Page 12 of Lucius

When they reached the tour waiting area, he introduced her to the guys behind the kiosk.

“The keys are in the Jeep, you’ve got the full hour,” Benjamin said. “We’ll radio when the three p.m. tour starts.”

“Thanks, guys,” Lucius said.

He escorted Sidney to a blue camo-colored Jeep and helped her into the passenger seat.

He got behind the wheel and started the engine. “Usually, VIP guests sit in the back, but you’re extra special.”

“This is awesome. I’m so glad I came here today.”

“Trust me, sweetheart, I am too.”

The first stop was the elephants. He took her picture with a professional camera at the gate of the paddock, and then stayed by her side as she took her own pictures and sketched a bit of one of the elephants. They spent a long time at each paddock, only moving on when he’d asked her multiple times if she was sure she didn’t want to stay longer.

The truth was that even though the animals were amazing up close, she was mostly enjoying her time with him.

She couldn’t really understand how her feelings were so strong for him when they’d just met. She felt like she was half in love with him already, which seemed impossible.

But…it also felt very right.

She hadn’t believed in love at first sight until she’d met Lucius.

She sure as heck believed in it now.

They spent the longest at the last paddock, where Tank the moose, deer, and antelope hung out near a pond and grazed onthe grasses around the large space. She leaned against the brick wall by the gate and sketched the big moose.

“I wouldn’t want to meet him outside of the paddock,” she said. “He looks like he could do some damage with those horns.”

“He’s a gentle giant,” Lucius said. “Unless he’s in a bad mood, and then watch out.”

She laughed.

He leaned over and peeked at her sketch of Tank.

“You’re so good at drawing.”

“Thanks,” she said. “I love it so much. And having a chance to really sketch like this is more than I could have asked for. This has been so incredible.” She gave his biceps a squeeze and for a moment she swore his blue eyes turned amber.

But just as quickly as she thought she’d seen them change, they were blue again. A pretty summer sky blue that matched his lightly tanned skin and dark blond hair.

His walkie beeped, and he lifted it and pressed a button.

“Lucius.”

“The next tour is about to start, where are you guys?”

“We’re at the last paddock.”

“Good. Do you need more time?”

He gave Sidney a questioning look, and she said, “I’m good.”

“We’re finishing up.”

Hanging the walkie back on his belt, he said, “We have time if you’d like to stay a little longer.”

“You don’t have to go back to work at all?”

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