than she could manage, given that her nerves were already so high. As it were, she had to dig up the courage just to phone to see about getting a last minute grocery delivery of some snacks and dinner ingredients to have on hand in case Daniel came to her cottage. She had no idea what kind of beverages he normally drank, and tried desperately to remember what he had ordered at dinner. In the end, she settled on an overabundance of variety: Snapple, three different soft drinks including a diet, some Gatorade, and a gallon of 2% milk. She debated buying some beer. She herself did not drink, but she thought, perhaps that most guys did. In the end she decided against it.
Hannah waited impatiently for the delivery truck, but the groceries didn’t arrive until late afternoon. She unloaded the bags hurriedly, then jumped in the shower, her cell phone placed carefully on the closed toilet lid so that she could hear it if it should ring. She half expected a call from Daniel saying that he wasn’t coming after all. But when the phone did ring, after she had meticulously finished her makeup and hair, and then her hair again, it was Daniel saying that his plane had landed and that he should arrive shortly after five.
She was waiting for him at his hotel when he arrived. She didn’t care if she looked silly sitting in her car, watching anxiously as each new vehicle passed. To Daniel’s delight, Hannah was the first thing he saw as he pulled his rental car into the lot, causing him to park quite crookedly in the space next to her. He didn’t take the time to back up and straighten it out. Daniel put his car into park, unfastening his seat belt at the same time, and was out the door, nearly forgetting the keys in the ignition.
Hannah got out of her car as soon as she recognized him, not realizing the impression she had just ingrained into Daniel’s memory files. She had chosen a sundress, one she had bought because she had fallen in love with it immediately, not because it was practical or something she figured she would ever wear, and, until now, she rarely had. Daniel thought at that moment he never wanted to see her in anything else.
CHAPTER NINE
As it turned out, Daniel never actually checked into his room. He reached Hannah in three steps and placed a warm kiss on her lips before pulling Hannah in for an embrace. Hannah let the tension leave her body immediately. She sensed how relaxed Daniel was. There seemed to be no nervousness in him, none of the feelings that she had felt all day.
Daniel let go of Hannah and held her in front of him for just a moment. He was grinning ear to ear. “I didn’t think today would ever get here. I have missed you.”
Hannah smiled sh yly. “It’s only been a few days,” she teased, but it did seem like too long. Hannah shifted her weight, suddenly aware of their intimacy and the public-ness of their surroundings.
Daniel seemed to sense her discomfort. “I am dying to see which one your mountain is. Hannah had been telling him what he would see in Breckenridge. “Why don’t I follow you so we don’t have two cars in town.”
Hannah agreed and they left immediately for her place, where she was ready to make him a summer dinner of kabobs and grilled corn. She hadn’t cooked for anyone else in a long time. While she stood by the grill watching closely so the vegetables wouldn’t burn she tried to make conversation.
“How was your drive up here?”
“It was beautiful! I never knew how clear the sky was here, once I got out of Denver. The scenery was incredible. It looked like there was a huge fire at some point in time.”
Hannah thought for a long time. “No, I don’t remember there being a fire.” It could very well be that she had missed hearing about it, though fires were something that even she paid attention to, living where she did in the heart of a forest. Where did you see it?”
“All along the highway on I-70, it seemed like there were huge groves
Hannah waited impatiently for the delivery truck, but the groceries didn’t arrive until late afternoon. She unloaded the bags hurriedly, then jumped in the shower, her cell phone placed carefully on the closed toilet lid so that she could hear it if it should ring. She half expected a call from Daniel saying that he wasn’t coming after all. But when the phone did ring, after she had meticulously finished her makeup and hair, and then her hair again, it was Daniel saying that his plane had landed and that he should arrive shortly after five.
She was waiting for him at his hotel when he arrived. She didn’t care if she looked silly sitting in her car, watching anxiously as each new vehicle passed. To Daniel’s delight, Hannah was the first thing he saw as he pulled his rental car into the lot, causing him to park quite crookedly in the space next to her. He didn’t take the time to back up and straighten it out. Daniel put his car into park, unfastening his seat belt at the same time, and was out the door, nearly forgetting the keys in the ignition.
Hannah got out of her car as soon as she recognized him, not realizing the impression she had just ingrained into Daniel’s memory files. She had chosen a sundress, one she had bought because she had fallen in love with it immediately, not because it was practical or something she figured she would ever wear, and, until now, she rarely had. Daniel thought at that moment he never wanted to see her in anything else.
CHAPTER NINE
As it turned out, Daniel never actually checked into his room. He reached Hannah in three steps and placed a warm kiss on her lips before pulling Hannah in for an embrace. Hannah let the tension leave her body immediately. She sensed how relaxed Daniel was. There seemed to be no nervousness in him, none of the feelings that she had felt all day.
Daniel let go of Hannah and held her in front of him for just a moment. He was grinning ear to ear. “I didn’t think today would ever get here. I have missed you.”
Hannah smiled sh yly. “It’s only been a few days,” she teased, but it did seem like too long. Hannah shifted her weight, suddenly aware of their intimacy and the public-ness of their surroundings.
Daniel seemed to sense her discomfort. “I am dying to see which one your mountain is. Hannah had been telling him what he would see in Breckenridge. “Why don’t I follow you so we don’t have two cars in town.”
Hannah agreed and they left immediately for her place, where she was ready to make him a summer dinner of kabobs and grilled corn. She hadn’t cooked for anyone else in a long time. While she stood by the grill watching closely so the vegetables wouldn’t burn she tried to make conversation.
“How was your drive up here?”
“It was beautiful! I never knew how clear the sky was here, once I got out of Denver. The scenery was incredible. It looked like there was a huge fire at some point in time.”
Hannah thought for a long time. “No, I don’t remember there being a fire.” It could very well be that she had missed hearing about it, though fires were something that even she paid attention to, living where she did in the heart of a forest. Where did you see it?”
“All along the highway on I-70, it seemed like there were huge groves
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