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Eric turned around but stumbled back, feeling as if he’d been hit by a hurricane. Sorrel was dressed in a baby-blue summer dress that fell off her shoulders and showed off her lean legs. Her hair was swept up and was begging to have his fingers run through it.
“What are you doing in the kitchen?” she asked.
He held up Tara, not able to take his eyes off the vision before him. “We needed a drink of water, but the notes on your refrigerator caught my eye.” He despised how easily he could lie to her. He felt worse when she smiled at him, believing every word he’d said.
“I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”
He set the cat down. “No worries. I enjoyed reading the notes from all your admirers.”
She blushed. “People are too sweet.”
She really was naive, but he didn’t mention it. The world needed more people like her. “Are you ready to go?”
“Where are we going?”
He nodded over to the picnic basket. “I thought we could have a picnic by the river. I found a great spot not too far from here.”
Her eyes lit up, which made him feel even worse. He was using her dreams against her. Making her wishes come true. He was a prick, yet he had to be for her protection. He’d promised himself, though, that he wouldn’t live out all her dreams or his fantasies by tempting her into the water. Not even in her dreams anymore. He’d realized how real they were to her this afternoon when she mentioned that he’d told her that he could never see her again. He would only push it as far as he had to, to make her talk.
“I love picnics.” She beamed.
“I thought you might.”
“Eric.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I’m really glad you asked me out.”
“I am too.” He wasn’t lying.Chapter SixteenIt was literally like a dream come true sitting by the riverbank off the beaten path with Eric. We were sipping white wine and listening to the cicadas and the babbling river while the sweet, sticky air moistened our skin. The fireflies added to the magic of it by dancing wildly in the hayfield across the river. It was almost perfect, except in my dreams there was a waterfall and Eric would have already been kissing me and coaxing me into the river. Instead he seemed nervous. No, that wasn’t the right word—careful, was more like it. Several times I’d felt like he’d wanted to say something, but he stopped himself. And he kept moving the picnic basket, making sure it kept a barrier between us.
“Thank you for dinner. The berry salad was perfect.” I popped a leftover blueberry in my mouth.
“You’re welcome.” Eric gazed out into the distance.
I followed his line of sight and noticed under the glow of the moonlight that the gently rippling river was now rushing. I didn’t know a river’s current could change so rapidly. But I didn’t really care about the water; I ached to be closer to the man who was repeatedly running his hand through his hair. In a bold move, I pushed the basket out of the way and scooted closer to him on the plaid blanket. The warmth of his body added to the heat of the night.
He smiled uneasily at me.
“Have I done something wrong?”
Hesitantly he reached up and brushed back my hair. “No.”
“You seem like you would rather be somewhere else.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“Then why have you been distant tonight? The last month?”
He peered into my eyes. “I told you not to get comfortable with me.”
“Yet here you are.” I inched closer, feeling more than comfortable. More like I belonged.
He rested his hand on my cheek and groaned. “Sorrel, there are so many things I want to say to you, but I need you to tell me something.” He paused and closed his eyes. When he opened them back up, consternation was written in them. “You never did tell me if you liked the article.”
I leaned into his hand, loving the way he so gently cradled my face. I had never been touched so intimately. “That isn’t what you were going to ask, is it?”
“No,” he whispered, “but I would still like to know.”
“If I tell you, will you promise me you’ll say what you were going to say?”
“I have to.”
I tilted my head. “Have to?”
His ears pinked. It was kind of cute. “I meant, I will,” he stammered.
“In that case. I loved it. Every word. Thank you.”
His lips twitched, almost forming a smile.
I had to hold myself back from kissing him. He was so close, and his sweet breath was intoxicating. But I was cursed. Yet, when I was around him, I didn’t feel that way. It was as if the power inside of me wanted to bind us together. It was impossible and ridiculous. I barely knew this man. No, I did. That sounded even crazier, but somehow, I knew him. I just didn’t know how. I took his hand off my cheek and held it between my own, desperate to connect with him. To figure out why I felt the way I did.
