Page 14 of Grey
Her mouth fell open. “You researched the fountain? For me?”
“Sure,” he said. “It was actually a lot more interesting than I remembered the story being when the owner of the feed store told me about it. He said that if I tossed a coin in the fountain, I’d get a wish granted but only if it was something that wasn’t super selfish. His wife told me that selfish wishes tend to turn on the wisher because the fountain doesn’t like them.”
He realized she was staring at him like he’d sprouted a second head.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I just, I’m just so surprised that you looked into a local legend for me. I’ve never had someone do something so sweet for me. It’s surprising.”
“I think it’s pretty cool that you like local legends. I never gave it much thought, but after you told me about the Ghost of Little River and then now that I read up on the fountain in the park, I think this town is pretty interesting. I wonder if there are more legends.”
“There are,” she said, her eyes brightening with excitement.
“Then let’s eat and chat, and you can tell me what you know.”
“You really want to hear about them?” she asked, her voice filled with awe.
“Absolutely. But first, let’s make a wish.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out two quarters, and handed her one.
She smiled at him. “Grey, you’re really very sweet.”
“I think you’re pretty sweet too.”
They both stepped close to the fountain and went silent for a moment, and then they flicked their coins into the water.
“Are you supposed to keep wishes a secret like birthday wishes?” he asked as they sat down at the picnic table and opened their meal boxes.
“It’s probably better to err on the side of caution and keep it to ourselves.”
“Well, my wish is already coming true,” he said. “But I’ll keep it to myself.”
She smiled at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners, and took a bite out of her sandwich. “So let me tell you about the legend of the Bells of Little River…”
“You’re so distracted, you’ve dropped books three times,” Mrs. Fielder said from behind the circulation desk. “Are you all right?”
Tatum smiled. “I’m fine, I’m just tired.”
“Didn’t sleep well?”
She’d slept just fine, but she’d been caught up in the sexiest dream she’d ever had in her life and it had starred the surprisingly sweet Grey. She still couldn’t believe that he’d not only looked up a local legend to share with her, but he’d listened intently to her ramble over dinner about the town legends that she’d learned about. He asked questions, he teased her about some of the legends, and overall she’d had the best time with him.
Then he’d followed her to her cabin and walked her to the door, leaving after a kiss that devastated her senses and made her want to haul him inside by his collar and take him to bed.
Which was probably why she’d had a sex dream about him.
And woken up tingling in all the good places.
Even now her body felt alive just thinking about him.
He was so damn sexy. How could she feel like this after just a couple days? Two freaking dates and she wanted to climb him like a tree.
She walked over to the desk and said, “Do you believe in love at first sight?”
“Sure. Read enough romance books and you’ll feel like anything is possible, even finding true love after one glance.”
“Okay, but fictional stories are one thing and reality is another.”
“Yes,” she said, leaning forward on the desk. “I do believe in love at first sight. When I met my husband, it was like getting hit with a dart between the eyes. Or in the heart, I guess. But love at first sight is shallow, you know? It’s the stuff of quickies and passion and bubble baths. Love at first sight is a sprint, but real romance, real love comes later on. That’s the stuff of late nights with a colicky baby, worry about paying the bills, or arguing about putting underwear in the hamper and not on the floor. Real love is a marathon.”
