Page 47 of With You Here
“Ben and I, we are proud of you. To see how far you have come. From a boy who thought the world owed him everything to a man who realized he possessed something worth giving. The changes, they aregut.” She patted his cheek. “You are agutman. She will see this. Do not worry.”
Emotion welled within him, but he managed to put a lid on the rising tide. Had anyone called him good before? Had he ever deserved it?
Mila’s gaze hooked onto something over his shoulder. “I have taken up enough of your time. There is someone else who would like your attention.” She grinned. “Someone I think you’d rather be talking to than me.” She kissed him on the cheek and walked away.
Seth turned, his heart kicking against his ribs with a goal-making strike. Amber stood a few feet away, the sun lighting her bronze hair with highlights of gold, making strands shine. She smiled at him with a shy twist to her lips. If this were a game, if they’d been keeping score, he’d forfeit right now. She’d already won. So much of his heart was already hers, even if it seemed the starting whistle had just blown.
A soft breeze kicked up off the slow-moving river to their right, twisting the long skirt of her maxi dress against her legs. A strand of hair danced across her face and landed on her lips. He stepped forward and raised his hand. Traced a finger from her hairline, down her temple, and tucked the errant length of hair behind her ear.
“Hi,” he whispered.
She answered with her own breathless, “Hi.”
They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment, his gaze sinking further, speaking words he dared not voice aloud. He was both aware and unaware of the crowd of people around them. Voices swirled and spun, laughter lifted and fell, but time in their private space stood still. Everything faded except the woman in front of him. Nothing mattered at the moment but her.
“I can’t believe you went to all the trouble of putting this together for me.”
“You’re worth the trouble.”
Her nose scrunched across the bridge, and she tilted her head slightly.
He groaned, then leaned his forehead down to touch hers. “Guess I’m not as smooth as I thought, eh, luv?”
She chuckled and looked up at him through her lashes. Did anyone possess such a combination of grit and unsoiled beauty as she?
“What I mean is, it wasn’t any trouble.Youaren’tany trouble.”
She pulled away and placed a hand on a cocked hip while giving him a saucy grin. “Oh, I’m trouble all right.” She let her hand fall and her smile grew. “But I’m glad you think I’m worth it.”
She held his gaze a second more before looking around. Some people sat at the tables with slices of pizza while others had started a small pick-up game of football in the grassy field on the other side of the pavilion. She turned back to him. “Are you hungry? Or would you like to take a walk and see where this path leads?” She pointed behind him to the concrete pavement that followed the river.
Food could wait. A few more private moments with her couldn’t. “Let’s walk.”
He led her to the path, and they walked several feet without speaking. A bird swooped in front of them and landed on a nearby tree. She sidestepped a ladybug on the path, her hand grazing his pants.
“Thank you for agreeing to go out with me.”
She bestowed another of her shy smiles upon him, and he felt suddenly timid himself.
“I know this may be pushing my luck, but I’d like to ask permission to hold your hand.”
“Really?”
He grinned at her surprise. “I must not be doing a good job of showing my interest if you’re shocked at that request.”
Her cheeks pinked. “It’s not that. It’s just… I guess I’m surprised you asked, is all. Instead of just grabbing my hand, that is.”
“I would have…before. But I don’t want to take more than you’re willing or ready to give. Whether that’s your time or your attention—or in this case, your hand—I’m not going to push against your boundaries.” He glanced down and winked. “But I’m not above asking where the gate to those boundaries is and whether I have permission to step through to get closer to you.” He crossed his eyes and shook his head. “Kayla was right. I’m sounding completely ridiculous.”
Amber laughed, let her palm slide down his inner arm, and wove her fingers through his. “I’ve always appreciated your honesty.” She rested the side of her head against his bicep. “Thank you for respecting me enough to ask. It was really sweet of you.”
They walked on, the sounds of their chaperones drifting in the background.
She lifted her head and looked up at him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“What is it with you and Kayla? There seems to be…I don’t know…”
