34. amelia
34
AMELIA
“ W e should probably get going." Grinning, I looked at Gray before letting my gaze drift downward, very aware that he wasn't going anywhere at the moment.
He grimaced. "Very funny."
"Why don't you just think about something else?"
"Why didn't I think of that? What do you suggest?"
"Little baby goats."
My answer didn't seem to satisfy Gray. And it did nothing for his problem as his erection still pressed hard against his jeans. All I had done was touch his arm to point something out.
No sexual comments or innuendos had been made. Just a touch—and an innocent one at that.
I could barely contain my amusement. However, I found it less amusing when Gray pulled me close so that my back was against his chest.
"I have a much better idea," he whispered to me.
"We don't have the time," I reminded him. The barbecue was in full swing, and not just the guests were waiting for Gray to show up.
"Your mind's back in the gutter." Gray urged me toward the door. "You're just my cover."
"Because it's not at all obvious if I stand in front of you the whole time. And I don't think it solves your problem if my ass keeps rubbing against your rock-hard erection." Sure, eventually, it would lead to a solution, but that was not one he wanted to have happen in front of all these people.
"Just for a few minutes." It sounded like a negotiation.
This was interrupted when the door flew open and Manon walked in. She raised her eyebrows as she spotted Gray and me in an embrace.
"Do you need some privacy, or…?"
I shook my head. "All good. Come in. We were just about to join you at the campfire."
"Yeah… um… I think there's a problem." Manon rolled her eyes, which looked quite dramatic. "Your weird friend over there… he keeps telling me how much fun I would have working at his bar."
"Wilder?" Gray and I exclaimed together.
"It's creepy when you do that," she muttered. "Cut it out. But yes, apparently, his name is as weird as his behavior."
Gray pushed me away from him, evidently mastering his body once more. "You take care of Wilder, and I'll handle the guests."
With a nod, I agreed and extended my hand to Manon, following her outside.
Aside from the starry sky and the fire, there were no sources of light, making the darkness around the edges especially black. The night was filled with casual conversations, the chirping of crickets, and the crackling of the fire.
My path led straight to the bar Wilder had set up each week to offer his services. I wondered when he would go back to sending his employees instead of spying on what was happening up here.
"Wilder!" I greeted him, leaning on the table in front of him. His gaze shifted from me to Manon and darkened immediately.
"You two seem to really like each other," I commented. Had something happened between them? "Tell me, Wilder, are you really upset because Manon doesn't want to take over the bar for you? Should I step in? Do you need to be somewhere?"
"She told you that?" He snorted. "No, everything's fine. I'm managing. But remind me, when is she heading home again?"
What had gotten into him?
"Be a dear and make us two cocktails, will you? Manon and I are sitting over there by the fire." I gave him a charming smile before pulling her along with me.
It seemed Wilder was just having a bad day, and Manon was bearing the brunt of it.
As soon as we sat down, I looked for Gray. He had just served dessert and was now chatting with some of the guests.
"You saw each other less than five minutes ago."
"So what?" I replied, but still turned my head to give her my full attention. "So, what's going on with you and Wilder?"
She snorted just like he had earlier. "Nothing. He just acted like a fool toward me. And you know how much I hate that."
I made a sound of agreement. Manon's patience was wearing thin, especially since half of her mind was already on the fact that she would soon be leaving and returning to her life in Toronto.
Perhaps the break here was as good for her as it had been for me—the prospect of returning to a much faster-paced life was just as unappealing to her as it was to me.
"Wolf Creek is really a lovely place," she shared. We had spent the whole day exploring the surrounding woods, climbing the hiking trails, and making our way through various vantage points. I had also shown her the rest of the town because we hadn't made it out of theBrewtifulcafé yesterday. We had been by the river, to the bookstore, and at the weekend market. We even visited the only museum in the area and, a bit tipsy, learned all about the town and its history.
"At first, I thought, is it really the right decision to come here? But it's clear now that it was the best decision I could have made."
Manon gave me a sideways glance. "Yes. Sometimes, we should all follow a completely strange man into the wilderness of Canada. Especially if he looks ridiculously hot. Screw the fact that people have died doing just that."
"Luckily, this isn't a dark love story."
"You just barely avoided that, if you ask me." Manon's grin was infectious. "Be glad I took a good long look at his driver's license."
"Not that Sergeant Williams would have believed you or helped you out."
She rolled her eyes. "Who knows what's with that woman? Maybe in her youth, she was fooled by someone older than her. Or something. Who knows? There must be a reason she's sticking her nose so deep into your business."
Maybe it was simply because she was a police officer and it was her job to ensure safety. She had completely misjudged the danger with Gray and me, but it’s true that in some cases, things aren’t noticed until it’s too late, followed by loud cries wondering why no one had seen the signs.
"Maybe I should apologize to her. Who knows what her reasons are? Maybe my judgment is just off and we got off on the wrong foot?"
"It's at least worth a try."
"Ladies." Two glasses filled with a fruity concoction appeared before my face, quickly followed by two plates bearing the dessert I had prepared earlier with Gray's help.
We accepted them, but it wasn't Wilder who materialized behind them; it was Gray.
Gratefully, I looked at him before casting a glance toward the bar. Wilder had his back to us, deeply engaged in conversation with a young woman.
Gray disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Manon and me to ourselves again. I balanced the plate on my knee, took a sip of my drink, and leaned back.
"Do you do this every week?"
"Same time, every week. And always with whoever's staying as guests."
"So the Wildwood Hideaway really is a little slice of heaven."
"You have no idea, M."
"I know I'm spending my next vacation here too. You can hire me as an intern and show me what you do all day."
Her statement made me lean toward her and slide an arm around her shoulders. "You're always welcome here. You know that."
Manon nodded, and for the first time, I realized how much I had missed her these past weeks when our contact had been so limited.