Page 63 of Rescued Hearts

He compressed his lips. “There’s a lot of security around the house. And Colt will be there tonight watching out for her.”

She considered it. “I’ll be going to the festival soon. Maybe it is a good idea to give it a test run.”

“Call her and talk it out. If she’s the least bit nervous, I’ll come back with you and stay there. If you want.”

“Of course I want!” She’d already pulled out her phone and selected Felicity from her list of contacts.

She held his stare as she spoke to her sister. “Hey, Felicity. How’s your day going so far?” She paused to listen to the response. “I’d say that sifting through a bunch of dusty old books sounds fun, but I’d be lying.” She chuckled, the sound snatched on the breeze and carrying to the four quarters of the ranch.

Gray couldn’t help but smile at the contagious sound.

“I have something I want to run by you. I want you to be completely, totally honest with me.”

He could make out the faint soprano of Felicity’s voice through the speaker.

When she ran the plan by Felicity, Gray watched her face closely. If he picked up any distress or worry in her expression, he wouldn’t hesitate to pivot and change the plan. Whether he stayed with her or she stayed here with him didn’t matter. He just wanted to be with her again, to hold her in his arms and wake up to her beautiful face.

“You’re sure?” Honor was saying. “We have the security measures, and Colt will be there watching the house overnight. All right. Well, promise me you’ll text me when you leave the bookstore. And when you get in the house too. Don’t think I won’t be watching the camera footage on the app.” She gave a low laugh and then they ended the call.

As she lowered the phone from her ear, she turned to face Gray. “She’s fine with me staying here. And she’s confident everything will be fine. She’s not nervous at all.”

“Great news.” Actually, he was pleased that, due to the safety measures the Black Heart Security had put into place, Honor felt secure. Maybe joining forces with Carson and his brothers wouldn’t be so bad.

Aimless,Carson had called him.

At one time, Gray wouldn’t have disagreed with him. But now…standing in front of a gorgeous and amazing woman, he didn’t feel so aimless anymore.

He leaned closer, lips hovering a breath away from hers, when he heard the telltale crunch of boots on gravel yet again.

“Eww. Get a room!” Willow’s sassy tone floated across the driveway to where he and Honor stood.

Just to gross his sister out, he leaned down and brushed his mouth over Honor’s. When he pulled away, the pink in her cheeks made her freckles stand out more, and she pressed her fingertips to her lips.

Willow rolled her eyes at them. “Bonfire’s starting soon. You two coming?”

He hesitated, feeling the weight of Honor’s focus on him. Hecouldtake her to the bonfire. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be among family and friends and joke with them.

But the bonfire meant flames shooting high into the air and the echoes of screams he only ever heard in his imagination. It meant something dark.

He didn’t want to experience any of those triggers in front of Honor or his friends and family.

He wanted tonight with Honor to be about something else.

“Not this time. We’ve got other plans.”

“I know you won’t be working on your book…so if you aren’ttangled up,you’re welcome to come have a beer and some goodies roasted over the fire whenever.” Willow tossed a wave at them and took off in long strides toward the house, probably to get cleaned up after working on the ranch all day.

When he swung his attention back to Honor, she was staring at him. “Other plans, huh?”

Lips quirking at one corner, he cupped her cheek in his hand. “I have an idea.”

By the time he fixed sandwiches for them and grabbed a couple jackets and a thick blanket for the bed of his truck, the sky had deepened to midnight blue.

Minutes later, they drove to one of the highest points of the ranch. Honor stared out the windshield, a gasp of surprise on her lips.

“Wow.”

“Let’s get out.”

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