“Ever the risk taker,” said Guy.
And Avery gave him a sweet smile.
Sensing he’d missed out on a private joke, the bartender said, “Now what can I get you two to drink?”
“Make mine a strawberry margarita,” said Avery. “I think I need it after all that bear talk.”
“I’ll have a beer.” Guy made his selection and set the wine and beer list down.
Avery studied Guy, committing every feature, every nuance of his expression to memory. She watched as he brushed back the lock of hair that fell forward onto his face. “Have you ever seen a bear in the wild? That must be amazing—so long as it’s a decent distance away.”
“Plenty of times. And guess what?” Guy grinned across at her. “If you go up in a balloon you’ve got a good chance of seeing one too—and from a safe distance.”
“Forget it!” She stuck her tongue out at him. “I’d rather be on the ground wishing I were in the air than in the air wishing I were on the ground.”
He chuckled, his eyes warm and filled with humor.
"Let's study these menus, and see if the opposition is doing anything better than us."
Nine
Guy said no more about whatever it was that bothered him at the gallery during their outing. But an opportunity to learn more about him presented itself unexpectedly several days later.
“There’s something I want to show you,” said Guy interrupting the train of thought that Avery had been tapping into her computer while sitting at a table beside the sparkling resort pool.
She stretched lazily. She was feeling particularly content. A call from Matt had updated her on her uncle—he was almost back to normal. And earlier that morning her solo presentation had gone off without a hitch. “What is it?”
“You’ll have to shut down your computer, because it will take a while.”
Guy’s gaze raked over her and Avery became conscious of how her blouse had pulled tight over her br**sts. She lowered her arms.
“How much is a while?”
“My, but you’re full of questions today.”
The only way she was going to find out was to go with Guy. And her curiosity had been whetted. Busying herself with shutting the computer down, Avery packed it into its case, then rose to her feet. Guy led her through the spacious lobby scattered with tables and chairs and into an elevator.
“But this is the way to my room,” she said as the doors opened to her floor. “What are you going to show me here?”
Avery followed him up a short flight of stairs, until he halted outside her room. “Open up.”
She dug in her toes. “What’s going on?”
“Get your swimsuit and a towel, we’re going on a picnic.”
“A picnic?”
He grinned, looking like he had no cares in the world. “Why not?”
“Haven’t you got work to do?”
“It’s Monday, the slowest day at the resort. The sun is shining, it’s eighty degrees. The perfect day to show you the best swimming hole in Colorado. And test your theory that food tastes better outdoors.”
“I suppose you’ve prepared the perfect picnic feast?”
“Uh…Louis did.”
“In that case perhaps I should go on a picnic with Louis.” Then she tensed at her stupidity and tried to think of an inane comment that would take the edge out her words.
But Guy didn’t react with the suspicion she’d half expected. “No go. I organized the food, no one is hijacking my picnic.”
Avery laughed and relaxed a little. If he was starting to trust her then they were making progress.
Better she accept that Guy was not going to cook for her. Not because he hadn’t had sufficient opportunity, but because for some reason he didn’t want to.
She wished she could read him better, understand what drove him.
Today he was back to the easy charm that had attracted her that first day she met him. But she’d learned that the easygoing attitude also hid a reluctance to commit his heart. Avery didn’t want the shallow charmer any longer; she wanted the complex, passionate man she’d glimpsed beneath.
Maybe a picnic would help unearth him.
Swiping her access card, she opened the room door. “Give me two minutes to drop off my laptop and change into a swimsuit.”
Guy parked the black SUV under the trees and led Avery down an overgrown path to where the river flowed lazily into a calm pool in the lea of a large rock.
“Best kept secret in Colorado,” he said.
“Gosh, the water is like a mirror.” The willows along the river bank and the wide cobalt sky overhead were reflected in the flat surface.
“Not on the southern side of the rock, there’s a waterfall there.” With the picnic basket in one hand, Guy reached for her fingers with his free hand. “Come.”
A bolt of pure happiness shot through Avery as his fingers threaded through hers. This was what she yearned for. This sense of companionship and contentment…with no hint of suspicion and distrust.
Near the edge of the river bank, in the green space under the largest willow, Guy set down the basket and let go of her hand. Then he tugged off his T-shirt and Avery caught her breath at the sight of his broad chest, his stomach tight with muscles that rippled in the sunlight.
Before he could see the effect his body had on her, she turned away and stripped off her jeans and tank top to reveal the lime-green bikini she wore. By the time she reached the river bank, Guy was already moving across the ledge below the large, flat rock. He took three running steps and leapt into the water.
Avery edged down the bank until she stood knee deep in the swimming hole.
“Brr.” She crossed her arms over her br**sts to hide her puckering n**ples. “It’s cold.”
“Of course it’s cold. What did you expect? A hot tub?”
That brought back memories she didn’t need revived right now, and a wash of heat replaced the water’s chill. But when the water crept up her midriff, Avery forgot about hot tubs and n**ples and squealed out loud.
“You should’ve jumped in while you had the chance.”
Avery took one look at the wicked gleam in Guy’s eyes as he swam toward her and sank hurriedly under the water.
“You beast.” She came up stuttering at the shock of the river’s chill. “You’ll pay.”
She splashed a wide arc of water at him.
He retaliated and within minutes they were engaged in a water fight, the cold forgotten, until they ended up under the stream of bubbles from the waterfall.
“That was wonderful.” Finally worn out, Avery hauled herself out of the pool. Spreading her towel out on the grassy bank, she lay back in the sun, closing her eyes. Her stomach rumbled as hunger started to set in.
Peering through her eyelashes, she could see Guy sitting on his towel. Drops of water ran down his chest, causing her to follow their pathway over his chest, and belly…lower…to the waistband of his trunks. Those drops looked totally lickable.
She flushed, and jerked her gaze back to his face. “You always promised you’d cook for me one day.”
“Did I?” His expression was impenetrable.
“Don’t you remember?”
He shrugged. “I’m too busy to prepare food these days.”
“You told me that back in New York.” She braved his sarcasm. “You also said you missed it. That conjuring up dishes for your patrons didn’t bring the same satisfaction as feeding friends and family.”
Did he really not remember? Or was this another way of closing himself up to her?
“Sounds like I said entirely too much.”
“Don’t you recall the conversation?” Perhaps he had forgotten. Or never taken much notice to the promise he’d made. It only went to show how little their relationship had meant to him. It irked her that she was so forgettable he couldn’t even remember their conversations.
Every word he’d spoken to her was engraved on her soul.
Don’t call me again. Ever.
And she hadn’t. If it hadn’t been for Uncle Art falling sick, she’d very likely never have met Guy again. She’d sworn never to take an assignment in New York. Even among the millions of people the risk of encountering Guy was too great.
So maybe she was a ’fraidy cat.
Yet here she was trying to remind him he’d once promised to make her a meal. A fierce and stubborn determination crept in. “You said it the day that—”
“I vaguely remember.”
Vaguely? That was even more insulting. Before she could object to his choice of words Guy had moved away to unpack the hamper.
“There’s a selection of cheeses, a baguette, some pickles made at the resort, grapes and a nut terrine that is irresistible.” Guy spread them out on a checked blue-and-white rug. Then he dug back into the hamper. “As well as a bottle of Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. No champagne today—I don’t want to make you sneeze.”
At least he’d remembered that! While it might not be exactly the same as having Guy prepare food for her, the spread looked heavenly. Avery’s mouth started to water.
“I suppose I could settle for that.”
Reaching forward, he tore off a piece of bread and scooped a little terrine on to it. “Try this.” He offered it to her.
She took it daintily, closed her eyes, and chewed.
“Good.”
Her eyes opened, and caught him watching her. “What are you staring at?”
“You’re a pleasure to feed,” he said simply.
“So feed me.”
Guy’s pulse leaped. But he took her at her word. Within minutes they’d demolished the contents of the basket.
“Just as well there wasn’t more.” Avery grinned at him and desire clawed at his gut in a way that was only too familiar. “A full stomach and warm sunshine would guarantee that I wouldn’t move for a week.”
He forgot about work. He forgot about the menu that Louis was waiting for him to finalize for the black-tie fundraiser for the coming Saturday night. His whole world consisted of Avery’s sparkling blue eyes, and her wicked smiling mouth.
“There’s still dessert,” he murmured.
“Oh, I couldn’t eat another thing.”
“I think you’ll find space for ripe black cherries.” Guy shifted closer to her. The blue of her eyes deepened as she realized his intent.
“I love cherries.”
They’d talked about cherries one evening at Baratin. She’d said she’d match the sweetness with a sauce of bitter chocolate. He’d argued that honey drizzled over would match better—he’d been teasing, his gleaming laughter-filled eyes had told her that much.
“There’s a bottle of honey to complement it.”
Her heart sank a little. No, he didn’t remember. Or if he did, he didn’t care enough to take her suggestions to heart. Avery felt unaccountably crushed.
“That will be nice,” she said, subdued.
He took a glass bottle out the basket.
“But that’s—” Her startled gaze shot to his.