“I know. I’m sorry. After all that’s happened this week, it’s just…” She lifts her shoulder as tears well in her eyes.
No. Ana. Don’t cry. I fold her into my embrace. “I know,” I murmur into her hair. “I’m sorry, too. Let’s relax and enjoy ourselves, okay? You can stay here and read, watch godawful TV, shop, go hiking—fishing, even. Whatever you want to do. And forget what I said about Elliot. That was indiscreet of me.”
“Goes some way to explain why he’s always teasing you,” she says, her cheek against my chest.
“He really has no idea about my past. I told you, my family assumed I was gay. Celibate, but gay.”
She giggles. “I thought you were celibate. How wrong I was.” She draws me closer, and I sense her smile.
“Mrs. Grey, are you smirking at me?”
“Maybe a little. You know what I don’t understand is why you have this place.”
“What do you mean?” I kiss her hair.
“You have the boat, which I get, you have the place in New York for business—but why here? It’s not like you shared it with anyone.”
“I was waiting for you.”
“That’s…that’s such a lovely thing to say,” she whispers; bright blue eyes meet mine.
“It’s true. I didn’t know it at the time.”
“I’m glad you waited.”
“You are worth waiting for, Mrs. Grey.” I run my finger beneath her jaw, tip her lips toward mine, and kiss her.
“So are you.” She smiles. “Though I feel like I cheated. I didn’t have to wait long for you at all.”
I grin in disbelief. “Am I that much of a prize?”
“Christian, you are the state lottery, the cure for cancer, and the three wishes from Aladdin’s lamp all rolled into one.”
What? Even after yesterday?
I still, trying to wrap my head around her compliment.
“When will you realize this?” She semi-scowls at me. “You were a very eligible bachelor. And I don’t mean all this.” She waves an arm at the view. “I mean in here.” She rests her hand on my heart while I flounder for something to say. “Believe me, Christian, please.” Holding my face, she brings my lips to hers, and we’re soon lost in a healing, searing kiss, her tongue sparring with mine.
I want to christen the bed.
But we can’t. Not yet.
I pull away, my eyes burning into hers, knowing how strong she is and how much she could wound me if she chose to…by leaving.
Don’t go there, Grey.
“When are you going to get it through your exceptionally thick skull that I love you?”
I swallow. “One day.”
Her smile is heartwarming—lighting me up on the inside. “Come.” I’m uncomfortable with our conversation. “Let’s have some lunch—the others will be wondering where we are. We can discuss what we all want to do.”
During the impressive meal that Mrs. Bentley has laid out for us, we decide on an afternoon walk. But as we finish up, the room darkens. “Oh no!” Kate says suddenly. “Look.” Outside, the threatened rain has arrived.
“There goes our hike,” Elliot says, but he sounds relieved.
“We could go into town,” Mia says.
“Perfect weather for fishing,” I suggest.
“I’ll go fish,” Ethan says.
“Let’s split up.” Mia claps her hands. “Girls, shopping—boys, outdoor boring stuff.”
“Ana, what do you want to do?” I ask.
“I don’t mind,” she says. “But I’m more than happy to go shopping.” She smiles at Kate and Mia.
She hates shopping.
“I can stay here with you, if you’d like,” I offer, thinking again about how we could christen the bed.
“No, you go fish,” she says, but she gives me a scorching look, her eyes smoky, making me think she’d prefer to stay home.
With me. I feel ten feet tall.
“Sounds like a plan.” Kate rises from the table.
“Taylor will accompany you,” I announce. He’ll keep Ana safe.
“We don’t need babysitting,” Kate huffs, her irritation obvious.
Ana puts her hand on her arm. “Kate, Taylor should come.”
Listen to my wife. This is not up for discussion. That woman makes my hackles rise; I don’t know what my brother sees in her.
Elliot frowns. “I need to pick up a battery for my watch in town.”
Today? Can’t he do that at home?
“Take the Audi, Elliot. When you come back we can go fishing.”
“Yeah.” His voice wavers. “Good plan.”
What’s up with him?
Taylor maneuvers the minivan carrying Ana and Co. out of the driveway and sets off toward town. I hand Mrs. Bentley’s Audi keys to Elliot. He’s told me and Ethan to go ahead without him. “We’ll be on the Roaring Fork. Usual place, I think,” I say.
As he takes the keys, his expression is odd, like he’s about to face a firing squad. “Thanks, bro,” he mutters.
I frown. “You okay?”
He swallows. “I’m going to do it.”
“What?”
“A ring.”
“Ring?”
“I’m going to buy a ring. I think it’s time.”
Shit. “You’re going to ask Kate to marry you?”
He nods.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. She’s the one.”
I think my mouth drops open. Kavanagh?
“Hey, hotshot, marital bliss seems to be working for you.” He grins, recovering his usual devil-may-care demeanor in an instant. “You’re gonna catch flies with that mouth open, dude. Go catch some fish instead.” He laughs as I shut my mouth, and dumbfounded, I watch him climb into the A4 wagon.
Hot damn. He’s going to marry Kavanagh. That woman will be a thorn in my side forever. Maybe she’ll say no. But as I watch him reverse out of the driveway, something tells me she won’t. With a brisk wave, he’s gone. I shake my head. Elliot Grey, I hope to God you know what you’re doing.
Ethan is in the mudroom, checking out the line of fishing rods. “Float or fly?” I ask him.