He doesn't move away.
I don't either.
We walk like that all the way back to the lodge entrance, hands almost-but-not-quite touching, and I am so aware of those few millimeters of almost, that I'm barely breathing.
At the door he stops and looks down at me, and there's a moment, a long one, the kind that stretches, where I think, something is going to happen. He looks at me like he’s trying to figure out his next move, and I swear my heart stops beating. I want him to kiss me. I do. Is he worried about the age difference? Does he think it won’t go anywhere because I’m leaving in a few days? Is he super into consent? Which I already assume he is… so do I need to make the first step? I’m considering doing just that when he talks.
"Thursday," he says.
"Thursday," I confirm.
"Eight AM. Dress for cold weather and dirty animals."
"I'll figure out the cute barn outfit."
He smiles and it reaches his eyes and does something to the lines around them, and I am completely unprepared for how damn sexy he is.
"Goodnight, Maya Daniels," he says.
He says my full name again. Every time he says it I feel like he's testing it out or memorizing it. Perhaps both?
"Goodnight, Anthony."
He holds the door.
I go in.
I make it approximately eight steps down the corridor before I stop and lean against the wall and press the back of my head against the warm wood paneling and just breathe for a moment.
I am in so, so much trouble.
MAYA: Okay I need the group chat to be awake right now.
LILY: It's 10:30pm we're always awake.
EMILY: What happened???
MAYA: We did the night walk thing together.
MAYA: Just the two of us, the travel writers left.
MADISON: MAYA!
MAYA: We sat at the overlook and talked for like an hour.
CHLOE: Talked about WHAT?
MAYA: My business, his ranch and past relationships.
HOLLY: He asked about your past relationships?
MAYA: I asked about his first. He's never been married. He said he was looking for someone he could take care of who actually lets him.
LILY: ...
EMILY: ...
AMBER: ...
