Finding Our Forever (Silver Springs #1)(37)

“What made you ask me to go riding?” she asked as they continued to climb the mountain.

“You’ll see,” he replied, and that was it. Apparently, she was waiting for something. She didn’t find out what until they crested the top of the mountain, where the trees thinned, revealing a stunning red-and-gold sunset.

“Wow,” she murmured.

He pulled the horse to a stop. “Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?”

If she were being objective, some of the sunsets she’d seen at the beach and around the world were as spectacular. Cognitively, she knew that. But he’d brought her out here because he wanted her to enjoy this, and that made it the best darn sunset in the world. “Not with you,” she said.

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’d like it even if it wasn’t nearly so beautiful.”

One hand came up to catch her chin as he finally kissed her. She wasn’t entirely sure how everything went from there. Somehow, in a matter of minutes, they were off the horse and on the ground, their clothes open and askew, kissing and exploring and enjoying what they’d wanted from the first moment they met up.

“You can’t be comfortable out here,” he said with some regret, as if he hated to stop but felt too much guilt to continue. “I’ll take you back down.”

“No.” Cora wasn’t ready to leave. Not yet. When he pulled away to get up, she pressed him onto his back. Then she nibbled at his neck and his bare chest as she moved down—and heard him draw a sharp breath as she took him into her mouth.

*

They drove home separately, just as they’d come, as if they hadn’t been together. Because Eli hadn’t said anything about meeting up later, Cora assumed their ride—and what had occurred on it—was the end of their time with each other for today. She spent the next couple of hours getting ready for her classes tomorrow while trying to build up her resistance to him—so she wouldn’t melt so quickly when he called or texted her the next time—only to have him surprise her by showing up at her door as she was getting ready for bed.

He didn’t explain why he’d come; he didn’t need to. He stepped inside as if he had every right and pulled her into his arms. Then it was like the ride earlier, when they couldn’t pull each other’s clothes off fast enough. She managed to remove his shirt and toss it aside before he kissed her again. Then he lifted her into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his narrow hips and let him carry her into the bedroom, where they fell onto her bed and made love.

On some level, Cora knew their affair was getting out of hand. They couldn’t seem to stem the desire they felt for each other—the more he touched her, the more she craved his touch, and he seemed to be every bit as caught in the same web.

What happened to getting satisfied and moving on? she asked herself when it was all over and he was dozing beside her. That had been the original plan, but the opposite seemed to be taking place. Just watching him sleep made her feel so much tenderness it frightened her. She was losing her heart to a man who’d told her he wasn’t to be trusted with it.

What am I going to do?

She reached over to push the hair off his forehead, and he opened his eyes. Since it was nearly eleven, she thought he’d get up and leave. They both had to work in the morning. Instead, he drew her into the curve of his body and, after a kiss on her bare shoulder, drifted off again.

Apparently, he didn’t feel any pressure to get home at a reasonable hour. Or he was enjoying being with her too much to put an end to it. She preferred to believe the latter, but feared she was building things up in her head—a dangerous practice in its own right.

She wondered where he’d parked his truck, and guessed that he’d left it at home and walked over. He wasn’t stupid, wouldn’t be that obvious.

Slowly, she allowed herself to succumb to the comfort and satisfaction of having him there next to her. She was going to be hurt; she had little doubt about that. But it wasn’t going to be tonight. She’d merely take their relationship moment by moment, she decided—and the next thing she knew, her alarm was going off the following morning, and Eli was still in her bed.

Since he hadn’t reacted to the alarm, she reached over to touch his shoulder. He needed to get out of the house before everyone on campus was up and moving around. But before she could even touch him, someone knocked on the front door.

That brought his head up immediately. “Doug?” he said without preamble.

She bit her lip. “It’s only seven. I can’t imagine he’d pop over so early.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Maybe he has more vegetables.”

“He hasn’t brought any since the last time. He’s been much better about leaving me alone,” she said as she got up and hurried to don a robe. She had to answer the door. Whoever it was would know she was home. Her car was in the drive. “Your mother must’ve spoken to him even though she told me she wouldn’t.”

“She didn’t speak to him—I did,” he said.

She paused to gawk at him. “What did you say?”

“Nothing. I just told him to keep his distance.”

She laughed. Of course it would be that simple for him. No glossing over anything, no mincing words. Just the bottom line: stop.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.