“In my family, it happens all the time. No one waits for an invitation.”
“I’m inviting you.” He took one of her gloved hands in his and pulled her to the side of the box. Both of his knees dropped to the ground, but she stayed standing, watching him with large eyes. Mason tugged on her hand. “Come on. Nothing is going to happen.” The promise related only to a potential bee attack but not to anything else.
She did a glance around as if checking to see if anyone was watching, but the farm was quiet at this point, then she released a long breath and slowly sank to her knees, facing him. Natalie used her fingers to swipe across her forehead as if to smooth away any trace of judgment from her face. “Okay, I’m ready.”
As he had instructed before, he pressed his ear against the side of the box.
“You’re seriously putting your face against that?”
“It’s okay. Come on. You don’t seem like the nervous type.”
With some visible reluctance, Natalie pressed her ear to the box and tapped lightly on the side. From inside the box came the sound of buzzing.
“They’re vibrating,” she said with amazement.
While Mason’s bees were always a sense of pride for him, he was stuck on how lovely she was. The side of the beehive was under twenty inches. They weren’t necessarily pressed against each other, but it was close enough. Those warm brown eyes of hers lit with delight at something as simple as hearing bees buzz inside a box, and he understood the feeling. Some of the dark strands of her hair had escaped the edges of her beanie and were lightly sweeping her cheek. The lines of her full lips were perfect curves and they slightly parted. When his eyes returned to hers, she was watching him with equal intensity.
Mason took a chance, brushing his thumb softly along her chin and heard a light breath in response. His heart wanted it so badly his mind began playing tricks on him, imagining she tilted closer. He continued believing this until he felt the soft brush of her lips against his, as soft as a sigh.
And then he was floating.
