Chapter 25

“Come on,” he touched her shoulder as he turned toward the bay doors, “Let’s go for a walk. It will help you feel better. It’s best to just go with what you want right now. You may not know what’s going on or what you need, but your body does.”

Not sure whether it was a good idea or not, she turned and walked outside beside him. “Gary is very uncomfortable around me now.”

“He’ll adjust to it, in time.”

She noticed he was walking at a slower pace than he normally did, so she could keep up with her shorter strides. “Jake’s struggling with it too, but doesn’t make it too obvious.”

“He’d walk through fire if it was for you, honey.” He gave her a serious look.

Nodding, she tucked her hands into her back pockets and watched the ground in front of them. “Yeah, I guess I’m lucky that way.”

He chuckled, “In the way that you have a whole clan of males that would do anything for you? I guess that is pretty lucky, most girls are lucky to have one cater to them like she was a princess.”

Grinning, she smacked his arm. “You know what I meant.” Looking away from the affectionate look in his eyes, she studied the ground. “I’m not a princess.”

He shook his head. “No, you’re not, but we’d still do anything for you.” Leaning down, until she looked at him again he gave her a soft look. “I would do anything for you,” his tone was low and gentle.

A heated shiver went down her spine. “I know.”

“I’m really sorry for the way your homecoming went.”

She looked up to see a real look of sincerity on his face. Stopping, she studied him. He was a beautiful man with his high cheek bones, deep blue eyes, and long lashes. She moved down his face and looked at his mouth, his lower lip was slightly plumper than the top lip. It wasn’t fair that he had one of those mouths that you wanted to kiss.

“Kels,” he said softly as his hand cupped the bottom of her chin, drawing her attention back to his eyes. “Unless you want me to kiss you, don’t look at me like you want a taste.” His voice was soft with a rough rasp and it sent heat through her.

Did she want a taste? Blinking, she was startled by where her thoughts were going. Stepping back out of his touch, she decided no comment was the best course of action.

Dropping his hand, he turned and started walking again. “How long are we going to pretend nothing has changed?”

Trying to keep her distance, she ducked under a branch so she didn’t have to walk too close to him. “What do you mean?”

Shaking his head, he moved to the right side of the trail so she wouldn’t be climbing through the trees. “You’re almost in the trees to avoid being near me.”

She wanted to deny it, but couldn’t. Going back onto the path, she kept her eyes forward and off him. “I just don’t know what’s expected. I don’t know what I should or shouldn’t do.” Closing her mouth quickly, when she almost told him what happened when she started sniffing Blair, which might not be something she should share.

Reaching over, he grabbed her hand and then continued walking like it was no big deal. “Nothing is expected of you.” He smirked at her. “And if you do something out of place, it’s okay. No one expects you to know everything about a culture you didn’t even know existed until a few days ago.”

Kelsey was trying not to notice how it felt to have him holding her hand. After years of wishing he’d do something as simple as that, she couldn’t believe he was. His hand was warm, but not clammy like her own. The warmth seemed to spread up her arm.

“Are you all right?” He squeezed her hand lightly.

Stepping around a rock sticking up in the middle of the path, she walked slightly behind him for a few feet. He still held her hand. “I guess that depends on the definition of all right.”

He chuckled. “There’s more than one meaning?”

Nodding, she glared up at him. “There is in my world right now. There’s all right as in I’m not dying or having a mental breakdown, and then there’s I’m no better than I was thirty seconds ago, but could change in the next thirty seconds. Or…”

Tugging at her hand he pulled her closer and lean down, “I get it. Your mind is filled to capacity right now.”

She didn’t speak; she was trying not to breathe. He smelled so good to her, a dark spicy scent that just hit all the right chords in her body. Damn him for that, she had enough issues right now.

Gage stopped suddenly and went rigid. She stumbled into him and looked to see him inhaling and looking into the trees.

“Stay right here.” He said it in a whisper but with a tone that had her nod in immediate agreement. “If I’m not back in a few minutes, you book it back to the shop and get Blair.”

Nodding again, she touched his arm. “Be careful.” Kelsey didn’t know what to expect but she wouldn’t argue with him right now. Squeezing her hand again, he let go and moved into the trees.

She stood there hugging her arms around her waist, waiting. It was so silent; she couldn’t even hear him moving through the trees. Pulling her phone out of her back pocket, she noted the time. Looking back at the trees, she watched for Gage.