Page 58 of Loyally, Luke
“Only you’re much better,” she finished, holding his gaze long enough to bring a little heat to his chest. “The only thing you’re missing is a dog and a Christmas tree farm.”
“I hope I have a bit more sense too,” he murmured and then squinted back up at her. “I don’t have a farm, but Idohave two dogs.”
She shifted down a little closer to the trunk, lowering one booted foot to the next branch. “Do you? What are their names?”
“Chewy and Indie.” Would she get the references?
She paused and looked back down at him, her braid swishing and her smile growing. “Nice choices. I have a cat named Loki.”
“Loki? That’s ’bout right.” He bent his head and shook it slowly, wondering how in the world she could get any better. Well, being willing to move across the world would probably be a good start. He drew in a breath. “So,friend”—he placed his hands on his hips—“you gonna come down from there, or should I build you a tree house?”
Her mouth dropped wide. “Have you built one before?”
“A couple. My favorite was for my cousin’s children.”
She began a slow descent. “I asked my father for one once, but he had a small cottage built instead. Not exactly the same thing.”
“Gotta give him props for going big, though.” He held his palms out as she wavered a bit on one of the branches, ready for a slip. Hadn’t he seen a movie where something like this happened? He winced.Oh Lord, help me.
He almost pulled his arms back.
Ellie chuckled. “You could say that, I suppose, but there’s something magical about the idea of a tree house, don’t you think?” Then she froze. “Oh wait, Luke, a photo! Did you bring the camera?”
He raised the device up for her to see. “But I’m not great at using one.”
“That’s all right. I just want it for my memory.” She posed, looking at him expectantly, so with careful movements, he took a few shots.
And she looked great in all of them.
She thanked him and finished her descent, but just as she neared the lowest limb, she slipped and, like the flannel-wearing Hallmark hero he didn’t want to be, he caught her.
Her orange scent slipped around him as her body crashed into his chest.
“Well, it’s a good thing you were here... isn’t it?” Her words hitched and their gazes locked as he lowered her to the ground, her body pressed against his.
Maybe this hero gig wasn’t so bad after all.
There was only a slight pause as he stared down at her and she stared right back, and then... their lips found each other. She seemed to anticipate the kiss as much as he did because her fingers slipped right up his neck to bury in his hair as if she knew exactly what he wanted.Heaven and earth!He pulled her closer, stumbling in the process, but neither broke the kiss. Of course, with the grip she had on him, she was about as interested in stopping as he was. Her back pressed against the tree, their position likely hidden from view with the tree trunk behind them and the limbs hanging low.
One of his palms came up to frame her cheek before it trailed slowly down her neck to hook onto that braid. The silken softness of her hair slipped beneath his rough palm like one of the best feelings in the world.
She made a whimper of a sound and pulled back—or tried—but there was a tree in the way. He’d always liked trees.
“We... we can’t keep doing this.” Her fingers entwined into his jacket, almost like her brain and her hands wanted two different things. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“It makes about the best sense of anything I’ve ever done.”
“That is not your brain talking.” Her lips tilted into a very kissable smile.
“Even if a man finds a woman kissable and she sees the man in a similar way and they both commence to act accordingly with a great deal of enjoyment?” He raised a brow. “From your nonverbal communication, I’m assuming it was mutual.”
She sighed in answer and his grin spread wide. “Makes pretty good sense to me.”
Something flickered in her eyes and her smile fell. “Luke, it would be ridiculous to deny that there is a real attraction between the two of us.”
“Very ridiculous.”
She nodded, her gaze searching his. “And I think you could turn out to be one of the very best men I’ve ever known.”
