He laughed.
“Are you crazy?” she asked Falke…Gunnar. It had to be Gunnar. “You could get yourself killed or wind up in some magician’s stage act. This is Vegas for crying out loud!”
“We weren’t sure of the reception we’d get,” Axel said, “dropping in on you unexpectedly like this.”
Telepathically, Gunnar added, We figured if at least one was a ‘pretty little pussy cat,’ you wouldn’t shut the door on us.
She narrowed her gaze on him for using her own words against her, but damn it! He was a sight for sore eyes. They both were. How often had she dreamed of seeing them again? And here they were. She dropped to her knees and hugged the cat.
“I would never shut the door in your faces.”
He purred.
“That’s a relief,” Axel said. “We apologize for disturbing your sleep.”
She followed his glance down to her silk wrap, and then she fiddled with the lapels. “Oh, no, you didn’t…” She cast a look at the clock. “I mean, it’s not late. I wasn’t asleep, just…getting comfortable.” Alone on a Friday night. She fought a grimace at that thought and forced a smile. “I’m glad you stopped by.” Ugh.
She was rambling.
Axel pulled off the small backpack he held over one shoulder and tossed it on the floor next to Gunnar.
“Got a bathroom where he can change?”
She glanced up at him, took his hand and climbed to her feet. “Sure. Down the hall…door on the right.”
Her gaze held Axel’s.
She wanted to hug him too, but hesitated. The cat bumped her hip as he passed, nudging her closer to his brother. Why did hugging a cougar seem safer than the man before her?
Axel decided for her by pulling her into his arms.
She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his embrace, the renewed longings. He didn’t move, merely held her close, her head on his chest. “It’s good to see you again, Dakota.”
“You too.” Her loneliness vanished, and she wanted to cry. He felt so…right. What had they done to her to make her want them so much?
Reluctantly, she eased herself out of his arms. An awkward silence filled the space between them. “Can I get you something to drink?” She turned for her kitchen.
“Sure.”
She opened the refrigerator and grimaced at the realization that the options available were few. “I don’t have any alcohol. Would you like some milk, juice or bottled water?”
“Water’s fine.” His answer came from the living room.
She grabbed three just in case Gunnar wanted one and hurried back into the other room. Axel’s back was to her as he stood before the television.
“Here you go.” Setting one on the coffee table, she held the other out until he turned and took it.
“Thanks.” His expression had changed, become more open, even warmer, and…cocky?
“So,” she began, “what are you guys doin’ here?”
His lips curved into that devastating smile she loved. “Would you believe we were in the neighborhood?” His grin now was pure mischief, and she chuckled.
“Oh, really?” She didn’t buy it for a minute. “I didn’t know Vegas was ‘in the neighborhood’ of the Wenatchee National Forest.”
His shrug was nonchalant. “We took a detour.” He glanced back at her television, reached up to brush his fingertips along the edge of her new picture frame.
“The photos turned out nice.”
His remark caused a flash of heat to warm her cheeks. Self-conscious, she busied herself by opening her bottle of water. “Yeah, they did. It was a great vacation.” She took a sip and looked up again. “Are, uh, are you here on vacation?” Vegas was a favored destination for a lot of people, so it made sense.
He set his bottled water down unopened. “Not exactly.”
A door opened from down the hall and footsteps sounded on the Berber carpet.
“So, what do you think?” Gunnar said with a grin as he returned to the room.
She eyed him, dressed in form-hugging denims and snug muscle shirt. As sexy as ever. “You look…”
Delectable. “Great, as always.”
“Thanks.” He gave her a wink and added, “But I meant about being neighbors.”
Axel coughed.
Gunnar froze.
“We hadn’t exactly gotten around to that bit of news, yet,” Axel muttered.
“Oh. Umm…” Gunnar stuffed his fingers into his pockets. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak?”
Confused, she tried to fathom what they’d just said.
Neighbors? “What’s wrong? Did something bad happen? I thought business was booming?”
“It is.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “Then why?”
“We came here for you,” Gunnar said.
Her eyes widened, her mind blank with shock.
“Not that we’re stalking you or anything like that,” Axel rushed on to say. “I mean, we’re not just gonna show up on your doorstep expecting you to take us in or anything.”
Gunnar took her hand. “What he means is we missed you, and we decided that if your life is here, then so is ours. We’re going to look for an apartment first thing in the morning, get some jobs and hopefully—if you’re agreeable—visit once in a while, maybe see if we can get to know each other better?”
Her eyes watered, and she shook her head. No.
They couldn’t do that. Why would they want to do that when they had an idyllic home back in Washington?
Axel stepped up and clasped her other hand.
“We’re not here to push you into anything.” He was so cautious with his words, his touch. So adorably careful that when he risked a small smile, she succumbed to the urge of returning it. “Maybe you could show us newcomers around the big city?”
“No,” Dakota whispered, and they frowned. Both dropped her hands as she shook her head harder. A blink sent tears slithering down her cheeks. “No, you can’t—” Axel took a step back, and she grabbed for him, desperate to keep him close. “No, we can’t live here.”
She knew what she had to do, what she wanted to do. They came for me.
“What do you mean?” Gunnar asked, his tone one of disappointment and hurt. “We come all this way, and you won’t even give us a chance to see if we can—” She fisted his shirt, yanked him toward her and planted a kiss on his mouth. Her other hand never released Axel’s wrist. Not that he tried to pull away.
Neither did Gunnar try to hug her or touch her in any way but for his lips against hers, his tongue responding to her foray. When she pulled back, she glanced at Axel who stood silent and reserved.
She let go of his wrist to run her palm over his chest. Slowly, she fisted his shirt too. He didn’t budge except for a slight tick in his jaw.
“I’ve missed you both too,” she said with more tears slipping free of her lashes. “You’ve no idea how much. I tried so hard to get on with my life here, but it’s not the same. It’ll never be the same, not since—” She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “You can’t move here, because I can’t live in Leavenworth without you.”
Axel blinked. He raised his hand, hesitant and soft, to cup her face. His thumb brushed across her damp cheek. “You mean it? You’re moving?”
“Well, not right this minute, but seeing you two again made me realize why I’ve been so lost and alone since my return. I don’t know how you two did it, or what I will tell my parents!” She gave an abrupt laugh and shook her head. “But I’ve been miserable here lately. I used to think the big city was exciting and offered the best chance at happiness, but I was so wrong.” Dakota released their shirts and slid her hands down their arms to hold hands with each of them.
“Walking away from you guys was the stupidest thing I ever did in my life, and I have no excuse other than that I was scared.” Her breath hitched. She closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m still scared.”