“What about you? What are you looking for?”
“The same thing,” I admitted. “Someone to spend time with. Share our lives. Have a family with.”
“You want kids?” His feet stopped walking, and mine did, too. Caleb pulled me closer to him, and I nodded as I stared up at his baby-blue eyes. “And that’s a must?”
“I want a family,” I whispered. “Kids. A couple of them running around.” I smiled and shrugged, feeling slightly vulnerable as I shared my dreams. The only one I’d ever really had that had been truly just for me.
“I’ve been really lucky in life,” I whispered. “Career wise. It kinda started right out of high school.”
“Really?” He frowned, and I nodded.
“Yeah, and I’ve done well for myself. I traveled a lot. Made great investments, and I’ve been successful… career wise. Helped my mom with my sisters.”
“What do you?—“
“But the one thing I’ve only ever wanted? It was to meet someone, my one… Does that make sense?” He swallowed. His eyes dipped down to my lips before he nodded. “I want my one, and I want to get married and have kids. I know it sounds stupid and maybe a little old fashioned, but… I’ve done the career thing. I’ve traveled. A lot. And now that it’s coming to an end?—“
“Wait, why would your career be ending? You’re only twenty-eight.”
“Yeah,” I sighed and shook my head. I had no idea why I couldn’t get myself to tell him I was a model. Maybe because any regular guy I’d ever talked to in the past, at the end of the day, had been seriously intimidated by my job and who I worked with. So much that we never go past a second date.
“We’re here.” I pointed to the entrance of the ski resort. He swallowed and watched me for a moment. I loved how he looked at me, like he couldn’t believe his eyes, and everything inside of me wanted to believe it was more that physical.
“Is it weird to say I’m not ready for tonight to end?” he asked, and I grinned.
“Well, you still have to give me a ride.”
“What?” His voice cracked. The surprise in his voice only made him more endearing to me. Any other guy would have had some kind of immature response about the kind of ride they would happily give me. But maybe that was the difference between Caleb and every other man I’d ever met? He was a grown, responsible man, while everyone else had been stupid boys. Even the older ones I’d taken a chance on in the past.
“Would you like to walk by the lake?” he offered and quickly added, “I can go get you another coat if it’s too cold.”
“You want me to go back to your room?” I wasn’t sure if I was testing him or teasing him. The idea of going back to his room and see just how much more compatible we were didn’t sound half bad to me. There was no denying the mutual attraction.
“No,” he quickly answered and winced. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no but…”
“But?” I found myself asking a little too breathily.
“But I don’t want you to be cold, and the lake’s so pretty.” He pointed out, “Plus, there’s no rain like you said there would be.” That made me laugh.
“There will be,” I promised. I could smell it in the air now that we were closer to the lake. “I’m good for a walk,” I agreed even if I thought rain was coming. Squeezing my hand, he led the way down to the lake in a comfortable silence. There was something comforting about being around him.
Caleb Walker made me feel all sorts of things. Safe. Excited. Calm. Turned on. Seen.
He led us down the way. The water was eerily still and beautiful. We stopped at the edge, and he moved behind me before wrapping his arms around me, pressing his front to my back, sharing his body heat with me.
“This okay?” he murmured, his lips a breath from the shell of my ear.
“Perfect,” I whispered and meant it. My heart began to gallop inside my chest.
“Warm?” I nodded, trying to find the courage to turn around. But I knew the moment I did, I’d kiss him.
“Thank you for tonight,” I said softly.
“For a walk?”
“For the best date I’ve ever been on.” And I meant that. I’d been flown to Italy and Dubai in the past. Men had planned lavish things, not because they thought I would enjoy them but because they wanted to throw their money around like it was something that could impress me but never had.
“This wasn’t a date,” he might have mumbled, but I could hear the smile in his voice.
