large nest.
“I see one or two almost every time I come out here.”
“So, there’s a pair?”
“Yes. I was out here with my binoculars a couple of weeks ago, and I know they had two babies in the nest.”
“That’s awesome.”
Cap chuckled.
“What?”
“In the case of the bald eagle, it’s a bird where the males and females look the same. I guess she’s just as handsome as he is. Blowing your theory out of the water,” he said.
“Handsome. Or, maybe he’s just as pretty as she is.”
They shared a laugh.
“Either way, they look the same. Still, though, when it comes to humans, you ladies have it going on compared to us.”
Emma turned to face him directly. “How is it nobody’s snatched you up yet?”
Cap’s body went rigid. His gaze slid away, and his hand slipped from hers.
“We should get back to the cabin,” he said in a static tone.
Her heart seized, and despite the warm temperature, her hand went cold. Confusion and hurt tangled together.
What in that simple question caused him to react like that and ruin their pleasant morning?
Chapter Sixteen
Cap felt like a complete ass the way he dropped Emma’s hand. The hurt look in her eyes hit him square in the chest, sharp enough to steal his breath. He wounded her with one careless reaction.
Everything about this was wrong. Wrong for both him and her.
He had no business getting involved with someone he was supposed to protect. Sure, he’d lied to himself, telling himself that since he didn’t work for the police department, it didn’t matter, but it did. He needed to keep a clear head to ensure her safety. And there was that other thing. The one circled about his mind relentlessly, but he wouldn’t allow his mouth to say. His failed engagement. The one that set him off on a five-year hiatus from serious romantic relationships with women. Until Emma.
They continued trekking through the woods in silence, except for the distant sound of chirping birds and the crack of twigs underfoot.
Emma’s quick intake of breath caused him to glance back. When he caught her gaze, she frowned.
“You alright?” he asked.
“Yeah, I just rolled my ankle. It’s fine.”
His gaze dropped to her foot.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she said defensively.
Of course, she was irritated. One moment, he acted affectionately, and in the next, he completely withdrew.
“I’m sorry. I’ll slow down. We’re almost back.”
