“Whatever you say,” he said, and allowed his gaze to wander to her low cut jeans that hugged tightly to her hips, hips he noticed, that swayed nicely with each long stride. She must have been in a really good mood.
Following Grace to the front desk, he fought back a smile as she was nearly dancing next to him as he checked them out of the room.
“Well,” the woman at the desk said, giving Kilian an appraising smile, “I guess someone had a good morning.”
Kilian’s lips twitched, “Not as good as it could have been,” and blinked at the small hand that slapped him hard on his chest.
“You’ll have to forgive my friend here,” Grace said with a roll of her eyes, “He doesn’t seem to understand that some conversations stay in the bedroom.”
The portly woman behind the desk gave Grace a sympathetic smile, “Oh, just the way of them. My Charlie would say all kinds of things, especially after a couple drinks.”
“Thank you for understanding,” Grace said, as she handed her the room’s key. Not waiting for him, Grace walked to the door and out into the sun-streaked front lawn.
As he closed the door behind them, he turned back to face her, and she was gone.
“Grace?” Kilian called, and as he stepped through the garden gate, he saw her. She was running. “Grace?”
Throwing himself full speed ahead, he darted after her. He caught up with her easily enough as she bolted out. He opened his mouth to tell her to slow down, so that she didn’t wear herself out. He didn’t get a word out, though, too taken aback by the smile she threw over her shoulder.
She was radiant with her brown hair flying behind her, her dark eyes all but glowing from the joy within. Let her run, he thought, whatever it was that brought that smile to her lovely face, he never wanted it to end.
She stopped when they were several feet away from the bridge and took a deep breath of the cool dawn air.
“I suppose running there might not be such a good idea.”
Kilian looked down at their feet. “I wouldn’t suggest it this morning. My shoes are comfortable enough but definitely aren’t running shoes.”
Grace chuckled. Its warmth rolled over him. It was a sound he preferred over the snappiness of yesterday evening.
“Yeah,” Grace said. “Same here. Let’s go.”
“Just waiting on you,” he said. A half-smile tugged at his lips as he looked at her.
She started walking again, slower this time. Kilian matched his stride to hers as they made their way back to the Wishing Bridge. This morning’s silence was comfortable, companionable. While he kept a casual eye out to make sure there was nothing to trip them up, Kilian split his attention between the sunrise and Grace’s reaction to the sunrise.
As beautiful as the sunrise over the Purple Mountains Range, Grace’s expressions fascinated him. Her smile outshone the sun. Oh God, he was going mushy. He focused his gaze straight ahead. He’d never done this with another woman, studying their face with such intensity. Then again, he’d never spent so much time out of bed with another woman.
Focus, Kilian, he told himself. You agreed to come with her for the sake of your family. It was her father’s fault they had lost the folio. The minutes rolled by and the walk to the Wishing Bridge was more enjoyable than the last night’s walk from it.
“What a difference a few hours make,” Grace said, stopping long enough to give a quick stretch.
“Would you like me to carry your backpack?” Kilian asked.
“Thank you, no. I’ve got it.” She continued walking.
Kilian watched her hips sway, and wondered for one arousing moment, how they would move on top of him.
Catching up to her, they finished the trip to the Wishing Bridge in the same fashion they spent most of the walk: in silence. Grace slung her backpack into his car. He set his next to hers.
“So?”
Grace grinned, “This way.”
She walked past the front of his Volkswagen to a tree just on the other side of the bridge. Its trunk butted up against the stones, and he grimaced, hoping his car hadn’t been scratched. Pushing the thought aside, he followed Grace around the tree and watched her squat down.
“What?” she demanded as his eyes wandered to her backside.
“Nothing, just a beautiful morning.” He grinned.
