“Mm, much better,” I sighed contentedly, still chewing the sharp cheese. “You were right, my wine is worlds better than that bottled stuff.” “I’ll say.” Chris took a drink as well, smacking his lips appreciatively. “You’ll have to show me more about the whole winemaking process sometime. Like, wit
Ava I smoothed my shirt down in front of the mirror, biting my lower lip in anticipation. Even now, standing in my own bedroom with no one else in sight, I couldn’t help but feel a red tinge creep into my cheeks. Normally, I opted for a more bohemian style: long, flowy skirts and dresses, tops s
Ava Chris pulled the car into a small parking area on the side of the road and put it in park. He turned to me, pulling the keys out of the ignition at the same time. “We’re here,” he said. I looked out through the car windows at the sprawling pine forest towering over us and saw no trailhead.
“You know,” Chris murmured beside me, “if we’re really going to have a proper date, then maybe we could share some secrets. Get to know each other a little better.” I shot him a sidelong glance. “What did you have in mind?” He shrugged one shoulder lazily. “I don’t know. Something small, just to
Chris I tensed as the doe stamped her hoof again, her ears pinned back in a clear warning. My instincts screamed at me to shift, to bare my teeth and snarl back—to make myself as big and threatening as possible to scare this potential threat away from Ava. It was known, in the human world, that a
The two regarded each other for a long, weighted moment, their eyes locked in some sort of understanding that was far beyond my comprehension. Then, with a knowing look in her eyes, the doe dipped her head in Ava’s direction in what could only be seen as a gesture of gratitude. Huffing out one mor
Ava My heart felt lighter than air as Chris and I made our way back toward the car, our fingers brushing occasionally. My lips still burned with the sensation of our kiss, the kiss that I had initiated. And even though I knew it was wrong, I couldn’t help but smile. There was no stopping the c
I frowned. Surprises? Visitors? This was unprecedented. “What’s all this for?” Chris asked, taking a step forward. “You never mentioned any visitors.” Elise let out a sigh. “Like I said, it was meant to be a surprise. We were planning on greeting them tomorrow afternoon, and we had a luncheon pr