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Suddenly, I could no longer hear the background noise of the campfire, only a shrill whistle in my ears.
"Tell me," I demanded, stubbornly clinging to my resolve at my own expense.
We both paused, the magic of the dance suddenly broken. Amelia bit her lower lip before shaking her head in disbelief.
"I can't. Not now. Not when…" Her gaze swept over my face, filled with regret.
I had no doubt that it caused her the same physical pain as it did me, yet I could understand her decision and couldn't hold it against her in any way.
But the sparks of her touch continued to dance over my skin. Whatever she might say, that remained unchanged. That still didn't mean I would pressure her into something she wasn’t ready for.
Amelia wasn't here because I desired her body.
I wanted all of her—for as long as she was willing to give it to me.
Even though it clearly affected her too. "I should head for bed."
9
AMELIA
Icursed myself. Even though I was sure I had made the right decision, I couldn't stand myself for a few minutes. About as long as it took Gray to walk me to my cabin.
In socks, since I had left my shoes back at the campfire.
As we stood in the light of the porch, he looked down.
"Mismatched?"
I shrugged lazily. "Always. It's my thing. I'm just too lazy to sort them out, and besides, it has its charm."
I wiggled my toes demonstratively.
Fifteen minutes ago, I had been dancing with Gray under the starry sky, letting the moment take me away. Now, I was standing at my cabin's door, about to bury myself in my bed. I wanted him, but not hours after breaking up with my ex, whose presence I could still feel around me.
It sounded ridiculous, even to my ears, so I desperately hoped a long shower would wash off his presence from my skin, allowing me to finally do what I'd been yearning to do since Gray stumbled into my life.
"I'm really sorry…" I began, but he gestured dismissively.
"You don't have to apologize to me. For anything. You know where to find me."
My heart pounded in my throat as he stepped forward. I expected him to lean down and kiss me, but instead, his fingers just clasped my chin, lifting my face to press a kiss on my forehead. My breath caught—this gentle, almost soothing gesture came so unexpectedly that it caught me off guard.
"Good night, darling."
He stepped back, putting some distance between us, and I managed not to look away as I slowly raised my hand.
"Good night, Gray."
10
GRAY
Even after two days, it still caught me off guard every time I encountered Amelia atWildwood Hideaway. The way she fit into this place made it clear she belonged here somehow, but I found it hard to adjust. Occasionally, I had to consciously remind myself that her stay had an expiration date. She wouldn't be here indefinitely. It wasn't sensible to take for granted running into her at breakfast in the main lodge every morning or checking on the cabin's progress at noon and discovering her surprising knack for handiwork—perhaps it was just sheer determination driving her. Whenever I asked her how she had learned to do certain tasks, she would simply nod toward her phone. Nowadays, you could find online tutorials for everything—laying floors, applying silicone to windows… In reality, my presence wasn't necessary for any progress to happen, yet I couldn't keep myself away.
I had expected her to spend her first few days in bed, as she had announced on day one. However, the work seemed to captivate her and keep her distracted.
That's why it didn't surprise me to find her in the vegetable garden. Some of the produce used in the kitchen for our guests came from our own gardens. I usually tended to them because nothing could beat my green thumb. I was even slowly reviving her half-dead plants, and yet I couldn't bear to ban her from the plant beds.
