Page 46 of First Bride to Fall
“And now that dream has come true.”
Her sweet smile warmed him. He pushed back in his chair, wanting to know more about her. “So how about you? Your biggest challenge?”
She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks turned pink. “Um…probably signing up for your hike today.”
This intrigued him. He couldn’t fathom why she’d sign up and pretend to have experience. “Seriously? Why?”
“I wanted to try hiking out. Do something different.”
He chuckled, recalling the price stickers on her clothing. “I kind of gathered you were a novice.”
“It wasn’t only that.” She shyly dropped her chin, then peered up at him through her eyelashes. “I also wanted to see you.”
His heart thumped. “What?”
“Yeah. I remembered you from high school and was kind of wondering what you were up to.” She winced. “You’re not mad?”
“Mad?” Was she kidding him? He was flattered. She’d gone to great lengths trying to impress him with her supposed outdoorsy ways, though truth be told, he’d have been happy if she’d shown up without a clue and owned it. “No. Not at all, but why didn’t you say something sooner? Reach out?”
“Um.” She bit her lip. “I’m not the most reaching-out type of person.” Her face was the color of a ripe tomato. “I never tried to contact you before because I was worried, I guess. That you’d think I was weird.”
“I’m not exactly in a position to call someone weird, now am I?” He gestured at the board between them. “Not after telling you I buriedScrabble letters.”
She giggled, seeming to relax. “Had I suspectedthatlevel of weirdness, I’d have been on your doorstep ages ago.”
If only.He crossed his arms. “Regardless of the timing, I’m glad you did it. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here now.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t have ruined your hike.”
“You didn’t ruin it.” His voice grew husky. “At all.”
She blushed under his stare. So interesting that she’d apparently crushed on him and that he’d never known. He studied her, intrigued by her complexity. “My only regret,” he said after a lull, “is that you didn’t sign up earlier.”
“Oh yeah?” Her pretty blush deepened.
Grant set his elbows on the table and leaned toward her. “Yeah.”
Sparks flew between them as she held his gaze. Nell Delaney, of all people. She was funny and smart and fast with a quip. The thought of playing Scrabble against her was exciting somehow, but not nearly as energizing as having her with him here at his cabin. So, she’d tracked him down after wanting to see him. Were things working out the way she hoped? Because he sure liked where things seemed to be going on his end.
Oh, how he ached to reach out and touch her, cup his hand to her sweet round face. Stroke his thumb across her cheek, tracing that smattering of freckles. The ones that made her look so cute and sexy all at once. She was so close now. Her incredible lips just inches from his mouth.
A log popped loudly in the fire, and they both pulled back.
Grant’s temperature spiked. He’d fallen completely under her spell for the second time today. If it happened again, he wasn’t so sure he’d recover.
Or be able to resist making a move. But only if she wanted that, too.
From the look in her eyes, it seemed like she did. Maybe she’d been curious about him before, but now that she was getting to know him, was she liking him even better?
She combed her fingers through her hair, and her curls tumbled past her shoulders. She stared down at the Scrabble board, evidently searching for something to say.
“So, it was your mom,” she said, sounding a little breathy, “who taught you to play?”
Great. No better way to douse ice water on romantic interest than to mention someone’s parents.
“Yeah.” Grant cleared his throat. “That’s right.”
She paused a beat, then asked him, “What was her best move?”
