Roger patted her hand. “I hope when I meet my daughter, she’s a good person like you.”
“Thank you.” Valerie sounded touched at the compliment.
The three of them sat until the sun set, then made their way back through the forest to the cottage. Nico hoped for a deer to break the mood, but nothing interrupted their own private thoughts. He wondered, if like him, the other two were thinking of past griefs and disappointments.
And possibly how to fix them.
* * *
He was getting ready for bed and deciding the best time to check on Valerie when a knock came at his door. “Nico?”
It was Valerie, and he let her in without bothering to put a shirt on. Fine, it was deliberate, and solely for the purpose of seeing her react. Which she did, eyes widening as she checked him out. He did his best not to suck in his gut.
He failed.
The night was damp, and a light mist beaded her hair. She shut the door, gaze lingering on his body in the dim lamplight, then glanced around curiously.
“Tidy,” she said. “I like it.” She looked him up and down in a way that made him sweat. “I was wondering if you were going to come over tonight.”
“For what?” he said in a way he hoped was more teasing than challenging.
Valerie crossed the bunkie—it only took a step—and backed him up against the wall. She was close enough to touch him.
Yet she didn’t. All she did was watch him. Her green dress tied at the waist, and he knew it would come undone the second he tugged the bow. “Do you remember I said that I wanted a bed?”
“With a firm pillow.” Yeah, he remembered. How could he forget?
She looked pointedly up at the loft. “I believe you have both those things.”
“I do have them.” He would wait until she came out and said it. Or did something. Either worked for him. She refused to come any closer. It was taking all his willpower to not pull her in but he wanted the pleasure of having her make the first move. “The pillow might not be firm enough.”
“Only one way to find out.” Finally, she touched him. Her hand was warm as she slid it down his arm but he shivered. “Come on, Nico.”
That’s all he could take. Reaching out, he pulled on the tie of her dress until it opened like a gift to reveal Valerie. He couldn’t tell if he loved looking at her or touching her more. She’d dressed for him, he could tell, because under it she wore… He couldn’t describe it. It was pink and small and that’s all he registered. Valerie tried to stay clear of the sun, but in the golden lamplight he could see how the tan skin edged into paler tones.
She shrugged off the dress completely and that was it for his self-control. He reached down and lifted her up so her legs hugged his waist. She laughed out loud as she put her arms around his neck. “Are you going to carry me up the ladder like this?”
He couldn’t bear to put her down. However, he was only human. “Maybe later.”
Right now he had more important things to do than climb ladders.
* * *
“I know I promised firm pillows and some degree of comfort,” said Nico as they lay on the floor of the bunkie. “Next time, it will be perfect.”
He sat up and grabbed one of the blankets from the chair to cover Valerie, then lifted her up so she was lying on him and not the floor. They hadn’t made it up the ladder.
“No need to apologize.” She curled up on his chest and sighed. “It seemed pretty perfect to me.”
“It means we have to try again so I can redeem myself.”
“I’m willing.”
Nico kissed the top of her head. The bunkie was peaceful and it felt as if they were the only people in the world. He tightened his arms around her. He wished they were, at least for a while. She gave him a deep sense of comfort he hadn’t known he craved.
Valerie was yawning and tracing circles on his shoulder. “I can hear the rain,” she said. “It’s rained on my birthday the last few years.”
“When is it?”
