living room, shut off the lights and lock the house. It was weirdly high-tech. The car was waiting when they walked outside.
“Thank you. For coming here with me.”
“Thank you for wanting me to come here with you.”
He smiled and opened the car door for her. She got inside and made room for him. Almost as soon as he shut the door, the car began to move. He pulled her to his side and put his arm around her. She sat there with her head on his shoulder, looking out the window. They traveled down a very empty road with a side road here or there. At the end of the road, there was a gate that opened. “Is this your driveway?” she asked, astonished.
“It's the development entrance. There were supposed to be one hundred lots, but we've only put houses on three of them, plus the lot that's mine. The rest of the lots are either owned by the adjacent homeowner – meaning the family member whose house is next to it – or me. I think it shook out that my parents, Rick and Amy each have about 20 acres and I have the rest.”
“Meaning?”
“It translates to about 140 acres that are mine.”
“Why don't you develop the rest?”
“Privacy. Plus, it keeps all that land preserved in trust. We hunt and fish out here and Rick takes the kids on ATVs. That's not really my thing. I'd rather sit on a beach or my boat. But they drive all through my land. They've got a pretty good network of trails. I like hiking them sometimes. I snowshoe them in winter if I can.”
“So you like the great outdoors?”
“I do. I also like a good museum and a white sand beach with a drink in one hand and a pretty girl on my lap. Preferably a private beach.” He touched his nose to hers. “You said Josh didn't do much unless it involved nature?”
“Not with me. I don't hate nature, I just wanted a better balance.” She explained how Josh's family spent their summers in a rustic cabin in the woods. “It was too much for me. I like running water and toilets that flush. And I like the idea of occasionally going to the art walk in Portland, or seeing a concert or a play. Or even going dancing. But all he ever wanted to do was hike and bike and kayak or hunt and fish and ride his ATV. I spent a lot of the last five years acting like a single person. It was just in the last year that I realized it. He tried to do more of my stuff, but he hated it.”
“So, if I ask you to go snowshoeing, you'll say...?”
“Yes. For you, I'd say yes because I know you like more than just nature. But I like snowshoeing. It was one of the few things Josh did that I really enjoyed. Did you want me to go with you?”
“Will you? Maybe the day after Christmas?”
“It's a date. Looks like we're back at the museum. I'll call you when I'm done later. Still want to wait for me to get out so we can have dinner together?”
“How about you come to my suite when you're done and we'll order room service. The hotel has great food, as you know, and that way, we can avoid the shutterbugs for a bit, have some time to ourselves. Is that okay?”
“It sounds perfect. As long as it's not because you're embarrassed to be seen with me.” God, she hoped not...
“Never. I just thought you might like a break from the hounds of hell. They're relentless, and you don't need more grief from your family right now. As it is, the pictures from lunch will make their rounds. It was innocent, but all the rags that ran with the video this morning will jump on it. I don't think we gave them any ammunition, but you never know.”
He brushed his lips against hers. “Liam will be at the door. I'll see you later.” Rob's lips lifted a little at the corners in that kissable smirk, the one that seemed to be for only her.
“I'm looking forward to it,” she said. And she was. She could hardly wait to see him later.
As promised, Liam waited for her at the door. Emily thought, Overkill , until she saw the mob of photographers outside the museum entrance as they walked through the
“Thank you. For coming here with me.”
“Thank you for wanting me to come here with you.”
He smiled and opened the car door for her. She got inside and made room for him. Almost as soon as he shut the door, the car began to move. He pulled her to his side and put his arm around her. She sat there with her head on his shoulder, looking out the window. They traveled down a very empty road with a side road here or there. At the end of the road, there was a gate that opened. “Is this your driveway?” she asked, astonished.
“It's the development entrance. There were supposed to be one hundred lots, but we've only put houses on three of them, plus the lot that's mine. The rest of the lots are either owned by the adjacent homeowner – meaning the family member whose house is next to it – or me. I think it shook out that my parents, Rick and Amy each have about 20 acres and I have the rest.”
“Meaning?”
“It translates to about 140 acres that are mine.”
“Why don't you develop the rest?”
“Privacy. Plus, it keeps all that land preserved in trust. We hunt and fish out here and Rick takes the kids on ATVs. That's not really my thing. I'd rather sit on a beach or my boat. But they drive all through my land. They've got a pretty good network of trails. I like hiking them sometimes. I snowshoe them in winter if I can.”
“So you like the great outdoors?”
“I do. I also like a good museum and a white sand beach with a drink in one hand and a pretty girl on my lap. Preferably a private beach.” He touched his nose to hers. “You said Josh didn't do much unless it involved nature?”
“Not with me. I don't hate nature, I just wanted a better balance.” She explained how Josh's family spent their summers in a rustic cabin in the woods. “It was too much for me. I like running water and toilets that flush. And I like the idea of occasionally going to the art walk in Portland, or seeing a concert or a play. Or even going dancing. But all he ever wanted to do was hike and bike and kayak or hunt and fish and ride his ATV. I spent a lot of the last five years acting like a single person. It was just in the last year that I realized it. He tried to do more of my stuff, but he hated it.”
“So, if I ask you to go snowshoeing, you'll say...?”
“Yes. For you, I'd say yes because I know you like more than just nature. But I like snowshoeing. It was one of the few things Josh did that I really enjoyed. Did you want me to go with you?”
“Will you? Maybe the day after Christmas?”
“It's a date. Looks like we're back at the museum. I'll call you when I'm done later. Still want to wait for me to get out so we can have dinner together?”
“How about you come to my suite when you're done and we'll order room service. The hotel has great food, as you know, and that way, we can avoid the shutterbugs for a bit, have some time to ourselves. Is that okay?”
“It sounds perfect. As long as it's not because you're embarrassed to be seen with me.” God, she hoped not...
“Never. I just thought you might like a break from the hounds of hell. They're relentless, and you don't need more grief from your family right now. As it is, the pictures from lunch will make their rounds. It was innocent, but all the rags that ran with the video this morning will jump on it. I don't think we gave them any ammunition, but you never know.”
He brushed his lips against hers. “Liam will be at the door. I'll see you later.” Rob's lips lifted a little at the corners in that kissable smirk, the one that seemed to be for only her.
“I'm looking forward to it,” she said. And she was. She could hardly wait to see him later.
As promised, Liam waited for her at the door. Emily thought, Overkill , until she saw the mob of photographers outside the museum entrance as they walked through the
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