Page 46 of Fated Midlife Christmas
This is the first time that I’ve been here. I didn’t have to do any digging or talk to any ghosts, and already, I’ve found the best treasure here.He moved up closer to her on their narrow track through the trees and rested his chin on her back.
She bent around, touching her nose to his for a moment before she continued on through the woods.Sometimes I don’t know what to say when you’re so sweet to me,she admitted.I guess I’m just not used to it.
You will be, eventually.Uncertainty clouded their future, but Lars was determined to find a way to clear it from the path.
Here we are.The woods broke, and they walked into a large clearing. A path led into it from one side and out the other, and in the very center stood an octagonal stone tower.It’s anobservation tower. There’s another one, a steel one, but this one is prettier.
Amanda dropped her bear and shifted back onto two feet as they entered the clearing. “I don’t think anyone else is here, considering there weren’t any cars in the parking lot when we got here, but this is probably safer.”
Lars shifted as well as they headed to the tower. “Can we go up?”
“I don’t know if it’s open today or not, but we can at least get to the first landing.” Amanda confidently led the way to the front of the tower. She passed a set of double doors and went up a staircase that wound up around the outside of the slim building. Then she tested the next set of doors, and the hinges creaked as they swung inward. “I guess the ranger didn’t lock them before he left for the holiday.”
“Lucky us,” Lars remarked.
They headed up the metal spiral staircase at the center of the tower. The view through the arched windows was already incredible, and so was the view of Amanda’s backside swaying ahead of him.
They reached the top floor, and she brought him straight over to the south side. “Look. You can see the Boston skyline from up here.”
“And everything else, too,” he remarked. The view was beautiful, stretching out over the trees as far as the eye could see.
They slowly moved from one window to the next as Amanda talked about what lay around them. “The steel tower is in that direction. Over there is Walden Pond, but it’s notthatWalden Pond. Over there is just a golf course, not very exciting. And then Dungeon Rock is that way.”
“You really do know it all quite well, don’t you?” He moved behind her as they stood in front of the window, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tight. The cold hadn’tbothered them in their bear forms. It didn’t bother him much when he held her, either.
She leaned into him, swaying back and forth slightly. “I guess I do. I suppose it’s true that you don’t really understand how much you know until you try to show someone else.”
“I felt the same way when we rebalanced the ley lines at The Crimson Veil. I told you things that hadn’t even crossed my mind since I was a boy.” He rested his cheek against hers, inhaling her scent.
A few long moments of relaxed silence fell between them. “When does your flight leave tomorrow?” she finally asked.
Just as they couldn’t avoid conversation that related to their bond, neither could they avoid their inevitable separation. “Ten in the morning.” Once again, the clock ticked in his mind with a deep, resounding note.
“Do you need a ride or anything?” she offered.
“No. I have to take my rental car back to the airport, anyway.” He wished that wasn’t the case.
She turned in his arms, and her hands splayed out on his chest. “So this is our last day.”
He kissed her forehead. “Just for now.”
Amanda lifted her lashes and looked up at him with a smile. “Are you up for one last dinner with my family? They like to make the most of the holidays, and any excuse to have the house full makes them happy.”
“Then it makes me happy, too.” He kissed her again, but this time on the lips. She was so warm and soft, and she made his whole body surge toward her with nothing more than the gentlest movement of her mouth.
They made their way back down the stone tower, and this time, Amanda led them out the other side of the clearing. Lars instantly switched back to his bear, pleased to see that shewanted to do the same as they meandered back to the parking lot.
They wouldn’t be together much longer, but at least they could be as close as possible until then.
18
“You absolutely must come backand see us,” Lucille insisted as Lars and Amanda tried making their way to the front door of the covenstead. “You’re welcome any time.”
“Thank you. It’s been wonderful to meet you all.”
More hugs and handshakes came his way.
Kendrick reached out his hand. “You’ve made a huge difference in our lives, Lars. We won’t forget it anytime soon.”
