When it appeared she wouldn’t stop until she was plugged deeper into her connection with nature, I rushed ahead and slid the door open for her.
What are you doing, Khane? It was my conscience shooting me a warning question that I ignored.
“Thank you,” she mouthed before she stepped past the door and out onto the patio. The wind whipped at our clothes and skin before it settled and welcomed us.
“This is the most beautiful view I have ever seen.” Confirmation of her words rested in the smile on her lips and in her eyes. She reached out her arm and closed her left eye before tracing the lines of the tallest mountain peak in the distance.
The sleeve of my shirt covered most of her hand, the tails of it flapping below her enticing hips. My smile deepened at the sight of her in my shirt. These moments with her were surreal, making me cherish the reality of every second as she, for me, had always been an unattainable dream.
You are watching her for protection purposes, not pleasure.The voice in my head reminded.
Her eyes fluttered shut in contentment, and she clasped her hands together in front of her lips like she was praying to the view. She walked ahead, not stopping until she had reached the balcony’s edge and placed her hand atop the thick stone-crafted railing. The steep drop-off drew her gaze downward.
She released a giddy little jump and a squeak of excitement the moment she discovered that we were nestled atop one of the mountain peaks. She proved she wasn’t afraid of heights as she bent over the rail for a better view.
Below, the tops of trees flashed a rolling plain of rocks and vegetation that made up the downslope of the mountain we sat above.
“It’s like living art. So deep and rich with life. So vivid and free, and untouched,” she stated, her tone low, but filled with wonder. I had taken the spot next to her, but not too close as I fed on the energy of her excitement.
“If you don’t mind me asking, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but what happened to your eye?” She had quickly turned her attention to me like I was an extension of the view.
My gaze locked with hers, staring deep into the fiery brown depth of her eyes. Her beautiful lashes beckoned like the prominent wings of a hummingbird, assisting in pulling in more than my gaze.
The notion that she was not the least bit turned off by my appearance resonated. It appeared my mismatched eyes intrigued her, causing her to study me as one would a piece of art.
“It was from an unfortunate incident when I was younger,” I finally answered. “I’m legally blind in it. Can only see blurred shadows and some movements.”
She nodded. No pity or telling me how sorry she was for me. I could tell she wanted to know more, but she left it up to me to share. She accepted my answer before turning back to the view, leaving me with another smile.
She was going to make my job of protecting her much more difficult than it should have been because standing near her was a chore. Her scent had been shipped straight from heaven: hints of night-blooming jasmine entwined with the insatiable scent she created, a fusion of fresh rain and alluring lotus flower.
Her eyes once again closed as she lifted her head and breathed in the atmosphere. I couldn’t pull my eyes away from her. When she finally opened her eyes, she turned her gaze back on me.
“I’ve seen many beautiful places in my life, but this has become my favorite,” she stated before turning back to the view.
It wasn’t until the chill in the air started her limbs and lips to shiver, that I suggested we return to the inside. Even with the chill nipping at her, she was hesitant to leave as she had become married to the view.
“Why don’t you put on some warmer clothes, and I’ll light the fire pit so you can sit out?” She gripped my forearm, causing my heart to tremble in my chest.
“Thank you. I almost can’t bear to walk away,” she stated, her deep smile and jittery excitement drew another smile from me. At this rate, she was going to turn me into her puppet if I didn’t get a grip on my interactions with her.
It had taken her less than three minutes to return, wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a sweater. The part of the outfit that had me fighting a grin was that she had pulled my shirt on over her sweater.
She may not have meant the gesture the way I perceived it, but the notion that she wanted to keep something that belonged to me with her, enticed a dam of emotions I had never experienced before to break free.
We sat, and I listened to her talk about art and some of the places that had inspired some of her designs. She asked if she could paint my house against the landscape, and I took the request as a compliment.
The temperature kept dropping, hinting at dusk settling, and I noticed the chilly bite had her drawing closer to me on the patio sofa. When she grew close enough to drop her head against the side of my shoulder, I went still, not sure how to react.
Once I decided we weren’t crossing the line, the tight pull in my muscles eased. She could have talked about paint drying, and I would have listened, unwilling to miss a word. I soaked in her sweet voice until she drifted off to sleep, her head falling heavy against my shoulder. The notion that she was this comfortable around me floored me as much as it pleased me.
Protection, not pleasure, kept repeating in my head. Why was I allowing myself to indulge in Desiree’s company, when my intention was to stay as far away from her as possible while she was under my roof?