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He smiled. “We’ll do a canter on the way back. That’s easier.”
“Oh, I’m sure going faster makes all the difference.”
He laughed, and her heart turned over in her chest at the way it lit the darkness of his eyes. He was gorgeous when he wasn’t smiling, but when he was laughing…oh, man…
You are so in trouble.
No, she wasn’t. She was only…appreciating him.
“You’ll love it,” Finn said, still grinning. “You’ll see.”
They rode through the bush for another half an hour or so, Finn urging Jeff back and forth along the line of tourists, giving a spiel about the different species of trees and shrubs in New Zealand’s South Island bush. He assigned each person a specific bird or animal to spot, and soon everyone was calling out and pointing as the bush around them came alive with wildlife and the sound of birdsong.
There were bellbirds and saddlebacks, tiny piwakawaka flitting in the air. A fat kereru eyed them from the safety of a black beech, while a kaka made loud screeching sounds. New Zealand didn’t have any large native mammals, but it sure had a lot of birds.
Beth loved it. Finn had assigned her a kea, the kaka’s cheekier cousin, and she spent a lot of time craning around trying to spot one and failing. Until one swooped down to land on one of the other tourists’ riding helmet, tilting its head this way and that, studying them all curiously. Delighted, Beth grabbed for her phone along with everyone else, wanting to take a picture. But the kea knew exactly what was going on and apparently wasn’t here for a performance, since it flew off exposing the bright orange and yellow feathers beneath its wings, before anyone could snap a photo.
Soon they were heading out of the bush and to the little picnic area situated on a small, grassy plateau with towering cliffs above and below. Finn helped people dismount, then gave everyone instructions on how to deal with their horses. They were such a placid lot, it mostly involved letting the reins dangle and allowing them to graze.
Beth helped him with the picnic lunch that had been dropped off earlier along with blankets, flasks of hot coffee and tea, and bottles of water. Lunch was sandwiches and cookies, though Beth was surprised to see that he’d set out something a bit different for her.
Laid out on a checked blanket, apart from the rest of the group, were some neatly cut sausage rolls, crackers, her favorite hard cheeses, and a jar of Teddy Grange’s special olive marmalade.
“Oh my God,” she breathed as she sat down and reached for the jar. “How did you know?”
Finn sat down on the blanket next to her, looking extremely smug. “I asked Izzy what you might like on a picnic, and she mentioned you’d gone a little crazy for Teddy’s olive marmalade.”
“But she said there were no more jars left.”
His eyes glinted. “Oh, she found one for me.”
A lump rose in Beth’s throat for absolutely no good reason.
Finn Kelly was a special man. He’d done nothing but look after her since he’d found out she was pregnant, making sure she was well and comfortable, that she had whatever she needed for her work and the food she liked to eat. He made things easier. He made things better.
He makes you happy.
He did. He really did.
She leaned forward and brushed a kiss over his mouth.
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “If that’s your surprise, then I love it.”
He smiled back and cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone, and she shivered, the warmth of his touch settling down inside her. “It’s only a jar of olive marmalade.”
“I know. But it’s a jar of olive marmalade you went out of your way to get, and I really appreciate that.”
“You can show me your appreciation tonight then, hmmm?” He kissed her gently. “Now, I’d better go check—”
“Finn.” Beth gripped his wrist. “What do you like?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve been doing so many things for me. Nice food and blankets and all kinds of things. But what about you? What can I do for you?”
Wickedness glinted in his eyes. “You already do it. At night. In bed.”
Naturally he’d make it about sex. He was a man, after all. But she didn’t want this to be just about sex. She wanted it to be about him not cutting himself off all the time, but opening up and trusting her with more than just his body.
