Chapter Twelve

Gavin

I hop out of the truck like my ass is on fire and do it with a huge grin on my face.

The first thing I do is meet her around at the passenger door and make sure she gets through the snow with ease. I guide her to the back of the barn and push open the sliding door. It's unlocked, just as Norman said it would be, so as soon as she's inside, I turn to grab the rest of the supplies from the truck.

Slipping both blankets under my arm and her bag over my shoulder, I retrieve the picnic basket I packed and join her in the barn. "What's all of that?" There's a bit of appreciation reflecting back at me in the depths of her brown eyes.

"This is a surprise," I tell her, setting the basket and bag on the fender of the tractor, along with the blankets. "Come on, Ava. Up you go." Extending my hand, I wait anxiously for her to place hers within mine. The moment she does, I swear I feel the spark. Yes, she's wearing gloves, but it's there, alive and bright like the moon shining brilliantly in the midnight sky.

She climbs up on the step. "Where do I sit?" she asks, glancing around.

"Hold up," I inform her, moving around to the other side and hoisting myself up. The moment I have a seat on the only chair, I position my leg so it's sticking out and gently slap the top of my knee.

"Seriously?" Her eyes are big and filled with worry.

"Trust me, Ava."

She holds my gaze once more before turning around and having a seat on my leg. The moment she sits, I reach around her and grab the fuzzy blanket. Opening it up, I place it over her legs to help keep her warm.

"You may have to hold on to the basket. It'll bounce around if we don't. I can try to bungie strap it in place if needed."

"I got it," she insists, sliding the basket and her blanket a little closer so it's positioned better between the seat and the fender.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." There's no missing the hint of nervousness in her voice, but she doesn't say a word as I fire up the old tractor and slowly back out of the barn.

I gently maneuver the machinery, trying not to jolt or scare her, as I head for the clearing not too far from here. The pasture is rough, but not too terrible, and eventually, we make it down to the creek. It's frozen over, but I keep the tractor on the path running along the water. Driving about two hundred yards, I turn away from the water's edge and into the large clearing where we should have a great view of the night sky.

Steering the tractor toward the tree line, I park it out of the way, yet close enough we don't have to hike too far to get to our destination. When the engine is shut off, I ask, "This okay?"

Ava looks around, the entire area dimly lit by the stars and the moon in the sky. "It's beautiful."

"Come on," I say, helping her stand so I can dismount the tractor. Once I get two feet on the ground, I extend my hands and hold her waist while she climbs down.

When we're laden with the blankets, bags, and picnic basket, we set off toward the spot I had in mind when I asked Norman if I could come back here. The trees are to the south, and we have a perfect unobstructed view of the north sky. We stop at the huge bolder in the middle of the clearing. No one knows how it got here, but it's large and flat and can easily fit two people comfortably.

If you consider sitting on a rock as comfortable.

I wipe off what little snow is there and spread out the large, fluffy blanket. "Have a seat."

She does, wrapping her blanket around her shoulders. "We should have a spectacular view," she states, looking up.

"Should." I hope, anyway. She likely knows more about the aurora borealis than I do, since she has been discussing it in class. The extent of my knowledge is the tips I found on the internet Tuesday night.

I open the picnic basket, which admittedly, I had to borrow from my mom, and retrieve the thermos of hot cocoa. I fill two of the insulated tumblers I had in my cabinet with the warm liquid and pass the first one her way.

"Is this cocoa?"

"It is," I confirm, replacing the thermos in the basket and pulling out the container of snacks. "I also have cheese sticks wrapped in meat, as well as a fruit and nut mix."

"Yum. I wasn't expecting snacks with the show."

I give her a wink and a slow grin. "This is a full-service non-date date."

"Non-date date, huh?"

I shrug and hold out the container of meat and cheese. "We can call it whatever you want, Ava. You said it wasn't a date, but it feels a little like one, so we'll go with a non-date date." I pop a cashew in my mouth and give her a big, cheesy grin.

Her beautiful eyes narrow just a bit as she brings the cocoa to her lips. "It feels like a date because you've made it one."

Lifting my shoulders, I reply, "A man has to use every tool in his arsenal to achieve his goals."

She looks at me from beneath her lashes as she asks, "And what are your goals?"

"To get to know you, and maybe, someday, take you on a date date."

Her brown eyes watch me, assessing my seriousness and intent. After what feels like forever, she finally rewards me with a little grin. "You're relentless."

It's not the first time she's called me that, but the fact there's a sparkle in her eyes and she's wearing a smile while she says it lets me know she's not completely put off by my persistence.

"That I am. Now, sit back and relax. We'll enjoy some snacks and cocoa and wait for the show to begin."

Reaching for a piece of cheese wrapped in ham, she takes a bite and leans back in contentment. I take my own piece of salami wrapped in mozzarella and join her on the rock. There's plenty of room for two people, but I don't shy away from sitting nice and close. If she makes a comment, I'll insist it's for warmth. You know, sharing body heat and all.

What I'm not expecting is for her to adjust the blanket and wrap it around me too. Now, we're sharing it, sitting close. My left leg is pressed against her right one and she leans just a bit against my side. On instinct, I slip my arm around her shoulder and hold her, fully aware she may pull back. When she doesn't, I mentally throw my arms up in the air in celebration, because this seems like something monumental.

Plus, it feels pretty fucking amazing to have her with me, against my side. Despite the fact we're both wearing enough layers to keep an Eskimo warm, I can still feel the heat of her body, and I know this was a big step for her. I'm content to just sit here, holding her close, and watching the night sky.

Beautiful woman.

Beautiful surroundings.

Beautiful night.

It doesn't get much better than this.

I can't stop smiling while I watch her take photos.

The sky most definitely has a different hue to it, but it's not the bright pink I was expecting. However, when she showed me the view through her camera, it's every bit as beautiful as I've heard. I even went as far as to take a few pictures with my phone.

Now, I'm using said device to take pictures of Ava. She hasn't caught me yet, her focus on the aurora borealis, but I've managed to snap a handful of images of her smiling up at the majestic sky.

"I can't believe how beautiful it is," she practically sings, smiling widely as she gazes heavenward.

"Stunning."

But my eyes aren't on the sky. They're on her.

She's simply breathtaking.

Her nose and cheeks are red from the cold, but she hasn't once complained. Considering we've been outside for more than an hour, waiting for the time when we can see these amazing lights, she seems completely at ease. We've talked about work, Annabelle, and growing up in Pine Village. We've spent the last hour snacking and keeping warm under the blanket, and yes, have remained very close, perched on our rock.

"You're not even looking at the lights."

I give her a quick grin, realizing she's caught me watching her. "I saw them, and you're more beautiful."

Her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink, and she averts her gaze. I watch as she licks her lips and wonder what she's thinking. "I don't think that's possible, but thank you."

She spends the next twenty or so minutes snapping pictures from different angles and just enjoying the view. I do the same, though we're not exactly looking at the same thing. Yes, I grab a couple of pictures of the pink sky, which I do admit is pretty cool, but for the most part my eyes are on her. That crush I had in high school comes back, if it ever truly left. Maybe it just sat dormant, waiting for the opportunity to reemerge and grow. Well, the moment I saw her in the bar wearing that damn red dress, that crush exploded like a bomb in my chest, and I've lusted after her since.

From a distance.

Until that Friday night of Blair and Gabe's wedding where I found her on the side of the road.

Since then, I realized these feelings aren't going anywhere, and I want to explore them, and while she seems hesitant—for good reason—she's not pushing me away. I'll continue to show her I'm interested, while respecting her boundaries and distance. Stealing time with her, like tonight, is the perfect way to demonstrate my intent and sincerity.

"I'm freezing," she says when she joins me over by the big rock.

"There's a little more cocoa left in the thermos," I tell her, digging into the basket and retrieving the insulated device. "I use this a lot for work. During the winter, I'll keep extra coffee in it, and throughout the hot summer months, we store ice to dump into our individual insulated tumblers."

She takes the remaining cocoa and sips. "You sure you don't want any of this?"

"No, I'm good. You enjoy it."

Ava takes a seat on the rock and retrieves the blanket, carefully covering her legs and waist without spilling. When I slide in beside her, she tosses the blanket over my legs too. Together, we just stare up at the sky. I'm not sure I've ever felt this content, this relaxed in my life.

Ava is so completely different than Julia. Julia was all passion, full of energy, and hated sitting idle. Ava, on the other hand, seems completely satisfied to sit, whether with a book or gazing up at the night sky. It's nice to just…be, sometimes. No running, no expectations, no worries. Just sitting on a rock, watching the beauty of the world around us.

She shivers and leans into me a little more. As much as I like having her pressed against me and could sit like this for hours, I don't want her to catch pneumonia. "Are you ready to go?"

Without looking away from the sky, she replies, "A few more minutes."

So I do my part to help keep her warm and slip my arm around her. She fits like a glove, her perfect body against my own. We sit like this for a while, continuing to enjoy the view, when another idea hits me. I carefully pull my cell phone out of my coat pocket, slip one of my gloves off my hand, and bring up the photo app.

"What do you say, Miss Rutledge? Care to commemorate this night with a picture?"

There's slight hesitation in her response, but she nods. I hold up the camera, the screen pointed at us so we can see, and prepare to snap the picture. Only, you can't see much of the pink sky, since we're facing it. "Let's stand," she suggests.

I wrap the blanket around her shoulders, and we turn so we're facing south. I step behind her and hold the phone out. Angling it up so we get the northern lights behind us, I snap a few shots. Her scent hangs in the air, all sweet and alluring. It tickles my nose and makes me want to bury it in her neck. Or her hair. Or somewhere else I have no business thinking about right now.

When our little selfie photo session is complete, I slip my phone back into my pocket as Ava lets out a yawn. It's late, and even though I'm having one of the best nights of my life just because she's here, I know the time has come to take her home. "Do you have all the pictures you want?" I ask.

She's still standing close, and when she turns to face me, our chests touch. With coats, we can't exactly feel anything, but it's still electrifying. A zing of a current slides through my veins and I reach out. My right hand caresses her cold cheek, and I swear she leans into my touch just a bit. Ava licks her lips once more, and my eyes zero in on them. Lush, plump, and ripe for kissing.

I want to taste her so damn bad.

My thumb traces a gentle line across her lower lip and her eyes flutter closed. Her mouth is slightly open, and the warm puffs of air have stopped. She's holding her breath, waiting.

She's waiting for me to kiss her.

Slowly, as to give her plenty of time to stop me, I lower my head and lightly brush my lips across hers. Again, I allow her the chance to pull back or end the kiss, but when I feel her gloved hands grip my coat, anchoring herself to me, all bets are off. My lips are a little more urgent as I gently deepen the kiss. Her mouth opens, allowing my tongue the opportunity to delve inside, to taste her.

Ava leans closer as I shift my hand to the back of her neck. The angle allows me to deepen the kiss without letting it get carried away. Her grip on my coat is tight, and I feel the gentle sway of her body into mine. I realize right here and now, standing in the middle of an open space, the northern lights beautifully on display above us, this is the perfect kiss.

The first of what I hope will be many .

Even though I don't want to, I slow my lips and slightly pull back. Resting my forehead against hers, we both suck in deep, greedy breaths of oxygen. The cold of night long forgotten, at least for now. The feel of her body pressed against mine, her face touching me, has my blood in my veins hotter than the Fourth of July.

"Wow," she whispers, her breath warming my face.

"Yeah," I reply, clearing my throat and trying to get my bearings. Just one kiss from this woman has completely scrambled my brain.

Her face is flush, and I hope it's from the heat of the moment and not from embarrassment. There'd be nothing worse than her regretting the kiss I thought was outstanding. "We should probably get back," she whispers, gazing up at me under her eyelashes.

"It's late."

She nods and slowly releases her grip on my coat. When she takes a small step back, I let her go, hating the instant wave of longing and coldness washing over me. I want her back in my arms, my lips pressed to hers.

But I'm in no rush.

Where's she's concerned, I have all the time in the world to make sure I get this right.

I pack up the picnic basket and set it up on the tractor fender, while Ava folds the large blanket from the rock. When I have it added to the tractor load, I turn and extend my hand to assist Ava.

"Thank you," she says, her bag and blanket thrown over her arm.

I take them both while she climbs up the steps and gets herself situated. Handing off her items, I climb up and take the seat. Ava sits on my leg, just as she did on our trip out here, and wraps the smaller blanket around her legs. I start the tractor and let it warm up a few moments before putting it in gear.

The return trip to the barn is uneventful, and I'm pulling the tractor inside before I'm ready. Now that I've had my lips pressed to hers, there's a heavy buzz of desire swirling through the air. Plus, I'm enjoying the hell out of getting to know her, and I'm just not ready for our night to end.

As I lock up the barn, she places our belongings into the back seat of my truck, and before I know it, we're heading back to town. I can't help but steal glances her way, because she's wearing a content little smile on her lips as she watches the scenery pass us by. Sadly, I'm pulling into her driveway when I'd much rather take a drive around town—hell, the county—just to draw out our night a little more, but I know I can't.

Our time together has come to an end.

"I'll walk you to your door," I offer, releasing my seat belt and climbing out. I retrieve her bag and blanket from the seat and walk beside her as she makes her way to the front door.

"Thank you," she says after releasing the locks. Brown eyes sparkle up at me. "I had an amazing night."

"I'm glad," I reply, rocking back on my heels.

She turns to step inside the house but pauses just before crossing the threshold. "Gavin?"

"Yes?"

Can she hear how loud my heart is pounding right now?

Without saying a word, she goes up on her tiptoes and presses a light kiss on my lips. Before I have an opportunity to respond, she pulls back and grabs her belongings from my hands. Then, she slips inside and shuts the door, leaving me standing on the porch.

I stand here for a few long moments, lost in the memory of that kiss. A smile spreads across my lips as I return to my truck, feeling lighter and full of hope. Just as I'm ready to climb back into the cab, I spot a silhouette in the window, the one I just installed.

Knowing she's watching, I slip into my truck and throw it in reverse. You couldn't peel my smile off my face with a putty knife as I head home from one of the best nights I've ever had.

"Best non-date date ever."