’ S THIGHS SCREAMED in protest as they reached the summit of the bluff. She wanted to whine and beg Kyle to stop so they could eat, but she’d let him pick the trail and she’d be damned if she was going to look like some weakling.
She was in shape. Just not nearly as good of shape as she thought, or as good of shape as Kyle.
Speaking of Kyle’s shape...
He was a few yards ahead of her, wearing cargo shorts and a plain blue T-shirt. Casual Kyle. Woodsy Kyle.
She was beginning to realize all versions of Kyle were pretty hot. Especially now that she’d been pressed against him. Now even Mr. Businessman Kyle was mouthwatering because she knew what it was like to be kissed by him.
She huffed out another breath. The exertion of the hike up the bluff had worked in keeping her from thinking about that kiss for a good twenty minutes.
Hallelujah. Because hot and bothered really wasn’t working for her. She’d been very, very careful about dating since Barry. Okay, she pretty much hadn’t dated since Barry. Nothing more than a cup of coffee. But in the tiny town of Carvelle, there hadn’t been any men to lust after, so she hadn’t really missed being with someone.
Flirting with someone.
Kissing someone.
For basic self-preservation, she was not going to let herself go any further with that train of thought.
Finally, about five minutes after Kyle did, she reached the summit. In a few weeks, the river below would be hard to see through the leafy trees, but right now with just the buds of green decorating each branch, she could see the churning brown water.
One hundred percent worth the climb. A barge moved its slow pace through the murky water. Across the way, bluffs lined the river. An old fishing boat bobbed on the shore opposite them.
“A bit of a haul, but all in all worth it,” Kyle said.
Grace was just a pinch comforted to note his breathing wasn’t totally even. The hike hadn’t been a piece of cake for him, either.
“Ready to eat?”
Grace nodded, not wanting to show him just how out of breath she was. He dropped the backpack he’d worn and pulled out the blanket she’d packed, the food. Kyle being Kyle, he set up everything with meticulous precision while Grace did her best to even out her breathing.
She took a seat on the blanket, cross-legged, facing the river. A slight breeze worked its way through the budding foliage. It smelled like spring and cooled the sweat at her temples.
White clouds puffed overhead, birds sang to each other, squirrels and other little animals scurried in the trees she and Kyle had just hiked through.
It was exactly what she needed. The perfect moment. Kyle handed her the wrapped sandwich and Grace smiled. Even the almost-perfect companion. Who would have thought that spending time with Kyle was actually kind of enjoyable?
She was comfortable around him. She liked goading him. She really liked kissing him. This was what normal people did when they were attracted to someone. It was practically a date. Maybe it was time to dig a little deeper into Kyle.
Grace unwrapped her sandwich, bit into it and studied Kyle’s profile as he carefully chewed a bite. “Can I ask you a question?”
“It’s doubtful I’ll answer it.”
She smiled at that. “Why didn’t you leave?” Grace thought of her old friends. They’d been smart and ambitious, like Kyle. But they came home to visit at Christmas with their new families. Kyle never stepped foot into Carvelle despite being twenty minutes away.
“Leave?”
“You never go back to Carvelle, not even for Jacob’s birthday dinner or the Fourth of July, but you live twenty minutes away. Why not leave altogether? I mean, there are probably a million towns you could have started a business in. Away from Carvelle. Outside of Iowa.”
Kyle stared at her for a very long time. She was learning that waiting him out usually yielded results of some kind. If she pushed, he shut down. Withdrew behind that impassive, robot-like
She was in shape. Just not nearly as good of shape as she thought, or as good of shape as Kyle.
Speaking of Kyle’s shape...
He was a few yards ahead of her, wearing cargo shorts and a plain blue T-shirt. Casual Kyle. Woodsy Kyle.
She was beginning to realize all versions of Kyle were pretty hot. Especially now that she’d been pressed against him. Now even Mr. Businessman Kyle was mouthwatering because she knew what it was like to be kissed by him.
She huffed out another breath. The exertion of the hike up the bluff had worked in keeping her from thinking about that kiss for a good twenty minutes.
Hallelujah. Because hot and bothered really wasn’t working for her. She’d been very, very careful about dating since Barry. Okay, she pretty much hadn’t dated since Barry. Nothing more than a cup of coffee. But in the tiny town of Carvelle, there hadn’t been any men to lust after, so she hadn’t really missed being with someone.
Flirting with someone.
Kissing someone.
For basic self-preservation, she was not going to let herself go any further with that train of thought.
Finally, about five minutes after Kyle did, she reached the summit. In a few weeks, the river below would be hard to see through the leafy trees, but right now with just the buds of green decorating each branch, she could see the churning brown water.
One hundred percent worth the climb. A barge moved its slow pace through the murky water. Across the way, bluffs lined the river. An old fishing boat bobbed on the shore opposite them.
“A bit of a haul, but all in all worth it,” Kyle said.
Grace was just a pinch comforted to note his breathing wasn’t totally even. The hike hadn’t been a piece of cake for him, either.
“Ready to eat?”
Grace nodded, not wanting to show him just how out of breath she was. He dropped the backpack he’d worn and pulled out the blanket she’d packed, the food. Kyle being Kyle, he set up everything with meticulous precision while Grace did her best to even out her breathing.
She took a seat on the blanket, cross-legged, facing the river. A slight breeze worked its way through the budding foliage. It smelled like spring and cooled the sweat at her temples.
White clouds puffed overhead, birds sang to each other, squirrels and other little animals scurried in the trees she and Kyle had just hiked through.
It was exactly what she needed. The perfect moment. Kyle handed her the wrapped sandwich and Grace smiled. Even the almost-perfect companion. Who would have thought that spending time with Kyle was actually kind of enjoyable?
She was comfortable around him. She liked goading him. She really liked kissing him. This was what normal people did when they were attracted to someone. It was practically a date. Maybe it was time to dig a little deeper into Kyle.
Grace unwrapped her sandwich, bit into it and studied Kyle’s profile as he carefully chewed a bite. “Can I ask you a question?”
“It’s doubtful I’ll answer it.”
She smiled at that. “Why didn’t you leave?” Grace thought of her old friends. They’d been smart and ambitious, like Kyle. But they came home to visit at Christmas with their new families. Kyle never stepped foot into Carvelle despite being twenty minutes away.
“Leave?”
“You never go back to Carvelle, not even for Jacob’s birthday dinner or the Fourth of July, but you live twenty minutes away. Why not leave altogether? I mean, there are probably a million towns you could have started a business in. Away from Carvelle. Outside of Iowa.”
Kyle stared at her for a very long time. She was learning that waiting him out usually yielded results of some kind. If she pushed, he shut down. Withdrew behind that impassive, robot-like
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