I smirk to myself and inform Martha, “Actually. I’ll be over there.” I nod my head in the captivating woman’s direction. I’m not sure if Martha hears my change of plans, but I don’t wait to find out.
The woman’s rust colored sweater hangs off one shoulder, the knit thick. A long silver necklace disappears beneath the fabric, and dark jeans hug her hips before tucking into a pair of brown boots.
Approaching her table, I stop by her side. I clear my throat and ask, “Mind if I join you?”
When she looks up at me from under her long, thick lashes, I feel my cock harden in my jeans. The sight in front of me is one I want to recreate later, but with a lot less clothing.
The sharp lines of her cheekbones and jaw are contrasted by the smoothness of her honey skin.
“Santi?”
The use of my nickname causes me to blink rapidly, and it finally clicks who is sitting in front of me. “Blake?”
I should hesitate. I should run to the nearest church and confess my sins. But my feet won’t move. Something about this feels right. I feel it in my gut, and my gut has never steered me wrong.
Blake tries to hide her perusal of my body but ultimately fails. “Yes, please, sit with me.” She gestures to the seat across from her.
Bending my knees, I move to sit on the bench with her, and she slides over to make room.
Shutting her notebook, she snorts. “A little forward, don’t you think?”
Angling my body toward her, I rest my arm along the back of the booth. “Me? Forward? What gave you that idea?” My words claim innocence, but the smirk I’m flaunting conveys the opposite.
I feel like my conscience should be urging me away, but it remains silent. In fact, it’s cheering me on.
“You’re trouble incarnate, aren’t you?” she surmises as she tries to stave off a smile.
Placing my hand on my chest, I contest, “I’m an angel.”
Blake chuckles into her mug as she sips the dark coffee.
Unprompted, I hold my hand out, palm up. She eyes me curiously but still places her hand in mine. A soothing sensation spreads through my body at the contact. It’s a shock to my system, but one that I embrace eagerly.
I bring the back of her hand to my lips and place a kiss on her delicate skin. Her gasp is barely above a whisper, and a cute blush rises in her cheeks.
I lower her hand, but don’t let go. “It’s nice to see you, Blake.
“You, too,” she breathes out.
“So, tell me. What brings you back to Evergreen Falls?”
She shifts in her seat and drops eye contact. “Business,” she answers.
Well, that’s a flat-out lie, and clearly not a topic of discussion that she’s comfortable with. But I’ll get the truth out of her soon enough.
For now, I’ll try something easier. “What have you been up to?”
“Oh, you know. This and that,” she answers with a shrug.
I raise my brows and smirk. “How intriguing.” My eyes wander to the side and catch the notebook she was concentrating on before. “What’s that?” Leaning past her, I reach for it.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she claims as she scrambles to get it away from me.
I tighten my hold on her one hand and look down at the drawing in my other. It’s a sketch depicting a fire in the snow, and it’s highly detailed.
“Blake, this is really good.” Using my free hand, I set the notebook down on the table and turn the page. “Have you always been into art? How did I not know that about you?” Blake’s cheeks turn pink as she chews on her bottom lip. On the new page, I catch a quick glimpse of what looks to be me, Levi, and Walker. “Why did you?—”
The drawing is snatched away. “That’s enough of show and tell.”
