Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
It’s a beautiful day, I’m off work, and the thought of seeing my dream girl in my mountains is just too irresistible to pass up.
“I love hiking,” she says, “but I don’t have any proper shoes.”
She’s wearing flats. That won’t do at all. Not in these mountains.
“Let me take you to Greene Adventure,” I say. “I’ll buy you some hiking shoes and show you some views that will leave you breathless.”
Her breath catches as her eyes quickly roam down my body. It seems I’m already showing her a view that’s leaving her breathless.
“I’d like that,” she says, nodding with an adorable smile on her face. “But you don’t have to buy me shoes. I’ll pay for them.”
We’ll see about that. I want to spoil this angel.
And I have all day to do it.
But hopefully, if this day goes right, I’ll have more than a day.
I’ll have a lifetime to pamper her, just like she deserves.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryland
“Ready, angel?” I ask after I take a quick shower, throw some fresh clothes on, and am ready to leave with Ellie.
“Yes,” she says, bouncing up enthusiastically. I almost reach over to hold her hand as we walk outside. It would feel so natural, so right, but we’re not there yet. Hopefully, we will be soon. I’d like to be able to hold her hand whenever the mood strikes. Something tells me that once I’m holding it, I won’t ever want to let it go.
“Can I ask you something?” she says as we walk down the street toward Greene Adventure.
“Anything.”
“How come you keep calling me angel?”
“That’s all I could think when I saw you playing the harp on stage,” I say. “Angel. If angels do exist, no one can convince me that you’re not one of them.”
She looks away, trying to hide her smile, but I can still see those cheeks blushing.
“Let’s get you some shoes,” I say, throwing caution to the wind and taking her hand. She gives it to me and holds my hand back. “Unless you’re going to fly up the mountain with angel wings?”
“No wings,” she says with a laugh. “But are you sure these shoes aren’t good enough?”
“For these mountains? Not a chance. I’m not going to risk you falling off.”
We head into Greene Adventure and get her set up with new hiking shoes, and a new outfit. She’s going to be too hot in jeans, so I grab her some shorts, a breathable hiking shirt, and a hat. I know she’s not going to want me to pay, but I’m paying for everything today. No way my girl is paying for a thing on our first date.
I slip the worker my card and he charges it without her knowing.
“No way,” she says when the worker tells her it’s already been paid. She turns to me with accusing eyes. “You didn’t have to do that!”
“I invited you on the date, so I pay,” I say with a finality in my tone. “Sorry, Greene Mountain rules.”
“So, this is a date?” she asks with a grin.
Oh shit. Was I reading the signals wrong?
“Isn’t it?”
“If you want,” she says with a shy shrug.
“I want.”
She stands up on her toes and gives me a soft, gentle kiss on the cheek. “Then, it’s a date. Thank you for the hiking gear.”
“You can thank me by not falling off the mountain.”
We leave her clothes with the clerk and head out all decked out for the mountains. It’s a gorgeous summer day and we head out to the best trail in the area. I know she’s going to love it. I’ve been hiking up it for fifty years and it still takes my breath away.
“So, where are you taking me?” she asks when we arrive at the beginning of the trail that leads into the forest at the base of the mountains.
“Icarus’ Launch Point,” I tell her. “Best lookout you’ll ever see. The view is spectacular.”
She grins as we walk under the leafy canopy. “My mother would give me a good talking to if she knew that I was heading into the forest on a first date with a stranger.”
“We’ve been through a lot already,” I say. “I don’t think I’m a stranger anymore.”
“No,” she whispers. “You’re definitely not.”
“But I do agree with your mother. She sounds like a smart lady.”
Ellie laughs and takes my hand. I feel like everything is right in the world as we head up the mountain, talking about everything we can think of.
I learn so much about her. About her family and her home back in Minnesota. How she’s itching to move out of her parents’ home but is waiting for the right time. About how she’s been playing the harp every day of her life and how Angelic Divine started and how it’s on its last legs.
Every word she says plunges me deeper in love. By the time we get to the first lookout, I’m completely taken.