“Wow.” She pauses and tilts her head back. “Beautiful.”
I’m arrested by her instead. The smooth curve of her neck and dip in her throat. Both slope down to the low neckline of her dress, exposing smooth skin and the top of her tits.
“Yes, beautiful,” I rasp.
Her eyes meet mine and she smiles. Can she tell what I’m thinking?
If she can, she gives no indication. “Let’s go.”
“Of course.”
I guide us toward the path, past benches with couples and a clear pool where a couple of folks are dipping. And then we break into the narrow trail. Lanterns with yellow lights line either side of the cobbled path.
“Oh, my. This is gorgeous!” she gushes, moving ahead of me. “I think I spotted this in the brochure. It’s more beautiful than I imagined. You’d never find this in the city.” She stops and squints into the copse of trees. “Are those fireflies?” she gasps. “There’s a host of them. Have you ever seen so many?”
I don’t get a word in. And I’m happy not to. Her awed excitement satisfies me. Takes my mind off the shit going on with me. I should be discussing with Baxter and Landon, my brothers. But here I am, trailing behind a brown-haired beauty whose name I haven’t gotten yet.
She’s a detour out of my strict schedule, just as she was in the afternoon. But like then, it’s not unpleasant. Hell, it is very pleasant.
She halts. “Look! Another path.” She points to the road that goes left. “Let’s go there.”
I haven’t been down there before, but I’m certain it’s safe whatever it is.
She doesn’t wait for my reply and starts down the path. I follow her. We’re surrounded by chirping crickets and buzzing insects and an even denser press of trees.
She’s about to speak when her phone rings. She takes it out, eyes the screen. A frown instantly mars her lovely features. “I’ve got to take this.”
She plunges ahead while speaking in harsh, short sentences.
My brows furrow as I stick close to her. I don’t want to eavesdrop but it’s quiet and I catch phrases like, ‘stay away’ and ‘I want nothing to do with you.’
The call ends as we break into a space. A fountain bubbles in the center, surrounded by benches.
She sighs and sits on one of them.
I sit next to her and wait.
“It’s my ex,” she admits quietly. “We broke up two weeks ago because I caught him cheating. He wants to get back together,” she scoffs, shaking her head. “Not in this life, we won’t. But he won’t stop trying.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
Her gaze whisks up to meet mine. “Sorry, I don’t even know why I’m telling you. I just...” She blows out a breath, her shoulders sagging. “Nat thinks it’s ridiculous the way I feel about it.”
“And how do you feel?”
“Hurt.” She chews on her plump lip. “I know we weren’t on the best terms in the last year of our relationship but I was trying. Ieven considered therapy. Only to find out he was getting his fix with another woman.”
She presses her eyes shut and turns her face up to the sky. The cool moonlight plays on her features, keeping me spellbound. “I want to do something. Just to take revenge on him and claim back some part of me.”
“And that would be?”
Her eyes take on a curious light as she eyes me. “You’re a stranger and I won’t see you again after this weekend.” Before I can speak, she presses on. “I can give you something I always felt uncomfortable doing with him.”
“And what’s that?” My voice manages to remain even, though my heart’s thumping. Her voice has grown huskier and even though she hasn’t said an explicit word, I already know where she’s headed.
She kneels between my spread legs, a serene look in her gaze.
I do nothing, worried I’d spook her if I move.
