happened."
"Maybe you'll still get that wish one day."
"Not likely. Dad is getting old and well, Mom's not here anymore. So I can't see how that would ever happen."
Finn's face softened. "Where's your mom?"
"She passed away when I was young. It's okay. You don't have to look at me like my life sucks. I'm cool with it all."
He squeezed her hand. "I was actually looking at you and thinking about how amazingly strong you are."
She nodded, too choked up to speak this time. She was strong. But no one had ever noticed before.
Finn reached into the massive cooler still sitting by the side of the blanket and fished around until he found whatever it was he was looking for. "Can I get you a drink? I only grabbed soda and water this time. I didn't want to risk these roads with a beer in my system."
"Soda's perfect, thanks."
"Are you hungry yet? There's enough food to feed a small village, too."
Her stomach growled at the mention of sustenance. She hadn't eaten since her lunch break at the diner hours ago. "Absolutely." She helped pull out containers of food from the cooler, opening each as she did to take a peek at what was inside. Salads, cut-up fruit, and wraps all looked and smelled delicious.
Finn handed her a plastic plate and utensils, and she took a little of everything. The wrap was filled with fresh chicken salad. The mixture of crisp apple, celery, and grapes went perfectly with the chunks of chicken. By far the most delicious chicken salad she'd ever eaten. And it had nothing to do with the fact that she was starving.
"Wow. Where did you pick up the food from? This wrap is like heaven. I think angels must have made it."
He laughed, covering his mouth as he tried to finish chewing without choking. "Thanks. I've never been called an angel before."
"You made this food?" she asked. "Oh, my God, you can cook, too?" Was there anything hotter than a man who could cook? A scene of Finn standing in his kitchen with nothing on but an apron raced through her mind and suddenly the chicken salad was hard to swallow.
"Well, I'm not a chef or anything, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
I bet you have a few tricks somewhere else, too.
"My taste buds thank you."
He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. "Really?"
What? Had she said something wrong?
"I'm glad my chicken salad makes your tongue so happy."
She almost spit out her food as a laugh bubbled up from deep inside. Thank God she kept it contained long enough to swallow without choking. "I didn't mean to sound so perverse. You know what I meant."
"I do, but I like teasing you. You always turn this really pretty shade of pink." He smirked. "It clashes horribly with your gorgeous red hair."
Oh, great. So now he was trying to embarrass her, so he could insult her. Nice.
"Gee, thanks." She swatted his arm playfully, teasing him back. "Jerk."
"Hey now," he said, brushing his fingers over her cheek, which had surely turned a deep pink if the heat in her skin was any indication. "I didn't say I didn't like how this clashes with this." His hand moved from stroking her cheek to tangling in her thick, wild hair. He pulled her close, kissing her.
But his lips didn't linger this time. The kiss was quick but powerful, leaving behind a wake of stirred emotions. Damn. He was a good kisser. He's probably good at other things, too.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, her glances alternating between Finn and the most amazing sunset she'd ever seen. The hues of deep blue chasing the vibrant orange below the hills on the opposite side of the river took her breath away. Before the last of the light disappeared, Finn got to his feet, abandoning his food, and set to work on building a fire in the pit behind them. Moments later, a fire sprang to life, and he rejoined her on the blanket to watch as the last rays of sunlight disappeared.
"You were right. The view from here was more incredible than any I've ever seen from one of those fancy rooftop restaurants in the
"Maybe you'll still get that wish one day."
"Not likely. Dad is getting old and well, Mom's not here anymore. So I can't see how that would ever happen."
Finn's face softened. "Where's your mom?"
"She passed away when I was young. It's okay. You don't have to look at me like my life sucks. I'm cool with it all."
He squeezed her hand. "I was actually looking at you and thinking about how amazingly strong you are."
She nodded, too choked up to speak this time. She was strong. But no one had ever noticed before.
Finn reached into the massive cooler still sitting by the side of the blanket and fished around until he found whatever it was he was looking for. "Can I get you a drink? I only grabbed soda and water this time. I didn't want to risk these roads with a beer in my system."
"Soda's perfect, thanks."
"Are you hungry yet? There's enough food to feed a small village, too."
Her stomach growled at the mention of sustenance. She hadn't eaten since her lunch break at the diner hours ago. "Absolutely." She helped pull out containers of food from the cooler, opening each as she did to take a peek at what was inside. Salads, cut-up fruit, and wraps all looked and smelled delicious.
Finn handed her a plastic plate and utensils, and she took a little of everything. The wrap was filled with fresh chicken salad. The mixture of crisp apple, celery, and grapes went perfectly with the chunks of chicken. By far the most delicious chicken salad she'd ever eaten. And it had nothing to do with the fact that she was starving.
"Wow. Where did you pick up the food from? This wrap is like heaven. I think angels must have made it."
He laughed, covering his mouth as he tried to finish chewing without choking. "Thanks. I've never been called an angel before."
"You made this food?" she asked. "Oh, my God, you can cook, too?" Was there anything hotter than a man who could cook? A scene of Finn standing in his kitchen with nothing on but an apron raced through her mind and suddenly the chicken salad was hard to swallow.
"Well, I'm not a chef or anything, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
I bet you have a few tricks somewhere else, too.
"My taste buds thank you."
He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. "Really?"
What? Had she said something wrong?
"I'm glad my chicken salad makes your tongue so happy."
She almost spit out her food as a laugh bubbled up from deep inside. Thank God she kept it contained long enough to swallow without choking. "I didn't mean to sound so perverse. You know what I meant."
"I do, but I like teasing you. You always turn this really pretty shade of pink." He smirked. "It clashes horribly with your gorgeous red hair."
Oh, great. So now he was trying to embarrass her, so he could insult her. Nice.
"Gee, thanks." She swatted his arm playfully, teasing him back. "Jerk."
"Hey now," he said, brushing his fingers over her cheek, which had surely turned a deep pink if the heat in her skin was any indication. "I didn't say I didn't like how this clashes with this." His hand moved from stroking her cheek to tangling in her thick, wild hair. He pulled her close, kissing her.
But his lips didn't linger this time. The kiss was quick but powerful, leaving behind a wake of stirred emotions. Damn. He was a good kisser. He's probably good at other things, too.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, her glances alternating between Finn and the most amazing sunset she'd ever seen. The hues of deep blue chasing the vibrant orange below the hills on the opposite side of the river took her breath away. Before the last of the light disappeared, Finn got to his feet, abandoning his food, and set to work on building a fire in the pit behind them. Moments later, a fire sprang to life, and he rejoined her on the blanket to watch as the last rays of sunlight disappeared.
"You were right. The view from here was more incredible than any I've ever seen from one of those fancy rooftop restaurants in the
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