Page 34 of Pictures in Blue
He closes the distance between our arms and the warmth of his bleeds into my skin. He nudges my shoulder with his gently before returning to his spot inches away, but he leaves his arm against mine. I hesitate for a brief moment and decide to leave my arm where it is.
“It’s no excuse, but I got distracted.”
I scoff. Typical. No explanation. No responsibility. No apology. Nothing. Deflated, I move my arm away from his and start heading toward the bar for a refill. I have dealt with enough excuses in my life from men to know this isn’t something I am going to entertain.
Before I make it two steps though, I feel his hand gently grab my elbow and tug me back to him. I am about to yank it away before I see the pleading look in his eyes. “Please, wait.”
So instead of yanking, I pull my arm from his touch and look up at him expectantly. Waiting for the “excuse.” Maybe I’m being rude and probably a brat, but I am not going to let him walk all over me. That’s not how this is going to go.
“I really did get distracted,” he says like he’s…embarrassed? Why would he be embarrassed? I raise my eyebrows at him, waiting.
He starts to reach for me again, but pauses as if thinking about it and drops his hands to his sides, shuffling from one foot to the other. “Okay, okay. I was responding to your text, but the dogs got in the way while I was walking by the lake and I tripped and dropped my phone… in the lake.”
I can’t help it. I burst out laughing at the mental image of Hudson fully tripping over his dogs, followed by a comically loud splash as he is sprawled out on the grass, dogs fighting for his attention. Licking his face and aggressively wagging their tails as he tries to fight them off.
“It’s not funny!” he protests, but the slight tug of his lips betrays him until he joins in laughing with me. “I spent all day one town over replacing my phone. I onlyjustgot the replacement figured out a bit ago and was going to text you, but figured it would be way too late, so I just decided to show up,” his laughter subsides and he meets my eyes filled with tears from laughing so hard. “I really am sorry.”
“Three apologies. We’ve known each other for three days and I’ve gotten three apologies. Some people would consider that a major red flag, Waters.”
He smiles unabashedly and holds up a finger. “One of those apologies was for Sky. So really, it’s only two,” he lifts up a second finger.
“Two in three days is still too many.”
He motions me back to the table and I follow before I can convince myself to turn and run out the door. “How can I make it up to you?”
I look up at the ceiling, pretending to be deep in thought, considering. Really, wishing he would move closer to me than he is now. He settles himself across the table from me instead of next to me and I miss his warmth, even though there are so many people crowded in here, it is plenty warm. Hot, even. Stifling. The more I look at him and think about the two fingers he held up moments ago, the hotter I get. I adjust my legs, trying to shift my stance without him noticing, but, of course, he does. And he answers with a knowing grin.
“You okay over there, Sunshine?”
“Peachy.”
“See that’s what I think is in the beer.” He pivots the conversation, pointing to the empty glass in front of me.
“Thought you didn’t like it?” I challenge.
“I don’t. But I have tried it and it’s peaches.”
I have no idea if he’s right or not. I am too focused on the green flannel wrapped around his body that matches his eyes. A deep green forest I think I want to get lost in. “What are my options?” I ask.
He furrows his brow. “Options for what?”
“You said you’d make it up to me. What are my options, Lumberjack?” Charlotte would be proud.
“Lumberjack?”
“It’s the flannel,” I say. “Gives off the lumberjack vibes.”
Chuckling, he just shrugs his shoulders and stares me down. “Alright. Here are your options,” he says, holding up his hands ready to count them out. Lifting one finger, “We go on that hike.” Another finger, “I take you horseback riding.” One more, “A swim in the lake in my backyard.”
He sits there, holding three fingers up, holding my gaze. I’m not going to lie to myself, all three of those things sound incredible. Especially a swim in the lake. I imagine him stripping off his clothes, revealing the muscles underneath, slowly wading into the water until he dips his head under, coming up and running his hands over his hair, water droplets dripping from his eyelashes.
“Avery.” Hudson’s voice breaks me from my thoughts and I realize he had been trying to get my attention. Or I assume that’s the case just from the waving hand in my face.
I shake my head slightly, clearing it of him, well, really just moving that image to the back of my mind. Filing it away for later. “Uh, sorry,” I say, trying not to tumble over my words.
“What were you thinking about?” he asks even though the look in his eye tells me that he already knows.
“Tell you what, Mountain Man.” I’m ignoring his question and he knows it. I lean forward on my forearms, my face inches from his as he copies my movement. “The hike you already owe me because I need a guide. Horseback riding can make up for Sky and a swim can just be a bonus.” I say it all with more confidence than I feel, because I truly have no idea what I’m doing and I think the first beer is giving me more courage than exists in my body.
