Chapter 30
Sophie
I survived my Monday and Tuesday in the classroom.
Barely. I shuddered every time one of my students scratched, sure we were on the cusp of another outbreak.
It was a relief to drive to the Pruitt Farm Tuesday evening for our usual campfire gathering.
If I drove faster than usual, it was because I was eager to see my friends.
It had nothing to do with the overnight bag Davis had asked me to pack.
I glanced uneasily at my backpack in the passenger seat. I could only hope that Jo and I would still be friends after tonight. Grimacing, I focused on the turn to the Pruitt Farm, parking in front of the house.
Davis opened the front door, sweeping me into his arms with a welcoming kiss that made me giddy. I loved that he was here to welcome me. Even two months ago, Davis would have been hiding away, working somewhere on the farm.
Tonight, he wore his usual jeans and flannel, but he was freshly showered. The scent of soap clung to his skin, wafting toward me as he edged nearer.
"Need any help?" He shoved his hands in his back pockets as we pulled apart, as if he needed the reminder not to reach for me again.
"I'm good. Okay if I drop this off before I head to the fire pit?" I asked, hoisting my bag.
“I’ll take it.” A smile slowly overtook his handsome features. The glint of warmth in his blue eyes, the hint of pleasure in the quirk of his mouth, warmed me from the inside.
"I'll drive you out if you want," he offered.
"You spoil me," I scolded gently. "Honestly, I need the walk."
His face fell, and I said, "But you could always walk with me and tell me about your day."
"Deal.” He fell into step beside me. He led me to his bedroom, and I paused at the threshold, taking in his private space.
Jo's room was neat, decorated in soothing blues and grays. It fit her. I’d expected something similar in Davis’s room, but his space wasn't quite what I imagined.
The furniture was sturdy. A king bed dominated the floor with a matching dresser and nightstand.
Colorful prints of sunsets decorated the walls, both peaceful and cheery, and utterly at odds with my original opinion of Davis, but somehow right.
He dropped my bag on his dresser and reached for my hand, twining our fingers together, tugging me to him. "Hi," he murmured, dropping his forehead to mine.
"Hi," I croaked, throat tight.
Maybe it was nerves about staying over with Jo next door, maybe it was just Davis. Something about tonight felt important, and we'd barely gotten started. I still had hours around the fire with my friends before we could retreat to the privacy of his room.
I shivered, imagining having the freedom to strip him and explore, to be kissed and caressed in return.
Spending even one night without him had been torture, but he'd had a late night at the farm, and it'd been a school night for me.
Tonight was also a school night for me, and I'd pay the price tomorrow, but I couldn't bring myself to care.
Spending more time with Davis was worth it.
He kissed me, a slow caress that nearly stopped my heart with its tenderness.
"I'm glad you could come tonight," he whispered when we broke apart.
"Me too."
Even if the idea of Jo next door made me nervous, I knew I needed to get over it.
So I was loud during sex. We were both adults.
It might be awkward, but I couldn't change that about myself.
In college, I tried, but if I was having a good time, pretty much everyone in a thirty-foot radius was going to be able to tell.
Curse of the noisy orgasm.
Some guys were weird about it, but most seemed to accept it as a badge of honor. After all, at least it meant I came. The silence when I didn't was stifling. Any way you sliced it, background music was a must. At least then we had a chance of drowning out some of the noise when I lost control.
Davis and I walked to the fire pit hand in hand.
The rest of the gang had already arrived, and they greeted us cheerfully. "Hey, Sophie, Davis. Grab some pizza and join us."
"Another time," Davis promised, squeezing and dropping my hand to escape.
I joined Gwen, Jo, Eve, and Izzy, taking the last of the Adirondacks gathered around the fire, and Gwen started the meeting.
"The countdown is on to this weekend. Sophie, the balloonists are all ready?"
I nodded. "Most will arrive Friday night. I've set them up with vacation rentals or the motel further south."
"PR is all set. I've been promoting the weekend events through social media and local newspapers," Eve said around a mouthful of pizza.
"Jo and I have the vendors organized," Izzy said smoothly. "We should have a good mix of artisans and food trucks."
"Any signs of our unfriendly local saboteur?" Jo asked.
"Not yet," Gwen said grimly. "I'm hoping their brush with discovery at the Winter Warmth Auction will discourage any more pranks."
"You'd think, at some point, they'd run out of minions to pay to mess with us," Eve grumbled.
"We're also all on alert now, along with the sheriff," Izzy pointed out. "It's a lot harder to screw with us when we're no longer naively assuming someone won't try."
"I still don't see the point," Gwen lamented.
Eve shrugged. "Maybe messing with us is the point. If they make it hard enough, maybe they think we'll quit the council?"
I laughed, the chuckles coming from deep in my belly, as I watched Gwen's mulish expression. Clearly, anyone who thought we'd give in hadn't met Gwen. The woman was a force to be reckoned with and held a mean grudge. Just ask Zander Nemitz.
"As if," Izzy said, sipping at her water.
"We're not quitters," Jo added, stating the obvious.
Gwen frowned. "If anything, I'm only more determined to make our council plans a success with the grief we've been getting. No one messes with our town."
Izzy cleared her throat. "But, speaking of the council and needing to step back from duties," she paused, and Eve and I exchanged a knowing look across the fire. Finally. "I'm going to need to lighten my load for a while."
"Why's that?" I asked innocently.
As if we hadn't all guessed. But Izzy was entitled to her secrets, and I was more than happy to give her the space to share her news in her own time.
"I'm pregnant!" she squealed, grinning broadly.
"Congratulations!" I shouted back, happy for my friend.
We took turns hugging Izzy. She towered over me, putting her at boob level, and I bit back my chuckle.
That had been my first indication: as someone frequently smothered by friendly hugs, her burgeoning chest had been hard to miss.
The subtle signs of pregnancy had been there for weeks, if you knew where to look.
"I'm so happy for you and Ivan; congrats, Iz," I whispered, hugging her tightly, simultaneously turning my head to avoid being presented with the direct evidence of her impending motherhood.
After Izzy had been passed around for hugs and well wishing, we settled back in our chairs.
Izzy deserved to start her family, and I couldn't be happier for her.
Someday, maybe it would be my turn. I could already imagine two small faces with their dad's slow grin. I’d only hope any future children would have my temperament.
As if he could feel me thinking about him, Davis appeared on the path by the picnic table, nodding to me from the shadows. "Ready?"
Glancing across the fire, I smiled. More than. I turned to my friends. "I'm going to call it a night. I'll see you all Saturday morning at the field."
Jo met my gaze across the fire, a small smile on her lips. "I'm going to hang out here with Gwen. We're going to start planning for the summer festival. We'll probably be at least another hour. Do with that information what you will…"
Eve snickered next to me, and I swatted her arm gently. "Quiet, you."
Her snicker turned into a belly laugh. "I think the whole point of Jo's comment is that you won't have to be. Good night!" she called cheerfully, grabbing Izzy by the arm and speeding down the path toward their cars before I could retaliate.
I could feel the heat creeping beneath my cheeks, my face flushing. This is what I got for having such good friends. There were few secrets between us and no hiding from their teasing.
"Good night," I called to Gwen and Jo, joining Davis at the edge of the clearing.
"Would it be rude to throw you over my shoulder and try to beat Izzy and Eve back to the house?" he murmured, surprising a laugh out of me.
I let my head fall against Davis's shoulder, cuddling closer as we maintained our more sedate pace. "Don't get me wrong, I like where your head's at, but I was hoping we could take things slower tonight." I grinned. "After all, according to Jo, we have a solid sixty minutes."
I thought he'd make a joke, say something silly. Instead, he said, "Bee, I'm not sure a lifetime would be enough with you."
"Damn, Davis," I whispered, floored.
His lips twitched, no doubt because he'd finally gotten me to swear.
He pulled me to a stop in front of the house, Izzy and Eve's taillights fading in the distance.
The farm settled around us as their car engine faded.
Frogs issued plaintive mating calls in the background while a faint breeze blew the rich, piney scent of the hops our way, adding a fairytale element to the moment.
Davis was deeply woven into the tapestry of the farm, a king in his kingdom, and he wanted to share his life with me.
He gathered me in his arms, and in the twilight, I could make out the adoration in his eyes. His expression warmed me from the inside, filling me with joy.
He cleared his throat. Maybe it was nerves prompting him, because he didn’t need the sound to draw my attention. Standing in the circle of his arms, he was all I could think about.
He gathered my hands, placing a gentle kiss on my knuckles. "Bee, that lifetime sounds more like heaven than hell to me. It feels early, but this thing between us? It also feels a lot like love."
My heart stilled before galloping ahead.
His expression wavered between hope and admiration as we stood, holding hands beneath the emerging stars. The moon smiled down, a silent sentinel assuring me that, for all the dream-like qualities of his confession, he was real and solid beside me in the deepening evening.
Davis may not use a lot of words, but sometimes he had the best ones.
"For me too," I breathed, still reeling from his admission.
Davis, possibly the most reserved man I knew, had essentially told me he loved me. Me.
Giddy and overwhelmed, I grinned, trying to keep my eyes from becoming shiny, but feeling full-to-bursting with love for him.
He tilted his head toward the house, eyes gleaming. "Time's a wasting, Sophie. I want to make the most of every minute with you."
The magic of his smile released me from my stasis, filling me with eagerness. "Then you'd better catch up!" I took off at a sprint, laughing when he jogged after me.
Happiness made every step lighter, joy leaving me feeling like I was floating all the way inside.
We kissed, falling onto his bed in a tangle of arms and legs that left me breathless. Gazing into Davis's eyes, I had to admit it wasn’t the run that winded me. It was the man.