Page 80 of All Roads Lead to You

“I’d love to come with you,” she said impulsively. “I mean, I’ve been wanting to do some of this outdoor stuff for ages. Do you have room?”

Finn was sitting in an old armchair that had been dragged out onto the deck, the stuffing coming out of several holes in the arms and back. He held a beer between his long fingers; the rustic wooden coffee table sitting between them was loaded up with a glass of orange juice for her and plates containing a mixture of pregnancy-friendly cheeses, crackers, and olives.

The food, naturally, had been Finn’s idea. Her morning sickness came and went, and on good days he took his role of providing for her very seriously, cooking meals or putting together little grazing plates for her. Often, he’d bring her back a sausage roll from town whenever he’d finished leading a tour, or he’d slip into the gallery and leave one on the counter.

“That man is wooing you with food,” Izzy had commented.

Beth had told her that she didn’t need wooing. She’d already been wooed.

But Izzy had only shrugged. “The Kelly men are like that. Chase cooked me breakfast and brought me constant coffees. Just saying…”

The thought had made Beth uncomfortable, though she couldn’t have said for certain why, so she tried not to pay too much attention to it. However, since Izzy had brought up the subject, she couldn’t help noticing that Finn was definitely on a mission to make sure she ate well.

Now, he gave her his trademark enigmatic look, dark eyes impenetrable. She’d thought he’d become easier to read, since they were living together and getting to know each other, and while that hadn’t entirely been the case, she had learned that when he looked at her like that he actually had quite a few thoughts on the subject and was trying to figure out which particular one he was going to go with.

“You don’t want me to come,” she said before he could reply, trying not to feel hurt about it. “Do you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, but you’re giving me that look.”

“What look?”

“The Finn Kelly ‘I am mysterious and I am trying to hide my true feelings’ look.”

He glanced down at the beer bottle in his hand, but she saw the way his sexy mouth curved. She’d amused him.

The hurt feeling lessened. Getting a smile out of the man was like getting blood out of a stone, so when she succeeded…it felt like winning the lottery.

“I’m hiding my true feelings, huh?” He glanced up again, not bothering to hide his smile this time, the sight sending a wash of heat through her the way it always did. “As it happens, my true feelings are that I’d love you to come if you want to. But I’m concerned about you riding. Have you ever been on a horse before?”

A small, hot glow of joy unfurled inside her. He’d “love” her to come…

Don’t be stupid. It’s only a horse trek. That “love” doesn’t mean anything and you know it.

Of course it didn’t. She was being stupid and needed to calm the hell down.

Beth shook her head. “Nope, not once.”

“Okay, well, I’m not sure—”

“It’s a beginners’ trek, you said,” she interrupted before he could get going and forbid her entirely. “So presumably there will be others who also haven’t been on a horse before.”

“Yes, but—”

“And the horses are all quiet, steady, good beginners’ horses?”

“Again, yes, but—”

“And it’s a gentle ride through farmland and a bit of bush, no difficult terrain?”

Finn just looked at her, dark eyes glittering with amusement.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” Beth smiled in what she hoped was a winning manner, because now she’d decided she really wanted to go. “So what’s the issue? If you want me to come, why don’t I?”

“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?” He raised his beer to his lips and took a swallow.

“When it comes to getting something I want, yes, I do.” She picked up a cracker with some cheese on it and took a bite. “Come on, let me come. What’s the big deal?”

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