Page 62 of First Bride to Fall
Wait.
He slammed back against his pillow.
I think I’m falling in love.
Grant scanned the low ceiling with what he was sure was a very goofy grin, but he didn’t care. This was life-altering stuff. Nell made him feel good. She made him feel alive. She made him want to race right outside into the meadow and shout it up against the mountains.
But, no. He wouldn’t do that.
He peered toward the bedroom and saw the door was shut.
She was still sleeping.
Oh man, it was a shame they were going home today.
He held on to the hope that the roads might not have cleared, but he knew that was a long shot. Maybe not for the bridge but the back way. Since the rain had stopped midday, the flooding was bound to have subsided by now. He didn’t know about the tree, though; some good Samaritan might have moved it out of the way. And, even if it was still there, Grant kept a chainsaw here in his storage closet.
He sat up again, feeling inspired. Of course, that’s what he should do.
Go check that backroad and clear it, if it hadn’t been cleared already.
Then he could go into town and get Nell a little surprise: a cup of morning coffee like she was used to having. He knew her favorite kind. He could get danishes, too. Yeah. A nice little breakfast for both of them. He’d pick it up at Bearberry Brews. Maybe he’d stop at the market and nab a few groceries, so he could make her something special for lunch because, no doubt, she’d rather suffer through another meal of trout than risk hurting his feelings.
He chuckled. Someday soon, he hoped to convince her she suited him just fine as is—her complete dislike of trout, a total lack of camping knowledge, and all.
There was no reason they had to rush out of here today. Neither of them was working until tomorrow, although he probably should swing by Blue Sky Adventures to make sure it hadn’t incurred any damage during the storm. It was a thirty-minute drive into town, so he could get all that done in an hour and forty-five minutes if he worked quickly. Max, two.
Grant checked his watch. It was a little after six, and the sun wasn’t even up yet. Bearberry Brews opened at seven. He needed to get going.
…
Nell opened her eyes as sun streamed through the windows, creeping through the slatted blinds. What time was it, anyway? Her instinct was to check her phone, but then she remembered that the battery had died.
She scanned the room in a groggy state, then peeked under the covers at Grant’s sweat clothes. It had gotten cold in this room overnight, being away from the woodstove, so she’d been glad for the extra blankets he’d given her.
It had taken her almost an hour to cool down from his heated kisses, though.
Only in herdreamscould a guy kiss that way.
If that was just kissing, she could only imagine other things, but she tried hard not to, because even the fantasy of her and Grant together made her flush with nerves. She was sure she’d be okay when the time came. More than okay. Ecstatic. Grant definitely seemed to know what he was doing, and she was happy to let him take the lead. Then, she could take command next and give him sexy orders in the bedroom, like some of the heroines in the novels she read. Nell giggled at her naughty thoughts.
If her sisters only knew how well this was going! She couldn’t wait to tell them. Even though they were in competition with each other, she knew in her heart they’d be happy for her. She’d never had a true love. Had never been in love until…
Wait.
Her heart pitter-pattered.
She kicked her feet excitedly under the covers, then winced.
Ouch. Ow. Ow!
She’d kind of forgotten about her twisted ankle. Until now.
Ugh.
It throbbed a bit, but not as much as it had at first. Nell pushed back the covers to examine it. She lightly touched the athletic tape, pressing down on it from different angles. Hmm. It was definitely doing better today. It almost didn’t hurt at all when she didn’t move much.
Maybe she should try standing.
