Chapter 8
Aurora
Grant expertly maneuvers over the trails. I’m sitting with a blanket on my lap, and my eyes glued to the scenery. It’s breathtaking. I know that Tennessee is beautiful, but seeing it like this, away from the city lights, is something else altogether.
“What are you thinking about over there?” Grant asks.
“How Aspen would love to see this,” I tell him honestly.
“We’ll have to bring her out with us next time.”
“She would love that. I would love that,” I say, turning to look at him. I don’t comment on his assumption that there will be a next time. I know him well enough already to know that if he wants it, he’s going to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
“This is the lake.” He pulls up to the edge of a huge body of water. “My dad had this made when we were kids.”
“Wow.” I take in the beauty of the lake.
“It’s a blast in the summer. We have boats and Jet Skis, and we go tubing. It’s a good time.”
“What about the winter? Do you ever get to ice skate?” I ask.
“We do, but not here. Dad dug a smaller ice-skating rink. We don’t use it much anymore. We used to play hockey on it when we were kids.”
“Why separate?”
“It’s thinner, only about a foot deep. It’s guaranteed to freeze faster and be solid. Not only that but if the ice cracks, it’s not going to swallow anyone whole. Mom was worried we would risk it on the lake, and it would end in tragedy. Dad agreed and dug us a rink.”
“I can’t even imagine having this as a playground growing up.”
“It was a good time. My brothers and I spent hours out here. My parents too when they could. Dad was busy with the business, but he always kept Sundays and most Saturdays for family time. He made it to all of our games and looking back, I’m not sure how he managed it all.”
“He wanted to.”
“Yeah.” He nods. “He did. He made sure that all five of us, and our mother, knew what we meant to him. Mom is the love of his life, and he’s been known to go overboard when it comes to her.”
“Ah,” I say, nodding.
“Ah? What do you mean, ah?” he asks.
“That must be where you get it.” I smile at him.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He winks at me.
“It’s not a bad thing. It’s just… different for me. I’ve never met a man so determined to spend time with me.” I let the truth float between us. I don’t tell him that I’ve never had a man look at me as he does. I’ve never had a man make the butterflies in my belly take flight from a simple glance or touch.
“I don’t know if that makes me happy or sad, a little of both I think.” He leans over, his mouth a breath from mine. “It makes me sad that you’ve not been treated like you deserve, but it also makes me happy that I’m the man who gets to give you that. I get to show you how special you are. I get to kiss these soft lips.” He angles closer and kisses the corner of my mouth.
“This all seems fast,” I confess. I’m breathless from his nearness.
“It’s fast, but there is no timeline. We do us, and as long as we are true to not only ourselves but each other, we’re free to do what we want. Take me, for example. I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re all I’ve thought about since the day I stepped into Warm Delights. That’s never happened to me before. I’ve never met a woman who consumes my thoughts. Not just when I’m with you, but all day, and all night long. That’s enough for me to know that you’re special, and I want to see if there is something between us. I know I’m coming on strong, but I don’t play games. I don’t see the point. I’m always going to be open and honest with you, and although some things might be too soon, if I feel it, I’m going to tell you. Good or bad. That’s the only way I know how to operate.”
“I’ve never met anyone like you.”
“Good.” He places his hand on my thigh. “I’m hoping that will give me an advantage.” He chuckles. “I’m not telling you I’m in love with you, Aurora. What I am telling you is that you intrigue me, you’re beautiful, and you’re the only woman I see. I want to explore that and find out why. If you’ll let me.”
I don’t even think about it. I nod my agreement. The last thing I need is to fall into a relationship, but there is something about Grant that pulls me in. He’s not the only one feeling this… connection that we seem to have. I want to explore it too. It scares the hell out of me, but it’s the truth. The butterflies in my belly won’t let me push him away. It’s a new feeling, one that I would love to feel every day of my forever, but even I’m not naïve enough to think that’s where this is going.
“Come on. I’ll show you the rink.”
We ride around the lake, with his hand on my thigh. It’s surreal that I’m here. That this is how things are going between us. I swore I was done with men. After Elijah, I never thought I would be able to trust another man. I’m not sure that I can trust the one sitting next to me. What I do know is that my gut is telling me I can. I don’t know that I ever had that “gut” feeling with Elijah. In fact, I know I didn’t. Maybe in the beginning there were some butterflies. All new romances have those, but not like this. Placing my hand over my stomach, as if it will stop my jitters, has him glancing over.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Yes, I’m fine.” I smile to let him know that I am indeed, okay. I’m going to be okay, and there is nothing wrong with us getting to know each other better. I just need to keep reminding myself of that.
“Wow,” I say as Grant stops next to the rink. “When you said rink, I didn’t expect this.” I turn to look at him. “Does anyone in your family do anything halfway?” I ask.
“Nope.” His deep chuckle fills the cab. “There were seven of us, five being rowdy boys. We all needed our space.”
“This is huge.”
He nods. “Do you skate?”
“Yeah, I mean, I can. It’s been a while since I have. Aspen and I used to go skating all the time with our parents. It’s been years.” I think back to the last time I went skating. It was Aspen’s sixteenth birthday. After that, we were both too involved with being teenagers to spend that time with our parents. If I only knew then what I know now. Teenage me would have spent as much time with them as I could. Adulting sucks, and in my case my choices have taken me and my sister three hours from our parents. I swallow hard. I miss them so much.
“You miss them,” Grant says, at the same time I feel his thumb swiping across my cheek.
“I’m sorry,” I say, not realizing I was crying.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I can’t imagine not living close enough to just drop in on Mom and Dad. You should invite them up. You know my mom would be down to host them. They could stay with me or even with my parents.”
I give him a watery smile and turn my gaze back to the rink. “I’ll keep that in mind. I don’t know if we’re there yet.”