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"They think I… Money is never a good reason to be with someone."
"In stark contrast, of course, is the claim that I manipulated you and am taking advantage of you. Because it's impossible for a woman like you to be interested in a man like me."
My eyebrows kept climbing. "And Wilder is really keeping a list of these?"
Gray tilted the screen so I could take a look. Immediately, a queasy feeling spread in my stomach.
How were people capable of bad-mouthing someone like this, someone who hadn't even had a chance to respond? Based on prejudices and snippets they might—or might not—have witnessed.
Without hesitation, I climbed onto Gray's lap, wrapping my legs around his waist. "This is all ridiculous. What else is on there?"
"That you're too young and I'm too old. There are also a few comments about how I must have sought out a younger woman because I obviously couldn't satisfy one my own age. Of course, they mention my failed marriage to my ex-wife and the fact that I haven't been in a single relationship in recent years."
But he had told me about the dates he had been on—and why they had gradually convinced him that he was better off alone rather than half-heartedly engaging in something that didn't fulfill him.
"Is everyone in on this?"
Gray dramatically threw his phone next to us on the couch. "No. Wilder thinks there's one main source for the rumors, but it's a very effective one."
"Let me guess," I muttered.
"Sergeant Williams. Exactly. She was obviously impressed when she saw us together. And not in a good way. Apparently, she also believes she needs to save you from me."
That was ridiculous. No one needed to save me—I was an adult woman fully capable of making my own decisions. "Have you ever done anything wrong? Here in Wolf Creek, I mean?"
He slowly shook his head. "On the contrary. When I came here after my breakup, the entire infrastructure was in shambles. That's why I befriended the mayor, presented him with my plan, and… well. You could say the town is now in full bloom."
"Because the Wildwood Hideaway boosts tourism."
"Exactly. It boosts tourism so much that I bought several properties around the town a few years ago to build holiday homes and other accommodations. They mostly sustain themselves, and only because of this can we properly satisfy the demand."
"So, in a way, her job also depends on your existence. Why would she want to sabotage you then? Or make you feel uncomfortable here because of her?"
Gray shrugged. "If her dislike started only after I arrived, the reason is clear. It had been going on for a while. She warned everyone about me, everyone she could get her hands on. As if I were up here performing black magic rituals and sacrificing tourists."
I dramatically widened my eyes. "What? You're not? And here I thought you'd sacrifice me on the next full moon in the clearing."
A dirty grin spread across his lips. "Maybe on the next full moon in that clearing, I'll do other things with you."
"Next thing she'll say, you belong to a sex cult." But that wasn't what was really bothering me. All these rumors… "Are you worried about what the people of Wolf Creek might think about us?"
"No. But I am worried about the potential consequences."
I looked at him seriously. "I don't mind, Gray. Age is just a number, and it feels like the connection we have goes much deeper."
One of his hands slid over my hip and under my shirt, pressing his fingers against my spine. "Every time I touch you, it feels like pure nostalgia rushing through my veins."
Once again, I felt a tugging sensation in my chest. Only this time, for some silly reason, tears also prickled in my eyes.
I pressed my hands against his chest. "Do you realize I could fall in love with you, Gray?"
"Don't do that." Before the reality of his words could hit me like a punch in the gut, his lips were on mine. "Do you have a thing for men with glasses?"
"Only if they look as sexy as you do." I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer to me while pushing other thoughts away, not ready to waste a moment's thought when I could be enjoying the present instead.
This time, it wasn't the nostalgia he had just mentioned that climbed my spine, but the pure fire that followed his every touch.
One thing was for certain—we knew how to push aside difficult topics and focus on something better.
