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“No.” I swallowed down the near panic in my voice. I didn’t want this day to end. I surely didn’t want lose out on what else the evening could hold. Even if my nerves were starting to bubble up again. “No, I’m not having any regrets about today. I’m actually surprised where I ended up.” I glanced up at him, my eyes tripping over the fullness of his lips. Lips that had given me more pleasure in one hour than I’d experienced in over five years.
“I didn’t see my day heading in this direction.” He brushed his cheek along mine. “Not mad about it either.”
“Neither am I.”
“Looks like we’re on the same page.” His hand coasted up my belly to cup my breast with an absent affection that left me breathless. But he didn’t stop there. Instead, his big, rough hand curled lightly around my neck to tip my chin up. “I’m no gentleman, Helena. If I do anything to make you uncomfortable, I want you to speak up.”
I swallowed against the light pressure on my neck. “Gentlemen are overrated.”
His blue eyes cooled as his gaze dipped to my mouth then back to meet my eyes. His hold tightened slightly. “Going to enjoy slumming, Ms. Danbury?”
My eyes narrowed. “Whomever you may have had relations with before and put that in your head is your problem. That’s not what this is.”
His eyebrow spiked up. “Relations?” And just like that eyes went back to summer sky warm, but he didn’t laugh. Instead, the amusement and a tinge of remorse washed over him and he relaxed. “You do have a turn of phrase with that Ivy League mouth of yours.”
“My degree has nothing to do with you being an asshole.”
This time, he did laugh. “You’re right. I apologize. And yes, I have been a summer fling for a few college girls in my day.”
“First of all, I’m not a girl. And secondly, I know exactly what I’m doing.”
His eyes went fierce and bright. “I don’t think you do.”
“I may not have had a lot of bed partners in my life, but I’m no innocent. Not with the men and women I’ve known in Manhattan and New Hampshire. I’m walking—or riding, rather—into this knowing full well that I could be making a mistake. But for the first time in a long time, I’m trusting my instincts. This doesn’t happen between people that often.” I covered his hand with my own. “And maybe it’s easier for you to push me into a safe category. Rich girl looking for fun. But to me, I’m in awe of connecting with someone for the first time in my life, and I want to drag out every little experience I can. Even if it’s just one night.”
His jaw tightened. He didn’t say anything for a long moment. “One night, no boundaries, then?”
“And no preconceptions.”
“I can handle that.” He slid his hand back down to my waist and tucked me tighter against him. “Hold on. That’s my place up ahead.”
Whatever I’d been expecting, it wasn’t the cabin that came out of the trees. Massive pines and birch trees speared up into the sky as we climbed the rocky path. The house itself wasn’t huge, but the wraparound porch was organic in scope and I could only imagine its breathtaking views.
It had three levels—the first, a lower porch with a surprising amount of flowers and greenery. Though I suppose Beckett was a farmer at his core, so it shouldn’t be that shocking. I just couldn’t see him taking the time with all the things he had on his plate these days.
Pinks, reds, and deep violet flowers spilled out of barrels. I recognized the flowers, but didn’t know the names. Small petals clustered together, and still others twined out on vines. Some barrels were stamped with Happy Acres and others with the new Brothers Three Orchard logo. Most were cut in half and laid on their side, others were bisected to create different levels of bowls. And still another had been made into a rustic water feature using a series of old wrought iron spigots.
It was sweet and showed he loved and cared for his house.
Beside the lower deck was a stable with a sleepy ginger cat tucked in the shade of one of the barrel planters by the door.
The second level deck was attached to the house with an outdoor kitchen, chairs, and a sturdy table that could easily seat ten people, along with a massive grill and pizza oven.
But it was the third level that stole the show. It was all wood, stained dark against the lush greenery of the trees and landscaping. It reminded me of a treehouse with the way it was tucked into nature. The top deck was only accessible by a spiral staircase from the second floor deck and seemed to be an extension of the top floor. Perhaps it was off the main bedroom. I couldn’t really get a good look now that we were so close to the house. What I could see included a set of massive windows glinting in the late day sun.
The trees swayed with the increasing wind. Those pillowy clouds were rapidly connecting now and taking on an angry purple tinge. The air was swollen with humidity and an unsettling distant thunder spoke of a summer storm coming our way.
As we got closer and approached the stable, I suddenly had a thought. “Will Storm be okay?”
He buzzed my temple with an absent kiss. “He didn’t get his name by accident. And believe me, he’s spoiled rotten. I’m pretty sure his stable will stand longer than my house.”
“I don’t know how, it’s gorgeous.”
“Thanks. I’ve been building onto it off and on since I was nineteen.”
I twisted to look at him. “Nineteen?”
“Should’ve seen the shack it was when I was gifted it by my uncle. It used to be his hunting lodge.”
