Serengeti Sunrise - By Vivi Andrews Page 0,3

siege.

And nothing had happened.

Tensions had been at DEFCON One for weeks now. After a month of isolating a bunch of cranky lions on the ranch, Zoe wasn’t the only one going stir crazy. She was just the only one fearless—or, as Tyler accused, reckless—enough to break the rules.

“I don’t see what difference it makes if I go into town to buy tic tacs. What are they going to do? Stone me in the Stop ’N’ Shop?”

Tyler straightened suddenly, turning his back on the jeep and facing her, his gold eyes blazing. “Tell me you weren’t going to put us all at risk for some tic tacs,” he demanded. “You aren’t that stupid.”

Zoe’s hackles went up at his icy growl, even as a thrill of victory shot down to her core now that she had Tyler’s undivided attention. She dug in her heels as he prowled toward her, holding her ground. Excitement sizzled in her blood, but she rolled her eyes, feigning scorn and an indifference she’d never felt around him.

“I wasn’t actually going to buy tic tacs. I was just going to roll into town and see if there was anyone suspicious hanging around. Do some reconnaissance. I’m sick of waiting for the bad guys to strike without even knowing if there are bad guys in the first place.”

His golden eyes darkened. “We’re being cautious.”

“We’re being ostriches,” she snapped. “It’s idiotic. And I for one am sick of being afraid of my shadow. I want to see if the Big Bad Wolf is actually in town before I hide inside my straw house and wait for him to huff and puff at me.”

“There’s been an increase of trespassers.”

“High school kids. Pranks. It’s the end of the school year. Has anyone gotten anywhere near the main buildings? No. And even if it is the boogeyman, don’t you want to know what he looks like?”

Tyler stopped advancing. He rocked back on his heels, the heat in his eyes cooling. “Huh.”

How did he do that? Just shut off all that gorgeous fury from one second to the next. Why did he do it, dammit? Zoe narrowed her eyes at him and planted her hands on her hips. “Huh what? What does huh mean?”

“You have a point. We should know what’s going on in town. Just hiding out isn’t going to keep us safe.” Then his eyes darkened again. “But you should have told Landon what you were up to. What if something happened to you and no one knew where you’d gone?”

Zoe pursed her lips. “If I told Landon I wanted to check out the town, he would have sent you or Caleb instead. I brought my phone in case I ran into any trouble.” She pulled the cell out of her pocket and waved it in front of him. “And even if I did run into trouble, I’m not helpless. I can take care of myself.”

He arched an eyebrow toward the broken-down jeep. Damn supercilious bastard.

Zoe glared. “Just because I can’t repair a busted radiator doesn’t mean I’m a damsel in distress. I could kick your ass any day of the week, Tyler Minor.” She put a rumble of a growl into the words, a challenge for supremacy and dominance. Just try to take me on, big boy.

The challenge caught something primitive and instinctive inside him. He stepped forward, looming over her, trying to use his size to intimidate her. At five ten in her bare feet, Zoe wasn’t the kind of girl who was easy to loom over, but when a man could manage it, it never failed to make her toes curl.

Tyler didn’t just manage it. Tyler loomed like an angry Greek god. Mouthwatering and imposing all at once.

His eyes held hers and her heart began to pound. Do it. Push back. Touch me. Zoe swayed forward.

And Tyler shut off.

Just like that. Between one heartbeat and the next, Tyler went from looming Greek god to aloof and disinterested. His gaze slid away from her, focusing on some vague point behind her left shoulder for a moment before he turned away.

“Wait over there until I have the jeep on the hitch.” He pointed to a dusty patch of grass off the side of the road without looking back at her or breaking stride as he walked back to the tow truck.

Frustration built in her throat, but she managed to keep from screaming. Or roaring her rage. She’d had a lot of practice.

Running away again. In the last year, Zoe had seen