Page 86 of Lethal Threat

I push off the couch. “Please keep this between us, but Sierra has almost total amnesia.”

Sophia’s face lights with empathy that I know makes her a great doctor. “Oh lord, poor thing. And poor you. I know that’s very challenging.”

“It’s been tough. And it’s nowhere near over.”

Sophia glances up toward the ceiling. You can see her cogs turning. “That explains why she asked Nolene to show her how to place the silverware.”

Running my hand through my hair, I let out a long breath. “Some things she knows. Some, she doesn’t. It’s very hit or miss. But she’s beginning to get agitated. Right now, she’s more than angry with me about holding back details of her past.”

Sophia’s brows narrow until they’re almost touching in the middle. “Should you?”

Do I admit I’m not telling her because I don’t want to let Sierra go?

Liam replies before I can think of what to say. “Cole has his reasons.”

Suddenly, Sierra sticks her head in the door. My earlier frustration comes raging back when I see that her eyes are fiery, too. “Dinner’s ready. I was sent to find you.”

“Guys, this is Sierra. Babe, this is my brother, Liam, and his wife, Sophia.”

I turn Sierra toward the door. “Best not to keep Nolene waiting. I’d prefer not to have more than one female mad at me at a time. If the two of them gang up on me, I’m dead meat.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

SIERRA

Cole Strong takes up too much room. No matter how I angle my chair at the table that seats eighteen people, something of his is touching me.

His muscular thigh. His big elbow. That damn ox sized shoulder of his.

And the waves of heat coming off of him are ridiculous. The man’s like a radiator.

I grit my teeth in frustration. The last thing I want is for him to be rubbing all over me. I agreed to be nice at dinner. I didn’t agree to be mauled. Lorded over. Smooshed. Heated up by his mere proximity. Damn him.

He passes me a platter of roast vegetables. I do my best not to let my hands touch his in the process.

The woman across from me chuckles. “You okay over there? Want me to change seats with you? Or we can put Cole and his brother next to each other.”

I drop a huge mound of mashed potatoes on my plate with a splat. “That’s not a bad idea.”

Cole grumbles something about howhe’snot going anywhere.

His brother across the table from him laughs before he turns his attention on me. “I’m Carter, by the way, and this is my wife, Summer. So, tell me about your impression of Eden, so far.”

“It’s lovely.” Except for the infuriating man next to me. But I keep that last part in.

“Are you a mountain girl?”

I shrug. “I’m not sure at the moment.” If being a mountain girl means dealing with mountain men like Cole, then NO.

Carter raises a brow at me, then glances at Cole.

“She’s only been here a few days and we haven’t really gotten out much.”

Carter laughs softly. In a hushed voice, he says, “I have a feeling I know why.”

His wife must kick him under the table because he jumps and frowns.

Tossing him a heavy dose of side-eye, she picks up the conversation. “So, the snow is lovely, isn’t it?”