Into the Woods

Grant

"What the fuck are you thinking, Grant? This is one of the worst ideas you've ever had," he chided himself after he slammed the door closed. But as he stood there in the clearing with her, watching the passion for her precious birds cross her face, he didn't want to part ways. The invitation slipped out of his mouth before his brain could stop it.

And now, for the next several hours, he would be stuck trying to prevent himself from staring at her, from touching her, from wanting her. It would be pure torture.

Grant cursed himself again, then cleared his throat and opened the driver's side door. Her scent wafted into his face, already invading the cab of the jeep. He bit back a moan as he jumped into the driver's seat. Natalia was playing with the seat controls, adjusting it to her preference.

"It's a gorgeous night out. Why don't we put down the top?" Grant didn't wait for an answer before pressing the button to withdraw the roof.

"Are you crazy? It's like fifty degrees out and I'm wearing a tank-top!" Natalia exclaimed, but her smile was infectious.

He started the engine and pulled away from the house, the tires squealing slightly as he turned onto the main road. Reaching behind the passenger seat, Grant pulled one of his sweaters from the floorboards and handed it to her.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not the one who wore warm-weather clothes in the fall." Even better, she would be covered, and he wouldn't be constantly tempted to glance over at her.

"Thanks," Natalia murmured, pulling the sweater on. Was it his imagination, or did she seem to snuggle into the fabric before pulling her head through the neck?

They rode in silence for several minutes before Natalia stretched her arms over her head and sat back in the chair, kicking her shoes off and folding her feet under her legs. She leaned her head against the headrest, her hair falling across her shoulders. Natalia was adorable sitting next to him. Grant resisted the urge to grab her hand and place it on his thigh.

"This is nice, you know, sitting in the car together without you trying to kill me," Natalia said, breaking the silence.

"Oh, I don't know. The night is young yet. Give it time," he replied, winking at her.

"I've been meaning to ask you; why do you live on your own? I thought wargs had tribal communities." Her face turned towards him, watching him intently.

The car swerved as his head whipped around to look at her. Grant took a deep breath, turned his eyes back on the road, and tried to relax his grip around the wheel. "Damn, Gnat. We haven't even been on the road for fifteen minutes yet and here you are asking the personal questions."

"I don't know. We've been friends for months. It stands to reason I would eventually want to know more about you. Besides, I think it's a perfectly reasonable question."

Grant chuckled. He placed his elbow on the center console and leaned closer to her, tilting his head slightly. "Is that what we are, Gnat? Friends?" He teased her.

With a sly smile, she caressed his jaw with her fingers, and pulled his head until he could feel her warm breath on the sensitive skin just below his ear. "At the very least," she whispered. The tip of her nose brushed over his earlobe, sending a jolt of electricity straight to his groin.

Grant's body went rigid, and he swore he could hear his heart beating in his ears. He was still for several seconds before he felt her lips brush his neck. His lungs were on fire. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax, praying she wouldn't look at his lap.

Natalia sat back in her seat and winked at him, resuming her position with her arms folded behind the headrest.

Grant couldn't help but smile at her. The next few minutes were filled with Natalia's teasing banter and lighthearted conversation. It was just what he needed to clear his head from the thoughts he had about stopping on the side of the road and taking her in the bed of his truck. He wanted her, and he knew it would be a mistake. Keep his distance from her. That's what he needed to do.