I gazed up at him, pretending to be afraid. “Why, Mr. Jørgensen, what big eyes you have,” I said in a little-girl whisper.
His blond hair fell forward to cover his forehead, and his breath smelled of wine when his lips hovered near mine. “The size of my eyes is nothing compared to other bigger, badder parts,” he rasped, his gaze holding me hostage. “If you ever want to see those bigger, badder parts, you’ll start talking.”
It was my turn to bite my lower lip and worry it between my teeth. “And if I don’t want to see them?”
He laughed long, low, and so deliciously evilly I wondered if I’d have to change my panties when I got up to my room. “I already know you want to see them, so no faking. Ever,” he said, pointing one brow down toward his nose until I whined a little bit with pent-up sexual frustration.
He lowered his pinstripe-suited butt back to the chair and motioned for me to continue. “You were saying.”
“I wasn’t saying anything.” I cleared my throat of the whine I heard after that little display of his. “But I’ll tell you since I know you’ll drive me crazy until I do.”
He grinned like the Cheshire cat and snapped his cuffs straight. “Glad you’ve come around to my way of thinking.”
“It’s honestly not a big deal, Mathias. They’re going to get married under my favorite tree in the orchard, take a few pictures, and then come back here for a catered meal by the restaurant. The gathering will be small, so the cooks assured us they could do barbecue chicken and potato salad since the other wedding isn’t until Saturday.”
“Your favorite tree in the orchard?”
My exasperated sigh could be heard across the yard. “Never mind. My point is, it’s going to be simple and fast. The main gathering will be here, so Charity and I can do the decorations the way she wants them. Plus, if anyone has too much to drink, we have a few spare rooms.”
He rechecked his watch. “You did all of this in just a few hours?”
I gave him a shy smile. “It’s what I do, Mathias. You’re just usually not around to see it.”
He stood up and took my hand with purpose.
“Where are we going?”
“To the orchard, so you can show me your favorite tree.” He winked and blew out the tiki torches while I promised myself I wasn’t going to fall for his charm again.
As I followed him down the road to the orchard, I already knew that was a broken promise in the making.
♥
The moonlight shone through the trees in muted streams. It helped brighten our path through the orchard, but to be safe, Mathias had his phone’s flashlight pointed at the ground as he gripped my hand. I had to admit to myself that I loved the way he held my hand. It was the same way he used to when we were kids. His grip was filled with safety, protection, and love. He always overlapped his fingers, making sure not to squeeze my hand too tight, but he gave me enough tension that I knew he would be there for me if I fell. At least that’s how it had felt when we were kids. Now all I felt was confused, but then that might be because he was a giant ball of confusion every time we were together.
When we reached the Apple Orchard, it was packed with cars and trucks parked at the end of the lot. The biggest country cover band in the area, Boots and Boogies, was playing tonight. Even this far back in the orchard, I could hear the twang of a guitar floating out the doors.
“Earth to Honey.” He swung our entangled hands to shake me from my rumination.
I glanced at him when his words pulled me back to the present. “Sorry, I was daydreaming.”
“About what?” He slowed our steps as we worked through a tight set of trees while he waited for an answer.
“Nothing in particular,” I answered to avoid sayingus.
He ducked to slip under a short apple tree, and when we arrived on the other side of it, I pulled my hand from his and clapped with excitement.
“We’re here.” I motioned before me. The trees thinned out now that we were at the backside of the orchard. Only a lone tree, a large red oak, stood in the clearing.
He turned in a circle. “Honey, we’re not even in the orchard now.”
I nodded and strolled to the tree, ducking under its branches. Hanging from the lowest one was a wooden swing. I had sat and pushed myself backward by the time Mathias caught up with me. He pushed me higher, his head swiveling to take in the area as he swung his phone around.
“This is brilliant,” he whispered, but his voice was subdued and unlike anything that usually came from his lips. “You’re brilliant.”
I laughed freely, the beauty of the night better with a friend who could appreciate the same things I did. “Not brilliant, I’m just good at finding hidden places.”
He gave me another push, using my bottom as his focal point, which I found exciting and more than a little bit erotic. “You always loved to swing. The first day I met you, I could tell you wanted to fly away into the sky and leave everything behind.”
