her cheeks burn, and she remembered how they’d ended up at the inn today. “Didn’t you say you wanted to show me something when we were at Silk Hollow?” She narrowed her eyes and said, “Or was that just a ploy to get me into your bed?”
“As I recall, you distracted me from our mission with your need to rinse off.”
“Right,” she whispered, grinning like a fool. “I can’t say I’m sorry about that.”
“Then that makes two of us.” They finished their cereal, and he said, “I do have someplace I want to take you, but now I’m in a quandary because it’s a little late to go there, and I have something else I was hoping to do with you tonight.”
“Does it have anything to do with getting me upstairs in your bedroom again?” she asked with a shameful amount of hope.
“If it were up to me, I’d sweep you away to Neverland forevermore, but I can’t just let you use me for my body all week, or you won’t get to enjoy the whole Zev experience and realize how much you want more than six days with me.” He leaned in for a long, slow, sugary kiss and remained close as he said, “What I have in mind doesn’t end in the bedroom, but if you say you’ll hang out with me for a few more hours, I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
More time with Zev? Yes, please. That little warning voice in her head was drowned out by the pure enjoyment of being with him. “Now you’ve piqued my curiosity.”
“Say you’ll stay and hang out with me, Carls. Give us a chance.”
He said it so earnestly, she wanted to blurt out, I’ll stay! But she fell back into one of their games, because she missed those, too, and they had always made her happy, just like Zev. “Milk race? If you win, I’ll stay.” When they were younger, they’d race to see who could drink the milk from their cereal bowls the fastest, and Zev always won.
“You’re on.”
They picked up their bowls, and she said, “One.” Zev said, “Two,” and they both said, “Three,” and lifted their bowls to their lips, guzzling the sugary milk. Milk dripped down their chins, and Zev finished in seconds. He pushed to his feet and hollered, “Yes!” causing Bandit to jump up and bark.
Carly put her bowl on the table, and Zev swept her into his arms, kissing her hard, milk mustache and all. “You’re mine tonight, baby!”
“Oh, darn. Guess I have no choice but to endure a few more hours with you.”
“You played me like a fiddle, and it makes you even hotter. Come on, beautiful,” he said as he grabbed the bowls. “Let’s clean up these dishes, check on the chickens, and then I’ll show you your surprise.”
“Surprise? So, we’re going where you wanted to take me earlier?”
“Nope. We’ll have to do that tomorrow,” he said as they headed inside.
They washed the bowls and then they headed out to check on the chickens. Bandit led them down a path through the woods. The scents of pine and fresh earth hung in the air. They joked around and talked, sharing so many delicious kisses, Carly wanted to skip the surprise and drag him up to the suite. But at the same time, she was loving every second of just being with Zev. He was interesting and funny, telling her stories about his travels and about searching for the Pride. His passionate descriptions made her feel like she was right there with him, hiking, surfing, and diving in the deep blue sea.
They headed back through the woods to the inn, and when a flock of birds took flight from the tops of the trees, Bandit bolted ahead.
Zev slung an arm over Carly’s shoulder and said, “It feels kind of like old times, only better.”
“Because we’ve cleared the air?”
“Probably. Guilt is a ravenous beast.”
“So are you,” she said softly.
A low laugh rumbled out of his lips as he pushed a branch out of the way so she could pass through to the grassy field in front of the Sterling House. Three gorgeous stories of glass, stone, and cedar and grand terraces made the stately inn look rustic and elegant at once.
“This place is so pretty. Everyone in town is thrilled that Char and Beau are reopening the inn.”
“Is this what you’d like to have one day? Land, animals? A peaceful life in the mountains?”