Page 81 of Midnights
His eyes light up as he keeps going. “Fast forward about ten years. My favorite restaurant was going out of business, and I thought,why not? Bought the place, fixed it up, tweaked the menu, and the rest is history.” He claps his hands together just as we reach the clearing. “Ahhh, here we are… the infamous forest.”
I inhale the familiar crispness of pine and earth as it fills my lungs. No matter how many times I’ve been here, it never gets old.
I hear Raven gasp as it cuts through the quiet, all talk of restaurants forgotten.
Before I can say a damn word, she bolts into the trees.
“Oh. My. God,” She spins in a slow circle with her arms stretched out, taking in everything at once.
She looks like shebelongshere, untouched by the world outside. The way her lips part in awe nearly knocks the breath from my lungs.Fuck me.That look alone makes me want to hand her the whole damn forest.
“Is there a certain time we need to be out of here, or can we stay a while?” She asks, turning to me, her excitement crackling in the air between us.
If it were up to me, I’d let her stay here as long as she wanted.
Cam chuckles behind me, but I keep my voice even. “I don’t think the trees are going anywhere anytime soon. But we did plan on taking you guys to dinner at some point.” I glance at Raven, who’s already looking waytoo hopeful. “Totally up to you.”
Her face lights up. “Wait… what time does this place close? And can we go to your place for dinner, Cam?”
He just laughs, shaking his head. “We’ll head out around five so we can make it to dinner, unless you had something else in mind?”
Rachel practically bounces in place. “Nope! That sounds perfect. A private dinner at your restaurant? What more could a girl ask for?”
I look at Raven, expecting some type of reaction, but she’s already back to touching trees, brushing her fingers over the rough bark like she’s memorizing the way it feels.
We spend another hour wandering through the woods, throwing out bits of history about the estate and answering their endless stream of questions. Their excitement is contagious, and for the first time in a long time, I catch myself seeing this place the way they do.
Cam and Rachel walk ahead, locked in a heated debate over who’s the better poker player. I can hear their laughter echoing through the trees. Meanwhile, Raven strolls beside me, her steps slow and thoughtful. The way her head tilts back with her eyes fixed on the sky makes it feel like she’s seeing something the rest of us can’t. It keeps me rooted in place, caught between admiration and temptation.
She’s lost in her own world, and I can’t decide if that’s what makes her so damn captivating or so damn dangerous to me.
“That's a really great way to trip and fall on your ass,” I tease, keeping my tone light, hoping to break the spell she’s under or maybe it’s the one I’m under.
She lowers her eyes to the ground, looking around. “Is that your professional opinion?”
“Absolutely. Maybe you should hold my hand?” I extend my hand with a smirk. “I’d hate for you to fall, although Iwillhave to charge you a rescue fee.”
She lets out a scoff, and her lips twitch at the corners. “Oh really? And what’s the fee for a forest rescue?”
“Priceless,I’m afraid.”
I lean in, unable to help myself as I tuck a curl behind her ear. Her cheeks flush and fuck if it doesn’t make my fingers twitch with the need to touch her again. But instead, I shove my hands into my pockets, hoping it’ll keep them in check.
She tilts her head, giving me a slow once-over, then grins like she’s figured something out. “Youwouldassume that I’d trip. Or is this just your terrible attempt at getting me to hold your hand?”
I chuckle, stepping a little closer. “If I wanted to hold your hand, Princess, I wouldn’task.” My voice drops just enough to let the implication hang between us.
Her lips part and I can see the fire spark in her eyes. I know she’s about to fire back something that’ll go straight to my dick and make me regret teasing her in the first place. But before she can speak, ayelpechoes through the trees, cutting through the moment like a blade.
We both whip our heads toward the sound just in time to see Rachel go flying. Her arms flail as she hits the ground with a loudthud. She’s sprawled out on the forest floor, laughing hysterically despite falling on her ass.
“Rachel!”
Raven rushes over, but Cam is already kneeling beside her, scanning her legs for damage. “Jesus, are you okay?”
Rachel waves him off, still giggling. “I’m fine! I just… forgot how to walk for a second.”
I shake my head. “Shocking.”
