Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Harper
The day passed by quickly as I helped Miss Lila stock shelves and clean the floor. Amelia came by later in the day and it was nice to meet someone around my age in town.
“So how are you liking Misty Mountain?” Amelia asked as she dusted a shelf, and I re-organized a section of books.
“I love it so far. So peaceful and quiet, but the tight knit community is still there unlike when living in the city. And now that I’ve met Kaiden, it’s only gotten better.”
Amelia’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you met a guy? Do tell. If you don’t mind, of course. I don’t mean to pry.”
“I’m sure you’ve seen him around. He comes here often, plows the lot, loves books though most people wouldn’t guess that about him. Surprisingly, he has more books than me. He built his own library in his cabin.”
“Wow. Now that’s a book lover. Let me guess…Kaiden right?”
I laughed. “I figured you’ve seen him around.”
“I sure have. I’ve even dropped off some books for him before. Nice guy, keeps to himself. I’ve never even seen him with a woman before. He must really like you.”
My cheeks grew hot. “I’m liking him a lot, too.”
“I can tell from the lovesick grin on your face. Trust me, I know. I fell in love with my own mountain man after moving here. His name’s Adrian. I’m sure you’ll see him around as he likes to keep a protective eye on me.”
“These mountain men love to be protective it seems.”
“Isn’t it so sexy?” Amelia giggled, a far off look on her face.
“Now who looks lovestruck?” I teased and we both burst into laughter.
“I love to see two ladies happy and in love.” Miss Lila said as she walked by. “Love is in the air in Misty Mountain!”
“Whoa, whoa, I didn’t use the word love. ” My face burned hotter.
“Can’t fool us around here, Harper.” Amelia grinned. “You sure do look like a woman in love to me.”
I laughed it off and changed the subject, talking about the latest book release but the rest of the afternoon, the thought nagged at me.
Was I falling in love with Kaiden?
At five o’clock on the dot, Kaiden walked into Evergreen Books & Trinkets, looking as handsome as ever. Tight jeans hugged his sexy frame, with a black t-shirt and red plaid flannel finishing off the look. A beanie cap covered his hair, and he was all smiles as soon as he saw me.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Kaiden wrapped his arms around me, and I pressed my face into his chest, breathing in his woodsy scent I’ve grown to love. “I missed you.”
“I missed you more.”
Kaiden chuckled, the sound low and deep in his throat. “Impossible.”
“You two kids behave! And have a good night.” Miss Lila said as she pushed us out of the shop, wanting to close and lock the door so she could go home.
“I don’t know about the behaving part, but we’ll definitely have a good night.” Kaiden said before waving goodbye.
“Night, Miss Lila. See you in a couple of days.” I thread my arm through Kaiden’s, excited to be around him again. “Where did you want to take me?” I asked as he held the truck door open for me.
“You’ll see.” He said before closing the door and hurrying around to the other side. “You’re going to love it.”
“Okay.” I rubbed my hands together in hopes of warming them up. The arm rest between us was up and when I looked down, I noticed a blanket and picnic basket. I wanted to ask questions, but I swallowed them down, not wanting to ruin the surprise or hurt his feelings. He planned something and that in itself was beyond sweet.
We drove for about ten minutes, filling each other in on our time apart, when Kaiden pulled into an empty lot. A sign next to the start of a pathway leading into the woods read Whispering Falls Trailhead.
Kaiden parked his truck where there was a clearing in the woods, a scenic view of trees and mountains off in the distance. “If you hike up the trail some, there’s a beautiful waterfall but unfortunately, it’s too cold right now. So, I thought we could park here, have a picnic in the warmth of my truck, and watch the sunset over the mountains.”
“That sounds perfect to me. You’re so thoughtful, Kaiden.”
“Only the best for my girl.” Kaiden shut the headlights off, keeping the engine running for the heat, and lifted the picnic basket onto the dash so he could spread the blanket out over our laps.
“Does that mean we’re official?”
“Baby, we’ve been official since the moment you walked through my doorstep.” He leaned over and kissed me gently at first, but then deeper, until passion exploded between us.
When he backed away, my lips tingled. I watched as he unpacked the dinner he made, admiring his cooking skills and planning skills. “You did an amazing job with this, Kaiden.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Last to leave the basket was a box of chocolates and single red rose. “Both for you, gorgeous.”
“How? How did I get so lucky to find you?”
“I’d say we’re both pretty damn lucky to have found each other.”
I leaned closer to him, my heart beating fast, my blood rushing through my ears. The words fell from my lips before I could contemplate stopping them. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
“Good. Because I think I’m falling in love with you too.”
We kissed and kissed until our stomachs protested with hunger. We ate the delicious meal of cheese and crackers, chicken salad sandwiches, and grapes while watching the sun set in the sky.
And after we finished, we cuddled until the stars lit up the sky, a perfect finish to a perfect evening.