Love at First Scent
Chapter 10

“Oh, my God,” Caro gr0aned. “I ate so much I think I’m going to explode.”

That comment brought laughter and gr0ans of commiseration from the rest of the group.

“Bennett, you know you won’t be able to keep their cooking skills hidden any longer, don’t you?” Diego teased. “The town will riot now if you don’t start sharing.”

Ellie laughed. “He was commenting last week how he thinks he’s gained ten pounds since we started dating, but from what I can see, it’s pure muscle.”

Bennett shrugged and snagged the last of the dessert on Ellie’s plate that she had given up on.

“Oh, Caro,” Ms. Cally piped up. “You simply have to see the grotto behind this property on a night like this. There’s a natural hot spring there, and it’s only a ten-minute walk down the trail. It’ll help that food settle.”

Caro looked up in surprise. They’d had dinner out on the patio, and the evening breeze was warm and relaxing. Now that the moon had risen, it turned out to be an extraordinarily beautiful night. She honestly couldn’t even remember when she’d had such an enjoyable time.

“That’s a great idea.” Ellie perked up. “Craig can take you, and we’ll clean up and get some coffee started. You’re going to love it, Caro. It’s the most beautiful spot I’ve ever seen.”

She shyly looked up to the ranger who had been volunteered only to find his gaze locked on her. “I wouldn’t want to impose—”

Craig was up in an instant, his hand extending to help her to her feet. “I’d love to stretch my legs, and it truly is something to behold on an evening like this.”

Why does it feel so right to put my hand in his?

Caro let him help her from her seat, and when he simply turned and walked toward the back of the yard where a path led into the trees, she didn’t pull her hand out of his grip. It felt completely natural to follow his lead. For once in her life, she’d decided it was time to start following her instincts.

The scent of the nighttime forest surrounded them, and she took a deep breath in, letting it seep into her. It was comfort, but at the same time, there was something inside of her that was excited and wanted to run free along the paths, hide in the shadows, and explore her new home.

That thought surprised her just a little, as she’d only just decided this afternoon that she wanted to stay in Hillard, but this forest felt and smelled like somewhere she’d been before, if only in dreams. It felt like somewhere she belonged.

“There’s nothing quite like the woods on a warm summer night, don’t you think?” Craig’s voice was low as he led her down the path.

“It’s stunning,” she answered. “I’ve been living in the city, so I haven’t had the opportunity to experience it in a long time. Elles and I used to get in trouble all the time when we were growing up because we used to love to wander in the trails out behind our house.”

There was silence for a moment, then Caro blurted out what she’d been wanting to say to him all night.

“I’m sorry about the whole ‘married’ thing when we first met. I was just tired from the drive, and to be honest, my divorce is so new. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”

“I understand.” He squeezed her hand gently. “And you don’t owe me an apology. I do have to admit though, I’m very relieved to find out that you aren’t married any longer.”

“You are?” She was going to turn to him when they stepped out of the trees. She gasped as the moonlit clearing showed a beautiful pool of clear water, surrounded by smooth stone. There were several small waterfalls off to one side, and the sound of falling water seemed to hypnotize her into moving closer. “Holy crap, this is amazing.”

“Come on.” Craig pulled her closer. “Let’s soak our feet for a bit and chat.”

Nothing could have stopped her from kicking off her shoes and following him to the edge of the water at that point. There was a little steam coming from the surface, and it looked like heaven.

“Wow,” she sighed as she dangled her legs next to his. “I can’t believe Bennett’s parents would want to leave this place.”

“They wanted to travel and see the world apparently.” He closed his eyes in pleasure. “If they had put the place up for sale, I would have bought it in an instant.” He laughed. “But I think Bennett would have fought me over it. So, I bought another property that runs behind it on the other side and have started building a home. I can’t wait to bring my children to this place when they get old enough.”

Wait, what? Her heart skipped a beat in her chest at his words.

“Oh, do you have children?” she asked, trying to cover the distress in her voice at the thought of him with a family already.

“No, not yet,” he answered simply. “But I’m very much looking forward to the day that I do.”

Oh, indeed. Something inside of her wanted to simply pounce on the handsome ranger and get started on those kids right away. What’s going on with me?

“What about you, do you want children?” he asked.

“I’ve always wanted a large family.” She didn’t even have to think about her answer. “Honestly, I had always thought I’d have at least a couple of kids by now.”

He paused for a moment. “Do you mind me asking what happened with your marriage?”

“No, I don’t mind.” She shrugged. “It took me so long to even realize what I thought we had was just in my imagination. Looking back at it now, I don’t think Peter and I ever wanted the same things out of life. I feel like a fool for taking so long to see it.”

She couldn’t bring herself to look at him after that admission. Caro imagined that most men wouldn’t want to hear about her failed relationship.

“Hey.” His tone was gentle as he lifted her chin so that she met his gaze. “It’s not your fault that he wasn’t honest with you about what he wanted, Caroline. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the biggest of fools for having a woman like you and letting her slip away. I can tell how you are with Ellie that you were meant to be a mother.”

Caro suddenly remembered his comment on her marriage when they had arrived, and she steeled her nerves to ask what he meant. “Why are you relieved that I’m no longer married?”

He turned to her. His hazel eyes almost seemed to glow under the light of the moon reflecting off of the water, and Caro’s pulse began to race as her body made its interest clearer with every heartbeat.

“Because from the moment I bumped into you in that bar”—his words were gentle, but his gaze was anything but—“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

“Oh…” Now Caro’s heart was pounding as she absorbed what he was saying. Her body tensed the smallest of amounts, and it was almost as if he felt it because he moved to calm her.

“Caroline, I promise I won’t rush you on anything,” he continued, “but I’m pretty sure you feel the same draw to me that I do to you, and I mean to pursue you. The more time I spend with you, the more I’m convinced that you are the one for me.”

“But we barely know each other,” she whispered, her brain trying to override her body’s impulse to see if he tasted as good as he smelled—and yes, she’d noticed all night how fantastic he smelled. She could almost laugh now at his words from their first meeting.

“You don’t believe in love at first sight, then?” He grinned, a single dimple in his cheek teasing her senses.

“Don’t you mean love at first scent?” she teased back, right before he leaned in and kissed her.