One Tiny Lie – Jennifer Youngblood Page 0,29
effort to catch her. He took a quick assessment of Ava. She was breathing hard too. A thin coat of perspiration covered the bridge of her nose. Her violet eyes were lit with the fevered excitement of living fully in the moment. Her high cheekbones were brushed with color from the physical exertion, making her look so incredibly beautiful that it took all the willpower Hudson could muster to keep from jumping off his bike, gathering her in his arms, and crushing her lips with his.
He caught something in her eyes, a blip of desire maybe. Was Ava reading his thoughts? Was she having similar feelings? A flame of hope leapt in his chest. They shared a long, intimate smile. Then, something interesting happened. A deep rose color flushed in Ava’s cheeks, and she looked down, her lashes brushing against her milky skin in a demure, feminine gesture. He’d seen Ava do that several times recently. If he didn’t know better, he’d think Ava was a bit shy. He really liked this side of her. He scooted his bike closer. “I didn’t realize you were such an avid biker.”
A large grin flitted over her lips, deepening the dimples in her cheeks. “See, there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” There was a hint of a challenge sparkling in her eyes. They looked more blue today than purple.
“I’m starting to believe that.” This date was going much different from what Hudson had planned. He’d taken Ava to his family’s vineyard where he’d arranged for them to go horseback riding. After all, it was one of Ava’s favorite things to do. However, when they got to the stables, he detected a funky tension and could tell that Ava wasn’t keen on going riding. He called her out on it, and she admitted that she’d rather do something else.
“I’m game for anything,” Hudson responded. The next thing he knew, they were at a local outdoor shop, renting bikes. Now, here they were, roaming all over Sonoma.
She pulled her water bottle from the rack and lifted it to her lips. He also reached for his, taking a long, refreshing drink. He swiped his arm over his forehead to remove the perspiration.
Ava’s gaze surveyed the landscape around them. Hudson followed her trail of vision, taking in the rolling hills, dotted with rows of leafy grapevines. Framing the vineyards were patches of trees tipped with hints of yellow, evidence that fall was fast approaching. The blue-gray mountains in the distance hovered just below the ceiling of azure sky.
“It’s so majestic,” Ava said with a trace of awe.
“How do you do that?”
“What?” she asked, a bemused smile tugging at her lips.
“Look at the scenery like you’re seeing it for the first time.”
She blinked, an impish grin overtaking her features. “Isn’t that the idea? To start fresh?”
“Yeah, but you’re so convincing that I could almost believe this is all new to you.”
She laughed easily. “I don’t think I could ever grow tired of looking at this spectacular scenery. In a few more weeks, it’ll be ablaze with color.”
“Yes, it will,” he agreed. Sonoma Valley was picturesque, especially during the fall. Tourists would then flock to the valley to enjoy all the harvest activities and the colorful leaves. Now, however, they had the area all to themselves. They were stopped along the side of a rural road. Not a car or person in sight, just the two of them, as if they were the center of the universe.
Ava began quoting, “‘To me, fair friend, you never can be old, for as you were when first your eye I eyed, such seems your beauty still.’”
He tipped his head in amusement. “Shakespeare?”
“Sonnet One Hundred and Four.”
Hudson was impressed. “Since when do you like Shakespeare?”
“I love Shakespeare.”
“I had no idea,” he mused. “You’ve never quoted Shakespeare before.”
Her eyes lit with amusement. “‘Have more than you show, speak less than you know,’” she quipped.
He searched his brain, trying to come up with what few quotes that he knew from Shakespeare. He held up his index finger. “‘To be, or not to be: that is the question.’”
She laughed as she continued the verse,
“‘Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them. To die: to sleep...’”
“It’s from Hamlet,” she clarified.
“Wow, that was impressive. Can you finish this one?” He raised his hands, thrusting out his chest as he began, his voice dripping with drama,
“‘This above all: to