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“Nice tights,” I lifted an upside down brow at Frank.
He shook his head. “Give it a couple years and you’ll be wearing the same thing. These women…”
“What’s wrong with getting into the Christmas spirit?” Tenley asked, shooting her head up.
“Nothing, darling. Nothing,” I replied, brushing some of her hair out of my mouth as she pressed her face back against my shoulder.
They still didn’t leave the doorway. “Do you guys need something? We’ll be out shortly, once we’ve dressed,” I asked, trying to get them to leave. I mean a little privacy would be nice.
Irene waved a hand. “Yes, actually. We were also sent to fetch a few eggs. Nancy told Rosemary that you have a large stash at your house.”
“Kitchen counter, and the front door should be unlocked, so help yourselves.” I lifted my brows, hoping they’d get the hint to leave. Please leave. Besides, why didn’t they just use some eggs that Tenley’s mom had here? Though they may be out or maybe this was an excuse to just come see us. Either way, I didn’t care enough to press for more information. I just wanted them out of the room.
“Okay, well,” Frank slapped a hand on his wife’s arm. “We’ll see you two out there.”
Thank you, Frank, for picking up my hint.
Tenley shot her head up as they reached for the door. “Please don’t tell Mom or Dad.” She grimaced.
“Tell them what?” Irene winked and pulled the door closed. Finally.
I let my arms fall to the sides, groaning. “We need to start locking doors, apparently. How many times does that make?”
Tenley giggled and then shoved away from me. “You want to know what I just realized?” Crossing her arms in front of her chest, I lifted a couple brows, happy with the view.
“What’s that?”
She rolled her eyes and quickly pulled her pajama top closed. “You never actually showed me your chickens.”
I slid back a little and sat up. Of all the things for her to think of now, it was that. Reminding me how differently men and women think. “That is true.”
Her eyes drifted across my torso, tracing the scars that ran beneath my left pec. And it was strange, because my skin tingled as she studied them. She wasn’t touching them, merely looking, and I liked the way she was studying them, studying me. I liked the way she was trying to memorize what the disfigured skin looked like. What I looked like.
Fingers trembling, she finally reached forward and slowly trailed them along each scar, her breath hitching. My eyes tracked her touch, lost in her world.
Mindlessly, I whispered, “If you could spare a minute today, we could disappear from the party, and I’ll show you them.” Her focus stayed on my body. Leaning back against my hands, her lips drifted upwards into a soft smile.
“I think I can find some time.”
“What about a couple hours for a date, too?”
She paused and her gaze locked onto mine. “I thought we talked about this.”
“I’m not talking about some grand attempt at perfection. I heard you,” I replied, and her fingers began to move again. “I’m merely thinking about finding a couple hours of alone time for the date. Just to spend time together. Alone. That’s it.”
She lifted her brows, her eyes twinkling as her hands fell to her lap. “What did you have in mind?”
I took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t know, maybe I’ll take you on your first trail ride.”
“On a horse?” she squealed in excitement, and I chuckled.
“Of course.” I smiled, and she wiggled, doing a small happy dance.
“I can absolutely find a couple hours,” she paused and raised a suspicious eyebrow.
“I promise my only goal is for us to be alone on this date, okay?”
“Okay. Because—”
