Page 42 of Need Me
A smile tugged at her lips. “A just-because present, hmm?” Then the rest sunk in. “Camping!”
“Kate said you’d love it.” Robert sat her dress shoes to the side and shrugged. “I just don’t think it’s necessary to always wait until a special day to give someone apresent.”
The sweet sentiment made her eyes sting with tears. In the next instant, she laughed because Robert was putting socks on her feet. Not since she’d been little had anyone put shoes and socks onher.
“I feel like Cinderella,” shecommented.
Robert flashed a smile at her as he put a boot on her right foot. He finished with the boots and had her stand up. “They don’t match your dress, but you look beautiful inthem.”
Brooke chuckled as she took his arm. “They’re a littleclunky.”
“You’ll get used tothem.”
“Am I going to be wearing them long enough to get used tothem?”
Robert started leading her away from their vehicle and turned on the flashlight he’d grabbed from the backseat along with the boots. “Well…maybe not tonight, but definitelytomorrow.”
Brooke stopped walking and halted him. “Tomorrow? What are you talkingabout?”
A sheepish expression settled on his face. “I thought you’d be game to try camping thisweekend.”
Shocked into silence, Brooke stared athim.
“This is a special place to me,” Robert said. “It’s so pretty and peaceful here. I come here to unwind sometimes. I never brought anyone else here.” He looked away for a moment before his eyes met hers again. “Not evenKate.”
Further stunned, Brooke processed that. Knowing how close Robert and Kate were, it amazed her that he’d kept a special place from her. “Why?”
Robert started walking again. “Didn’t you ever have a place that was just yours, no one else’s? A place that made you feel better when you weresad?”
“Yes. Mine was the library because I could go anywhere when I was reading a book,” she said. “It was a great way to escape for a while. My parent’s didn’t hold back when they argued and they argued a lot.” That’s one of the reasons she longed to find Mr. Right. She didn’t want a life full of fights and making up. No rollercoaster for her, a sedate but beautiful stream train that chugged along leaving time to enjoy the beautiful ride was what shepreferred.
“I can relate to that.” He looked around. “This spot is mylibrary.”
As they rounded a tree, the flashlight beam illuminated a large, rectangular tent with a canvas awning over the tall door in the front of the structure. A couple of sturdy folding chairs sat under the awning, creating an invitingspace.
“That’s a big tent,” Brookesaid.
Robert nodded. “I can stand up in it and walk around. No bending over getting in and out of it. It has a living room space that’s separate from the bedroom. There’s a queen-sized air mattress and I have a generator for lights and to charge my cellphone and laptop.” He guided Brook to one of the chairs. “Have a seat here, and I’ll get the generatorgoing.”
“All right.” Brooke sat down and watched him walk out of sight. “Hope no bears eat me.” She was incredibly touched that he’d brought her here, but she’d never been camping before and wasn’t sure she was cut out forit.
In a moment, she heard a soft chug-chug sound and dim light filled the space beyond the tent. She got up and stepped out from under the awning. Tiny twinkle lights had been strung in the branches of a tree whose branches created an arch over the tent. It lent the camping space a fairytaleatmosphere.
“Likeit?”
Brooke turned to face him. “It’s beautiful, Robert. Soromantic.”
“Kate’s idea. She told me I have to bring her here one day so she can see her ideas in the flesh but right now the only woman I want here is you.” Smiling, he started tugging off his tie. “I want you to enjoy the experience. The tent is roomy and completely weather resistant. It’ll withstand high winds, intense heat or cold, and it’swatertight.”
Brooke laughed. “You sound like a commercial. If you say that it’s reliable, I believeit.”
He shrugged out of his jacket and laid it over one of the chairs. “Good. I wouldn’t bring you here if it wasn’tsafe.”
“Iknow.”
“Would you like a wine cooler or a beer?” heasked.
Brooke smiled. “No, thankyou.”
