The Wolf's Pursuit (London Fairy Tales #3)(58)

"A forest." She breathed. "You actually have a forest."

"Don't forget the river." He pointed to a small water fountain that indeed resembled a river as it trickled beside one of the trees.

"Why?" She quickly turned to Hunter, hands on hips. "Why did you do this?"

He swallowed and looked down. "When I asked Gwen and Rosalind what to buy for your wedding gift, they said you already had all a girl could ask for."

Gwen nodded slowly. "I still do not understand."

Hunter cleared his throat and continued to stare at the floor. "I got to thinking, what do you buy for a woman who has everything? And then I overheard Dominique and Isabelle talking yesterday afternoon about your love for fairy tales."

Gwen froze. What the devil had they been talking about her for?

"A specific fairy tale was brought up…" Hunter chuckled and raised his eyes to meet hers. "Though the end of that tale is quite alarming. I must say I finally understand how you chose your nickname."

"Red," Gwen mumbled, and tried to hide her smile. "I thought it fit."

"It sure attracted the Wolf." Hunter reached for her hand.

"I assure you that was not my intention."

Hunter laughed. "Clearly. Yet at any rate, you caught one, and considering the Wolf is always painted as the villain, I took it upon myself to clear up the story a bit, do a little rewriting, if you will."

"So the Wolf does not attack the grandmother and Red in the end?"

Hunter drew her into his arms and whispered in her ear, "I cannot promise not to attack you. What I can promise you is romance. Now, follow me through the forest."

Gwen's heart beat out of her chest. "How do I know that the Wolf is not leading me down a path of destruction?"

"Oh, you can be sure he is, but it will be such a lovely destruction, I doubt you will care."

"Oh?" Gwen bit her lip.

"Yes. I aim to make you forget reality for a while, Red."

"And how do you plan to do that?" She placed her hand in his as he began leading her through the small forest in his entryway and farther into the house.

"By becoming your dreams."





****





Hunter cringed when the words left his mouth. Becoming her dreams? Had he lost his mind? Since when had he started spouting such romantic nonsense? Perhaps it was just his heightened emotions.

He felt completely drained. And irrevocably in love. Which was odd. He hadn't planned for that to happen on his wedding day, of all days. Nor had he thought it would be so swift in taking him out. Wasn't love supposed to develop? Or was it truly different each time?

The way he loved Lucy did not feel this way. His heart had belonged to her, his soul had been hers, but now, as he looked into Gwen's icy blue eyes, he felt lost, as if someone had pushed him from a cliff, and he was still deciding on where his body was to land.

Everything about how he felt about her was raw, needy, and totally ridiculous! But there it was. His heart beat erratically when she smiled at him, and when his grandfather had claimed her, he had been so proud that she was marrying him that he wasn't sure if he wanted to smile or break down.

"Where are you taking me?" Gwen giggled behind him as he led her through the trees. It had taken over thirty able-bodied men at least six hours to create the forest in his house. Luckily for him, his house was nearly empty and quite dirty already, all things considered.

"You'll see." He continued to lead her to the back of the house, where the ballroom was located. "Just in here."

She walked in behind him and gasped.

He had to admit to being quite proud at his idea. Hunter had never tried to be romantic before and he was so nervous that she would not like what he'd done that he found himself trembling as Gwen took in the sight.

Candles lit the entire room, basking it in a heavenly glow. In the middle of the ballroom sat a small table with a meal. But his genius did not stop there. He had strategically placed trees around the room in a maze. They had to find their way through the maze in order to get to their meal. Another maze led them to the grand fireplace, where he had fur blankets and dessert waiting.

"Well," Hunter stuttered. "What do you think?"

"I think…" Gwen grinned and let out a small laugh. "I think I underestimated you."

"Music to my ears."

"Of course it is." She rolled her eyes. "How do we make it to the food?"

"The trail, you must stay on the trail." Hunter pointed to the beginning of the maze. "And you must listen to my voice as I guide you."

"Listen? Whatever do you mean?"

Hunter pulled out a blindfold and tied it around her head. "The last time you were here, I blindfolded you. I was a cad, an absolute terror, truly you should have shot me the second you found out, so I aim to earn back a little of that trust."

"By blindfolding me again?"

"Yes." Hunter chuckled. "Trust me to get you to where you need to go — trust me to guide you."

"You are asking me to trust a wolf?"

"I told you I was rewriting the story, remember?"

Gwen sighed and then nodded her head. "Alright."