“I thought you said you could teach all kinds.”
She jerked her head up. “I can. It’s just teaching a dance team routine is different than teaching ballet.” She headed toward the foyer and lingered by the front door. “Thank you again for all your help today.”
The mood shifted so fast, he almost got whiplash. He followed her to the door and hesitated. He didn’t want to leave, not yet. This was the first day in a long time he’d enjoyed being with someone else. He’d noticed the townspeople casting curious stares in their direction as they walked from tent to tent. He’d also noticed how many looks of appreciation he’d gotten from the majority of the town’s male population.
He stopped in front of her. “Have you gotten a chance to walk down to your pond?”
“No. I’ve been too busy with the house. I was going to walk down today if I got back before dark. I’ll go tomorrow.”
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and led her out the door.
“But it’s dark.”
“I’ve got a flashlight in my truck.” He was halfway across the yard with her in tow. “You never know what you might see at night. You might see a deer or raccoon.”
“Or bear.” She tightened her grip on his hand.
“We don’t get a lot of bears out here. I think you’re pretty safe.” He held the light near the ground as they entered the woods.
A wide trail, big enough for them to walk side by side, wound through the canopy of lush green trees and ferns. The occasional drone of the bullfrog and the click of the cicada echoed in the darkness.
They broke through the woods and into the clearing.
Moonlight spilled across the water like milk. Two geese rested quietly atop their watery nest, each with its beak tucked under its wing.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
“Yes, it is.” He gazed at her profile illuminated by the moonlight. Her face was animated as she took in the scene. He’d grown up here and it didn’t really seem special until tonight. Being with her made it special.
He laced his fingers through hers and looked back at the pond. Somehow, tonight the moon seemed fuller, the trees seemed greener and the darkness seemed magical.
“Do those geese live here?”
He chortled. “Yes. At least until they get bored and move on to another pond.”
She looked up at him. “Is there any way I can make sure they don’t leave?”
“No, not really. You could come down here every day and put some bread out. They might be more likely to stay if you kept them fed.”
She glanced back at the water and pointed. “What’s that in the water? A turtle?”
He shone the light across the pond’s surface. The beam of light landed on the creature gliding through the water at a zigzag pace.
“That would be a snake.”
Grace screamed and leaped into his arms. The flashlight tumbled to the ground. She let out another scream as she tried to crawl up his body. She wrapped her legs around his waist, while her arms circled his neck like a python.
“Grace, you’re going to have to loosen your grip.” He wheezed through his constricted throat.
“No.” She buried her face in his neck.
“You’re going to have to stand up so I can get the flashlight.”
She shook her head against his neck. If he could breathe, he wouldn’t mind how nice her body felt pressed up against his.
“I can’t get back to the house without a light.”
“Use your phone.”
“What?” His fingers eased between her arm and his neck and he pulled. He managed to suck in a deep breath.
“Use your flashlight app on your phone.” Her lips brushed against his neck. His body heated.
He reached in his back jeans pocket and fished out his phone. Turning on his flashlight app, he held it out in front of them.
“I’m guessing you want me to carry you back to the house.”
“Yes. I might step on the snake.”
He laughed. “All right but you’ve got to loosen you grip or I’m going to pass out.”
She loosened her hold as she kept her face buried in the crook of his neck. He placed one hand under her butt and the other held out the phone, lighting the path back to the house. The gentle bounce of her body made him ache in places he long thought dead. He stifled a groan.
If he didn’t get her back to the house and get her off him she was going to have a nice hard surprise poking her in the stomach.
The path finally gave way to the yard. He shoved the phone back in his pocket. He held her tight until he walked around to the front of the house.
She pulled back to look at him and grimaced. “I’m sorry. You can put me down now.”
He didn’t want to let her go. She felt so good in his arms. Too damn good.
He walked to the front steps and stopped. Slowly, he let her slide down, every inch of their bodies pressing together like an intimate caress.