Page 55 of Tinder Embrace
"Does anyone else have any Campfire business for tonight?" Gwen asked.
We shook our heads. She grinned, turning her focus to me. "Good. Then I vote we move on to the second item on our agenda: grilling Sophie about Davis."
"Seconded," Izzy chimed in.
Somewhere, Henry Martyn Robert was rolling over in his grave, but if I listed all of the ways we took liberty with town council procedures andRobert's Rules of Order, I'd be just as dead by the time I finished.
"So…" Izzy prodded, drawing the word out.
I waited. Or tried to.
The crackle of flames consuming logs in the firepit filled the evening, and I struggled to listen for frogs, hoping their music would convince me I didn't need to fill the silence.
"This is your idea of an interrogation?" I asked.
Gwen, Eve, Izzy, and Jo grinned, watching me.
Darn it. They knew me too well.
I let loose a heavy sigh, resigned to my fate. "Fine. You win. Davis and I had a fabulous first date on Sunday. He took me hiking up QuartziteMountain and packed us a picnic. It was very sweet. Afterward, he drove me to pick up Bee-gonia's burner. We had a great day."
I hoped that would be enough to satisfy them. My feelings for Davis were still new, and spilling them in front of his sister, even if she was a good friend, felt weird. Maybe some of Davis's desire for privacy was rubbing off on me, because I both wanted to gush and struggled to find the right words. Did I tell them he kissed like a maniac? Jo didn't need to hear that about her brother. Could I share that he made me feel safe, maybe for the first time in a while? I hadn't talked about my accident and reasons for moving to Campfire, and it wasn’t the right time to confess.
"And…?" Eve let the question hang, tempting me to continue.
"He's a great guy," I said, glancing at Jo. Oversharing with her present was not an option.
"A great guy who…" Izzy prodded.
"Makes me tingle." I glanced around. "Is that what y'all wanted to hear?"
Three grins and one headshake met my pronouncement.
The low rumble of a quad broke the silence. A few moments later, Davis drew to a stop beside the wood pile. He found me in the gloom, no doubt thanks to my excellent fashion choices. My bright yellow jacket almost glowed in the dark. Eve liked to joke that it could probably be seen from space, but if it made me easy to spot by those I wanted to find me? Worth it.
"Ride with me?"
His soft invitation warmed me from the inside.
"Goodnight, everybody," I called, climbing on behind Davis and wrapping my arms around his solid bulk.
His rumbled "Ready?" sent a fresh rush of anticipation snaking through me.
I didn't even bother to ask where he was taking me. Anywhere he went was probably somewhere I wanted to go. Slowly, he accelerated, taking a left at the fork, turning opposite the path to the house.
Away from the fire, it was much cooler, and I shivered, snuggling into Davis's back for warmth. He drove a few minutes, following a well-worn trail through the hops. We wound up a wooded path on what I suspected was the north end of their property, emerging in a small clearing on the side of the hill.
The moon hung heavy in the sky, slowly emerging over the horizon. A mix of trees ringed the clearing, and somewhere an enterprising bullfrog called to his mate.
Davis cut the engine, pausing for me to slip off before boosting himself from the seat. He grabbed a blanket bungeed to the back of the quad and extended a hand for mine. Our fingers meshed, and he tugged me to a small spot of new spring grass, releasing me to spread the blanket. He dropped down, long legs extended and propped up by one elbow, and patted the spotnext to him.
"Join me?"
The stars shone down on the little nest he’d created for us. The dark sky, bright moon, and symphony of wildlife created a magical cocoon of coziness. The trees should have felt imposing, but their screen made the glade feel more private from the rest of the farm, a quiet place for reflection and sharing secrets.
As gracefully as possible, I kneeled next to him, relaxing until I mimicked his position. The wool blanket was scratchy beneath my fingers, but at least the tight weave would keep out the worst of the damp.
Davis patted my hip. "Comfortable?" He whispered the question in my ear, and it was all I could do not to whimper.
