something so unique. He could see now why the magnificent sculpture was declared one of the seven wonders of the world.
Caitlyn gasped. “We’re going up there?”
Jake dragged his gaze away from the view and back to Caitlyn. He could see every inch of his wonder mirrored in her glittering, green eyes. “Yes.”
* * * *
Caitlyn had never been a fan of exercise. Ever. In fact, she did her best to avoid gym, running, or anything else which threatened to make her gasp unbecomingly and sweat. But standing at the foot of the most amazing sculpture she had ever seen created by man, she knew the long trek up the hill had been worth it.
The sheer size of the statue was breathtaking. Even the base was taller than her. Standing next to Christ the Redeemer made her feel tiny, but she didn’t mind. Quite the opposite in fact. Caitlyn had always known there were things in this world far bigger than herself. But at the time she’d thought those things were fear, pain, and anguish. It was a welcome feeling to be freed from that, if only just while she stood next to Jake, hand in hand, gazing up at the masterpiece before her.
“I’ve never seen anything this…this…” Words failed her. Caitlyn had no idea how to describe it.
Jake didn’t laugh. “I know.” His voice was full of awe, and she turned to look at him.
He wasn’t looking at the statue, he was watching her closely and taking in her reaction. Caitlyn blushed. He grinned, lifted their joined hands, and brushed the back of his palm against her cheek before bringing them to his lips. He pressed a kiss along her knuckles, and Caitlyn’s breath whooshed out.
She dimly noted that the lights at the base of the statue had flicked on and the sun was setting over the ocean. God, even the tourists bustling around, taking pictures of the wonder a few feet away, couldn’t drag her attention away from Jake.
He was looking at her with an awe-struck expression, the same way she’d seen him gaze at the statue. Rather than feel uncomfortable under his appraisal, she felt a warm glow spread out from her chest and heat her all the way down to her toes.
“What are you thinking?” Jake barely whispered the question.
I’m thinking that I’m not sure how I’ll cope when these three months end. Caitlyn turned away from his all-seeing eyes. What on earth was the matter with her? Silly thoughts like that could only end badly. For her, anyway.
“I’m thinking I’ve never seen something so beautiful.” It wasn’t a lie, just not what she’d been thinking about that second. Caitlyn turned back and looked up into his eyes. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
Jake dipped his head and brushed his mouth against hers, soft as a whisper. “Thank you for coming with me.” He chuckled. “I’ve traveled the world filming, but I’ve never had a chance to stop and see the sights.” Turning back to look up at the magnificent statue, Jake draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.
She snuggled into his silk shirt. His suit jacket was slung over his other arm along with hers. The walk up had been a challenge in her heels and pencil skirt, but the thought of seeing something so beautiful up close had kept her moving. The minute they’d reached the top, Caitlyn had slipped off her stilettos and let the warm brick floor soothe her aching feet.
“Why did you wait so long, Caitlyn?” Jake asked, his eyes never leaving the statue.
“What do you mean?”
Jake looked down at her, one golden eyebrow raised. “Why did you wait all this time to sleep with someone? I don’t get it. I’d have thought at least this many guys…” Jake swept an arm around to indicate the tourists. “…would have tried to court you. Why me?”
Caitlyn waited a second for the doubt, the uneasiness, to creep in. Nothing did. She decided she might as well tell him. After all, the time she spent with Archie—although horrible—wasn’t exactly a secret she meant to keep.
“The first
Caitlyn gasped. “We’re going up there?”
Jake dragged his gaze away from the view and back to Caitlyn. He could see every inch of his wonder mirrored in her glittering, green eyes. “Yes.”
* * * *
Caitlyn had never been a fan of exercise. Ever. In fact, she did her best to avoid gym, running, or anything else which threatened to make her gasp unbecomingly and sweat. But standing at the foot of the most amazing sculpture she had ever seen created by man, she knew the long trek up the hill had been worth it.
The sheer size of the statue was breathtaking. Even the base was taller than her. Standing next to Christ the Redeemer made her feel tiny, but she didn’t mind. Quite the opposite in fact. Caitlyn had always known there were things in this world far bigger than herself. But at the time she’d thought those things were fear, pain, and anguish. It was a welcome feeling to be freed from that, if only just while she stood next to Jake, hand in hand, gazing up at the masterpiece before her.
“I’ve never seen anything this…this…” Words failed her. Caitlyn had no idea how to describe it.
Jake didn’t laugh. “I know.” His voice was full of awe, and she turned to look at him.
He wasn’t looking at the statue, he was watching her closely and taking in her reaction. Caitlyn blushed. He grinned, lifted their joined hands, and brushed the back of his palm against her cheek before bringing them to his lips. He pressed a kiss along her knuckles, and Caitlyn’s breath whooshed out.
She dimly noted that the lights at the base of the statue had flicked on and the sun was setting over the ocean. God, even the tourists bustling around, taking pictures of the wonder a few feet away, couldn’t drag her attention away from Jake.
He was looking at her with an awe-struck expression, the same way she’d seen him gaze at the statue. Rather than feel uncomfortable under his appraisal, she felt a warm glow spread out from her chest and heat her all the way down to her toes.
“What are you thinking?” Jake barely whispered the question.
I’m thinking that I’m not sure how I’ll cope when these three months end. Caitlyn turned away from his all-seeing eyes. What on earth was the matter with her? Silly thoughts like that could only end badly. For her, anyway.
“I’m thinking I’ve never seen something so beautiful.” It wasn’t a lie, just not what she’d been thinking about that second. Caitlyn turned back and looked up into his eyes. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
Jake dipped his head and brushed his mouth against hers, soft as a whisper. “Thank you for coming with me.” He chuckled. “I’ve traveled the world filming, but I’ve never had a chance to stop and see the sights.” Turning back to look up at the magnificent statue, Jake draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.
She snuggled into his silk shirt. His suit jacket was slung over his other arm along with hers. The walk up had been a challenge in her heels and pencil skirt, but the thought of seeing something so beautiful up close had kept her moving. The minute they’d reached the top, Caitlyn had slipped off her stilettos and let the warm brick floor soothe her aching feet.
“Why did you wait so long, Caitlyn?” Jake asked, his eyes never leaving the statue.
“What do you mean?”
Jake looked down at her, one golden eyebrow raised. “Why did you wait all this time to sleep with someone? I don’t get it. I’d have thought at least this many guys…” Jake swept an arm around to indicate the tourists. “…would have tried to court you. Why me?”
Caitlyn waited a second for the doubt, the uneasiness, to creep in. Nothing did. She decided she might as well tell him. After all, the time she spent with Archie—although horrible—wasn’t exactly a secret she meant to keep.
“The first
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