this is, what’s between us, it might never get to that point. I want to spend some time with you, get to know you better. If that all leads to something more, great.” He waited until her eyes met his. “I want you, Natalie. I want to find out more about you. This doesn’t have to get serious.”
Her hand relaxed in his grip as she sent him a tentative smile. “I can agree to that. Nothing serious. We’ll just enjoy each other as long as it lasts.”
“Exactly.” He agreed with her to keep her relaxed, but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to keep it light. He wanted to delve into her soul, examine all the pieces of what made her, her. He was intrigued, fascinated, and utterly attracted to her. He wasn’t going to let her go, let her walk out of his life without seeing what was there. “Are you finished?” He glanced down at her empty plate. “Would you like to see the orchard?”
When she nodded, he helped her out of her chair, keeping her hand clasped with his. The gesture was friendly, but the intimacy of it shot pleasure up his arm. He could get used to this.
The rules had been laid out, the boundaries were drawn. That thought made Natalie feel safe.
The night was bright, the moon full, casting a silver glow to the trees. It reminded her of a picture book she had once read. It had been about a magical land. The trees were silver, decorated in diamonds that glimmered. That’s how the orchard looked in the moonlight. “It almost feels like another world out here,” she said, her voice hushed with reverence.
“I’ve always thought so. I like coming out here at night once everyone leaves. It’s easy to imagine that I’m the only person around for miles.”
“But not tonight.”
They stopped in a grove of trees, turning toward each other. “No,” he said softly, brushing a thumb over her cheek. “Not tonight.”
Looking into each other’s eyes, something wove around them, something as strong as magic.
They came together, both reaching out to the other. His arms closed around her, bringing her full against him.
She shivered at the contact, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring his head down to hers.
His mouth caught hers in a soft caress, exerting just enough pressure to make her sigh, opening for him.
The first taste of him lit sparks behind her eyes. She felt weak-kneed, feminine, as his arms held her tight.
Her senses swirled, spiraling out of control until they settled on Grant, on this moment.
The scents of the orchard mixed with Grant’s smoky essence, the combination tempting her to return for one more taste, one last kiss.
This was heaven. Pure, one hundred percent, nerve-singeing bliss.
Abruptly, Grant tore his lips from hers, leaving her reeling from the loss of him. His eyes narrowed, searching through the trees with an alertness that only hunters possessed. Or more accurately, their prey.
Natalie’s heart raced. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Leaves rustled in the orchard, the sound of crunching under swift feet.
Someone was out there. Someone had watched them.
“Stay here.” Grant didn’t look at her before he took off into the trees.
Straining to hear, Natalie tensed, anxious for Grant to appear out of the trees.
Minutes passed without a sound, her heart racing as the seconds stretched by. It had been too long. Something had happened to him.
She flung herself toward the house, praying there was someone, anyone who could help her. If she went into the trees alone, she’d only get lost, or worse.
“Natalie, wait.”
Half-way up the porch steps, Natalie sagged in relief. She was down the stairs and in Grant’s arms in seconds. “What happened? Are you all right?”
He held her close to him, absorbing her tremors. “I’m fine. Whoever it was got away.”
“You didn’t see them?”
“No.” He shook his head gently.
“Who could it have been? Why would someone watch us like that?”
“I don’t know. If it was one of my workers, which I
Her hand relaxed in his grip as she sent him a tentative smile. “I can agree to that. Nothing serious. We’ll just enjoy each other as long as it lasts.”
“Exactly.” He agreed with her to keep her relaxed, but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to keep it light. He wanted to delve into her soul, examine all the pieces of what made her, her. He was intrigued, fascinated, and utterly attracted to her. He wasn’t going to let her go, let her walk out of his life without seeing what was there. “Are you finished?” He glanced down at her empty plate. “Would you like to see the orchard?”
When she nodded, he helped her out of her chair, keeping her hand clasped with his. The gesture was friendly, but the intimacy of it shot pleasure up his arm. He could get used to this.
The rules had been laid out, the boundaries were drawn. That thought made Natalie feel safe.
The night was bright, the moon full, casting a silver glow to the trees. It reminded her of a picture book she had once read. It had been about a magical land. The trees were silver, decorated in diamonds that glimmered. That’s how the orchard looked in the moonlight. “It almost feels like another world out here,” she said, her voice hushed with reverence.
“I’ve always thought so. I like coming out here at night once everyone leaves. It’s easy to imagine that I’m the only person around for miles.”
“But not tonight.”
They stopped in a grove of trees, turning toward each other. “No,” he said softly, brushing a thumb over her cheek. “Not tonight.”
Looking into each other’s eyes, something wove around them, something as strong as magic.
They came together, both reaching out to the other. His arms closed around her, bringing her full against him.
She shivered at the contact, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring his head down to hers.
His mouth caught hers in a soft caress, exerting just enough pressure to make her sigh, opening for him.
The first taste of him lit sparks behind her eyes. She felt weak-kneed, feminine, as his arms held her tight.
Her senses swirled, spiraling out of control until they settled on Grant, on this moment.
The scents of the orchard mixed with Grant’s smoky essence, the combination tempting her to return for one more taste, one last kiss.
This was heaven. Pure, one hundred percent, nerve-singeing bliss.
Abruptly, Grant tore his lips from hers, leaving her reeling from the loss of him. His eyes narrowed, searching through the trees with an alertness that only hunters possessed. Or more accurately, their prey.
Natalie’s heart raced. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Leaves rustled in the orchard, the sound of crunching under swift feet.
Someone was out there. Someone had watched them.
“Stay here.” Grant didn’t look at her before he took off into the trees.
Straining to hear, Natalie tensed, anxious for Grant to appear out of the trees.
Minutes passed without a sound, her heart racing as the seconds stretched by. It had been too long. Something had happened to him.
She flung herself toward the house, praying there was someone, anyone who could help her. If she went into the trees alone, she’d only get lost, or worse.
“Natalie, wait.”
Half-way up the porch steps, Natalie sagged in relief. She was down the stairs and in Grant’s arms in seconds. “What happened? Are you all right?”
He held her close to him, absorbing her tremors. “I’m fine. Whoever it was got away.”
“You didn’t see them?”
“No.” He shook his head gently.
“Who could it have been? Why would someone watch us like that?”
“I don’t know. If it was one of my workers, which I
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