found that he didn’t mind at all. “I think your adventurous spirit is what makes you…” Fascinating. Compelling. Utterly intoxicating. “You.”
She pulled to a stop, right as they crested the hill, and he turned to see her staring up at him with a serious expression. Those beautiful green eyes bore into his, and he found that at that moment, he wanted to kiss her more than he’d wanted anything else. “Thank you. For seeing me , instead of the ‘me’ my parents want everyone to see.”
He might’ve nodded. Might’ve cleared his throat, trying to keep his mind on the conversation, rather than how her lips might taste. “I think that your parents see the real you, too.”
A sigh, and then she smiled sadly. “I think you’re right. Which is why it’s aggravating they keep trying to tamp it down.”
“They’re trying to protect you.” He’d been an only child, too, but his mother had died young, and his father had raised him to be a companion, rather than a cherished innocent. “They’re good people, I think.” And then, desperate to make her chuckle again: “With odd taste in names, I’ll admit.”
A dimple appeared in one cheek, so he knew her smile was genuine again. “Good point. And now…” With a gesture, she turned his attention to the path again, and Dmitri actually sucked in a breath when he saw the view that he’d ignored to talk to her.
Lake Enchantment stretched out before him, surrounded on all sides by hills steep enough at the far end to be considered mountains. The water was sparkling in the sunlight, a blue that he hadn’t seen since leaving the mountain lakes of his home, and stretched for some distance. There were surprisingly large shade trees dipping down close to the water, and some sort of yellow and purple wild flowers growing in abundance around the small beach that faced them.
It was stunning. Absolutely mesmerizing, and he tore his gaze away to tell her so. But when he met eyes the same green as the grass that stretched under the trees, he forgot what he was going to say. “…Beautiful.”
The dimple flashed again. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Not it, you . “That’s why I wanted you to see it. Come on!” She ran her hand down his forearm until it nestled in his grip, and then tugged him down the hill. He stumbled behind, not sure how he managed to keep from tripping, so intent was he on drinking in her unbridled exuberance. It was intoxicating.
And when they reached the shores of the lake, and she pulled him towards the shade of the largest oak, he realized that he could follow her anywhere. His life had been so empty since his father’s death, but watching her live made his own life seem…fuller, somehow.
Still holding his hand, she spun around once they reached the shade, her thick blonde braid swinging over one shoulder. It really was much cooler under here, with the branches dipping down low enough to make him feel almost secluded. She tugged at his hand, and then sunk to the ground, sighing. He had no choice but to follow…not that he had any desire to do anything else. He placed his tall hat atop his cane on the grass beside him, and wished yet again that he hadn’t dressed quite so properly for this outing.
“See? Isn’t this lovely?”
“I have to admit that it’s the second-prettiest thing I’ve seen since coming to America.”
“The second-prettiest? What’s the—“
“You.” They were seated close enough, their fingers entwined, that he didn’t have any trouble watching her cheeks flush at the compliment. But instead of looking away, of demurring, of somehow cheapening his words, she met his gaze boldly. Curiously.
“Surely there were prettier girls, in New York? Back East?”
Maybe . “None with your passion. Zest for life.”
Blonde brows rose. “You think I’m passionate?”
A blind man would see that she was passionate for adventure. “I do.” He remembered the taste of her lips, and shifted so that he could
She pulled to a stop, right as they crested the hill, and he turned to see her staring up at him with a serious expression. Those beautiful green eyes bore into his, and he found that at that moment, he wanted to kiss her more than he’d wanted anything else. “Thank you. For seeing me , instead of the ‘me’ my parents want everyone to see.”
He might’ve nodded. Might’ve cleared his throat, trying to keep his mind on the conversation, rather than how her lips might taste. “I think that your parents see the real you, too.”
A sigh, and then she smiled sadly. “I think you’re right. Which is why it’s aggravating they keep trying to tamp it down.”
“They’re trying to protect you.” He’d been an only child, too, but his mother had died young, and his father had raised him to be a companion, rather than a cherished innocent. “They’re good people, I think.” And then, desperate to make her chuckle again: “With odd taste in names, I’ll admit.”
A dimple appeared in one cheek, so he knew her smile was genuine again. “Good point. And now…” With a gesture, she turned his attention to the path again, and Dmitri actually sucked in a breath when he saw the view that he’d ignored to talk to her.
Lake Enchantment stretched out before him, surrounded on all sides by hills steep enough at the far end to be considered mountains. The water was sparkling in the sunlight, a blue that he hadn’t seen since leaving the mountain lakes of his home, and stretched for some distance. There were surprisingly large shade trees dipping down close to the water, and some sort of yellow and purple wild flowers growing in abundance around the small beach that faced them.
It was stunning. Absolutely mesmerizing, and he tore his gaze away to tell her so. But when he met eyes the same green as the grass that stretched under the trees, he forgot what he was going to say. “…Beautiful.”
The dimple flashed again. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Not it, you . “That’s why I wanted you to see it. Come on!” She ran her hand down his forearm until it nestled in his grip, and then tugged him down the hill. He stumbled behind, not sure how he managed to keep from tripping, so intent was he on drinking in her unbridled exuberance. It was intoxicating.
And when they reached the shores of the lake, and she pulled him towards the shade of the largest oak, he realized that he could follow her anywhere. His life had been so empty since his father’s death, but watching her live made his own life seem…fuller, somehow.
Still holding his hand, she spun around once they reached the shade, her thick blonde braid swinging over one shoulder. It really was much cooler under here, with the branches dipping down low enough to make him feel almost secluded. She tugged at his hand, and then sunk to the ground, sighing. He had no choice but to follow…not that he had any desire to do anything else. He placed his tall hat atop his cane on the grass beside him, and wished yet again that he hadn’t dressed quite so properly for this outing.
“See? Isn’t this lovely?”
“I have to admit that it’s the second-prettiest thing I’ve seen since coming to America.”
“The second-prettiest? What’s the—“
“You.” They were seated close enough, their fingers entwined, that he didn’t have any trouble watching her cheeks flush at the compliment. But instead of looking away, of demurring, of somehow cheapening his words, she met his gaze boldly. Curiously.
“Surely there were prettier girls, in New York? Back East?”
Maybe . “None with your passion. Zest for life.”
Blonde brows rose. “You think I’m passionate?”
A blind man would see that she was passionate for adventure. “I do.” He remembered the taste of her lips, and shifted so that he could
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