Elsa sighed. "Okay. I'll try to avoid him. Yes, I'll be careful. I'll call you later. Bye." She lowered the phone to her lap, frowning.

"I don't believe in it," she muttered to herself, then shook her head. "Why should I avoid him?"

Howard agreed. There was no way he'd let her avoid him. He strode to the driver's side window and tapped on it.

She jumped and gave him a wary look.

"Are you all right?"

She paused, then cracked the door open a few inches. "I'm fine, thank you. We should be going now. If you could tell Alastair-"

"How is your shoulder?"

A fleeting look of shock crossed her face. "I'm fine."

"I have a first-aid kit in my truck." He motioned toward his SUV.

"I don't need anything." She dropped her phone into her handbag, refusing to look at him. "We've put in a really long day, so Alastair and I should go."

He glanced at Alastair, who was describing some of his plans to Shanna, in no apparent hurry to leave.

"I'll be right back." He jogged to his SUV to retrieve the burn ointment from the first-aid kit.

"Here." He handed her the tube through the narrow crack in the door. "You need to treat the burn on your shoulder as soon as possible."

"Thank you." She accepted the ointment, carefully avoiding any contact with his hand. "How did you know?"

"I touched you." He showed her his palm, still pink from heat. "I felt it."

She winced. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I-I don't know why it happened."

Fate. That was why. From the moment he'd first spied her on television, he'd felt a bond to her, a strong and irrevocable attachment. He leaned close to the narrow opening. "Did you have dinner? I could meet you and Alastair at the diner in town."

"Well, I-I am hungry, but ..."

"Good. I'll see you there."

She turned to him with an alarmed expression. "I don't really know you."

Howard straightened, dragging a hand through his hair. Maybe he was pushing too fast. "I'm sorry. I've been watching your show every week for months, so I feel like I already know you." But did he know the real Elsa? She might be different than the persona she portrayed on television.

"You ... watch the show?"

He smiled. "You seem surprised."

Her cheeks flushed a light pink. "You don't seem like the type to be into home decorating."

He was more into watching her, but that admission would probably scare her off. "I love the show. I think you guys do amazing work."

Her blush deepened. "Thank you."

"So how about a quick hamburger in town? It would give you and Alastair a chance to know me better, since we'll be working together."

She gave him a wry look. "You're persistent, aren't you?"

"I don't give up easily." Not when I want something as badly as I want you. Not when I want something as badly as I want you.

Her eyes met his, and a fierce longing hit him in the gut. He clenched his fists to keep from wrenching the door off her car and pulling her into his arms.

Her words came back to him: There was nothing wild or crazy about him. There was nothing wild or crazy about him. He'd have to control the animal inside him or end up scaring her away. He'd have to control the animal inside him or end up scaring her away.

A mult.i.tude of emotions danced in her eyes-desire, fear, frustration, regret. Whatever had caused the burn was making her afraid. But the desire was there-he could hear it in her heartbeat, smell it in her blood, feel it radiating just beneath her skin.

His choice for strategy was obvious. Make her desire greater than her fear. Give her so much joy and pleasure that she had no room for regret. Channel her frustration into more desire until she was burning for him.

The bear inside him growled in antic.i.p.ation. He smiled slowly. "I'll see you in about fifteen minutes at the diner."

She nodded, her cheeks still flushed, then she turned away and tapped on the horn to get Alastair's attention. He shook Shanna's hand, then climbed into the car.

Howard stepped back as Elsa drove away. Why did her birthmark burn when he touched her? Dammit, he'd better be able to touch her again without hurting her.

"Well?" Shanna ran toward him, her eyes glittering with excitement. "What do you think?"

"I think you're one h.e.l.l of a matchmaker."

She grinned. "She's perfect for you."

"I'm grateful." He tilted his head. "But curious. How did you know ..."

Shanna's smile faded, and she ducked her head. "Well, it's sorta a long story. Tino was missing you so much that he suggested I move some of your belongings to the school so you could live there with us, and then he mentioned some secret DVDs under your bed-"

Howard stiffened. "You looked through my stuff?"

"Tino said you were watching adult DVDs with a girl and two guys named Big Al and The Hammer-"

He snorted.

"As a responsible parent, I had to check it out." She flashed a smile at him. "But it all worked out for the best, right?"

"You should have trusted me."

"I know. But it occurred to me that we don't really know you very well."

"I'm a loner. It goes with being a bear."

She patted his arm. "You don't have to be alone anymore."

"Thank you." He returned her smile. "I appreciate your help, but from now on, I'll be handling the matter myself without any outside interference. You understand?"

She gave him a wry look. "Is that your polite way of telling me to b.u.t.t out?"

"Does a bear p.i.s.s in the woods?"

Fifteen minutes later, Howard walked into the diner in Cranville. This late at night, it was almost empty. A few people sat at the counter, enjoying a late snack of homemade pie. Elsa and Alastair sat at a table for four.

"We've already ordered," Alastair informed him. "We're exhausted from traveling all day."

"I understand." Howard sat next to Elsa, and she gave him a nervous look. "I just arrived myself. I was in Alaska yesterday."

"Alaska?" Elsa asked, her eyes wide. "I've never been there."

He smiled at her. "You'd love it."

She smiled back, her cheeks blushing.

"Business or pleasure?" Alastair asked as he unrolled the paper napkin holding his silverware.

"A bit of both," Howard replied. "I have family there."

"Children?" Alastair asked while Elsa winced.

"No children. I'm not married."

"And what kind of business do you do?" Alastair asked.

Howard's mouth twitched. Was Alastair interrogating him to make sure he was suitable for Elsa? She was sitting there, looking highly embarra.s.sed with her pink cheeks. "I work for MacKay Security and Investigations. I'm into keeping people safe."

"Ah." Alastair nodded. "Elsa tells me you're a fan of the show."

"I am." He waved at the waitress and ordered a hamburger.

"Which show did you enjoy the most?" Alastair asked.

Was this a test to see if he actually watched? "I thought the house in Berlin was the biggest challenge, especially since the owner was so uncooperative."

"He was an a.s.s," Alastair muttered.

Howard grinned. "I thought so, too. But the house in London is probably my favorite. Elsa did a fantastic job on the woodwork."

She smiled shyly. "Thank you."

"What does the show mean to you?" Howard asked, wondering if she loved all the attention of being an international celebrity.

"For me, it's about our heritage." Alastair arranged his silverware neatly on the Formica-topped table. "It's important to preserve our history, to honor it. Otherwise, we have no idea who we are and where we're going."

Howard nodded. His grandfather would agree with this. He was always droning on and on about their history as berserkers. "And you, Elsa?"

She sipped some water as she considered. "For me it's all about family. Creating a home where a family can make their own history, where year after year holidays are celebrated and birthday candles are blown out."

Howard smiled. "Do you come from a big family?"

She shook her head. "No. I was an only child. I lost my mom when I was young, so my aunt and uncle raised me."

"Then you place a high value on family because it's always been scarce."

She tilted her head, considering. "I never thought about it that way, but it's true. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a family settled into one of the houses we renovate. If we can give them a good solid home, then it seems like we're doing something really special."

"You are."

Her gaze met his, and instantly he felt the connection, the pull. Would he be able to touch her again without hurting her?

Alastair cleared his throat, and Howard wondered how long he and Elsa had stared at each other. The waitress brought their food, and they busied themselves eating.

"How did you learn to do woodwork?" Howard asked.

Elsa swallowed her bite of hamburger. "I learned from my uncle Peder. It was his hobby." She sipped some more water. "He pa.s.sed away about a year ago."

"I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "I miss him, but I'm forever grateful to him. He was a builder by profession and taught me so much. My aunt is an interior designer, so I grew up surrounded by sawdust, paint and carpet samples, and swatches of fabric."

Alastair wiped his mouth with the paper napkin. "My family was into construction, too. It gets into your blood."

Elsa nodded. "I became fascinated with the whole process of turning a few boards and brick into an actual home, a place where children could play and couples grow old together."

Howard smiled. This was the Elsa he'd fallen for on television. She was genuine. Real. And he was going to pursue her in earnest. If he could touch her without hurting her.

After paying for dinner, he followed them outside.

"I'll go get us some rooms." Alastair headed across the street to the motel office.

"He's leaving me alone with you?" Howard smiled at Elsa. "I must have pa.s.sed inspection."

She snorted. "Alastair considers me his little sister. A rather big little sister."

"Not too big to me."

She gave him a puzzled look.

He stepped closer. "Can I see you again?"

"I'm sure we'll see each other often at the house."

"That's not what I meant." He reached out to touch her arm, but she moved back. "Does your shoulder still hurt?"

"A little. I should go to my room and put some of that ointment on it. Thank you for dinner." She stepped off the sidewalk to cross the road.

"Elsa."