Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
We talked about our trip to France and all the things we did that weren’t business related. Charmed by the history, the ancient buildings and the simpler way of life outside the major cities, Kat now yearns to return to Europe and explore. We lay in bed and I told her about my travels, and all I could think was that I’d love to be the one to take her, but to voice that aloud would cause her to shut down and bolt.
So I took what she offered, which was some companionable cuddling and conversation.
Oh, it didn’t last long. She eventually realized that we were talking candidly and with ease. If we didn’t have a tattered history between us, she might have stayed longer.
But nope. She bolted, and she’s been silent this morning. Hasn’t responded to my texts, either inviting her to get together or about winery-related items. She’s even ignored my text asking how Sylvie has been doing this week since she’s attending a horse camp Blackburn Farms is putting on. Sylvie wasn’t committed to riding but they do all kinds of fun things on the farm, and her friend Carmen is attending, the main reason she agreed to do it.
Kat has underestimated my determination though, and as I creep stealthily among the quiet and darkened barns, my eyes adjusting to the dark, I don’t waste time getting to my destination.
Looking up the staircase that leads to her apartment door, I’m pleased to see her living room light is on and her Jeep is parked beside the building. The sconce light at her door throws a tiny bit of illumination down on me. Everything else around me is dark, including the main house off in the distance on a knoll.
The efficient thing to do would be to march up the stairs and knock on her door.
The smart thing to do would be to call her and let her know I’m here.
If someone were to make a list of my qualities, efficiency and intelligence would be at the top no doubt. But I need to do something different, so I’m going to call on a quality that is rusty at best.
Bending over, I grab some pea gravel and start pelting her window. By about the fifth one, Kat’s face appears at the glass and she frowns as she looks out. I can tell when her eyes lock right on me because I can see the flash of irritation from where I’m standing.
She disappears and then the door opens. I drop the gravel, brush my hands off on my jeans and start for the staircase.
“Stop,” she says, and I look up to see her holding her palm out to me. “I’m not inviting you in.”
“That’s good,” I say, halting at the bottom step and leaning my elbow on the railing. “Because I want you to come with me.”
“Oh please,” she drawls, crossing her arms over her chest. “You came for a booty call but you already had one last night.”
I grin up at her. “There’s no lie in the fact I’d consider it a perfect evening if I were to end up in your bed, but I really do want you to go somewhere with me.”
“Why?” she asks suspiciously.
I throw my arms out and mock her. “Oh come on, Kat. Live a little. Be adventurous. Come with me.”
The indecision wars on her face. She’s not in her pajamas but I’ll bet she wasn’t too far off from going to bed as I know she’s an early riser. But tonight is too beautiful to let it go to waste.
“Where are we going?” she asks.
“That would be no fun if I told you,” I reply, refusing to give her any assurances. She needs to want this or else she’ll never get to where I want her to go.
Glancing down at her watch, back inside her apartment, and then back down to her watch, she huffs in frustration. “How long will we be gone?”
“An hour max,” I promise.
“Fine,” she mutters, grabbing her purse and a jacket. I wait for her to lock up and when she reaches me at the bottom of the stairs, she mutters, “You could have just texted or called rather than sneaking here to throw rocks at my window.”
Laughing, I grab her hand to lead her into the darkness and I’m surprised she doesn’t pull away. “You haven’t responded to any of the texts I’ve sent today and besides… I thought you would find this charming.”
“I find it foolish,” she replies primly, but I hear a lightness in her tone that wasn’t there when she was glaring down at me from her porch a minute ago.
We traverse through well-known paths back to my G Wagon and I open the door for her. She makes no comment about the vehicle, but then again, I didn’t expect her to. That’s not her thing… buying expensive stuff just because she can.