Quickly, another memory rushed through, involving this very stream and the boy who tormented her as a child. Oncewhen her parents were visiting, Judith had come to this section of the estate, hoping to have privacy. Instead, she’d had a run-in with Trey.
As a young girl, she enjoyed taking off her stockings and shoes, wading through the water without anyone knowing. On this particular day, she’d followed her urges. This was where Trey had found her. By this time in her life, she was leery of trusting him, and rightly so since he went out of his way to tease her.
He’d convinced her to continue wading through the stream, because he and his brothers had done this many times. Soon, she’d realized her mistake in trusting him since he led her to a section in the water that was deeper. She’d fallen, twisted her ankle, and ruined a new gown.
Judith shook her head, chuckling over the memory. Strange how different they both were now. Although, she still had a hard time trusting him not to lead her into deep water in all aspects of her life.
She sat on the grassy spot near the water and stared at the stream. A slight wind rustled through the leaves on the tall oaks, and in the distance chirping birds relaxed her. If only real life could be as serene. Unfortunately, Trey wouldn’t let it.
She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her forehead against them as she wrapped her arms around her legs. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, allowing the soft sounds around her to put her into another world where she could dream to her heart’s content.
“Ah, I see you have found my favorite spot.”
The deep timbre of Trey’s voice jerked her alert. She snapped her head up and met his twinkling eyes. The sun created a halo around his head until he walked into the shade near her. His rugged appearance nearly stole the breath right from her throat, as did his charming smile.
This wasnotgood at all!
Chapter Fourteen
He motioned tothe grass beside her. “May I sit?”
Judith nodded, not knowing what to say since words had left her mind. All she wanted to do was stare at his handsome profile, content to study him.
Once he sat, he bent his knees up like she had hers, then looked at her. “It’s so peaceful here, don’t you agree?”
Her throat had turned dry, so she swallowed. “Indeed, I do.”
“As a lad, I used to come here with Tristan quite a bit. Especially in the summer months.”
“Why the summer?”
Trey chuckled and moved his stare to the water. He picked up a rock and tossed it in. “Because boys do a lot of adventurous things, and he and I used to wrestle. We would wrestle in the water, just to see who could get soaked the quickest. The heat was horrendous, and getting wet made it bearable.”
Her heart softened from his confession. “I’m certain you ruined a lot of clothes that way.”
“Not really. They dried quickly enough, so Mother never knew what mischief kept us from our studies.”
She laughed. “I love being outdoors, especially when it’s quiet. I find it easier to think that way.”
He nodded. “Very true.” His focus came back to her. “Would you like to be alone now? I will leave if you wish.”
“That’s all right. I do not mind your company.” Once she said it, she wondered why. She did mind his company, especially when it made her so confused.
He raised his brows. “Indeed? When did this turn of events happen? I thought you abhorred my presence.”
She couldn’t stop the tug pulling up one corner of her mouth. “Only when you insist on being wicked, my lord.”
A loud laugh came from deep in his chest, making his body shake. The color of his eyes softened. “Oh, but I think you enjoy that, my sweet. More than you let on.”
“I shall never tell.” Although she wanted to stop smiling, she couldn’t. She turned her head and tried not to look at him, but focused on the water, instead.
Silence lasted a few minutes as she snuck peeks at him. What could he be thinking now? His wandering gaze slid over her in a slow perusal, heating her up quickly. If he didn’t say something soon, she might scream with frustration. Perhaps she should leave. Being this close was not good for her health.
Suddenly, a chuckle came from him, making him turn to meet her stare. “Do you remember that time when you and your parents stayed the night, and my brothers and I snuck in through the bedroom window and pretended to be ghosts?”
It only took a few seconds before the memory hit her full force. Laughing, she nodded. “I do recall that time. You had me frightened to death and I didn’t want to come out of the covers.” She arched an eyebrow and cocked her head. “Do you know I could not sleep without a candle in my room for a month afterwards?”
Trey tilted back his head and roared with laughter. “Oh, dearest Judith. You knew it was us, so why had it scared you so badly?”
