Free Sweet Serenade (Riverbend Romance 3) by Valerie Comer

buns from the bakery downtown. Their bratwurst is to die for.”
    She nodded as her tummy murmured. “Sounds good.”
    A few minutes later they’d selected their combinations and sat cross-legged under a tree nearby, knees touching.
    Reed bowed. “Thank You, God, for this good food and that Carly and I can spend this beautiful day together.” He hesitated. “Please guide us in Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
    “Amen,” Carly whispered. Reed felt it, too.

    ~*~

    Reed settled against a tree near the grandstand at the south end of the park nearest the trans-provincial highway. Semis and RVs poured over the bridge beyond, all in a hurry to go somewhere else, east or west, like columns of clamoring ants.
    He had no desire to go anywhere else. Not with Carly nestled between his knees where he could wrap both arms around her and feel her soft hair against his cheek. His life was perfect right here, right now, like an oasis in a desert. Like an island in the ocean. Like an eddy in the river.
    His arms tightened, and Carly looped her elbows around his knees and pressed back against his chest. He felt her through every fiber of his being. It was crazy having such strong feelings for someone he hadn’t known for long.
    But his heart knew hers. The conviction flooded him with absolute certainty. Reed rested his cheek on Carly’s soft hair and closed his eyes. Dear Lord, help me to know for sure before I do something stupid. If this, this feeling I have is just physical attraction, please take it away. I want Your will more than anything. I really do.
    It was more than a physical attraction. He knew that.
    Reed was dimly aware of music striking up from the grandstand as a local band took the stage. Then people stopped in front of them, and he glanced up. Brittany and Joseph stood locked in a tight embrace, kissing each other like there was no tomorrow.
    Through their shared contact, he felt Carly’s sharp inhale more than he heard it.
    She stretched her toe to nudge her cousin’s leg. “Yo. You’re blocking the view.”
    Brittany broke the kiss and glanced down at them. “Oops, sorry.”
    She didn’t look a bit regretful or embarrassed. Reed knew they’d dated before, but they’d only gotten back together in the last week or two. Wasn’t this a bit early for practically swallowing each other’s faces?
    Joseph winked at Reed. “We’ll join you guys.” He tugged Brittany to the ground beside them.
    Great. Mood broken. All Reed wanted was to be alone with his girl but in the midst of people to help him remember to keep things in line. Obviously public smooching didn’t bother some people, though. Joseph started right in again where he’d left off, one hand fondling Brittany’s bare thigh.
    Reed shifted slightly, trying to put his back to them without making it obvious. He didn’t want to watch or even catch it in his peripheral. Not when it made him long to do the same thing with Carly regardless of his pledge. Regardless of the people who would see.
    Carly reached up and slid her arm around his neck. She tilted her head back against his chest so he could see her eyes. They begged to be kissed. Oh, she hadn’t said the words again since the day in the rapids, but he knew.
    He pressed his lips to her forehead and her eyes closed. “Carly,” he murmured against her sweet skin, but he couldn’t say more for fear of saying too much. Words he wasn’t ready for. Words that would rush their precious relationship.
    They weren’t ready to run that river yet. The bruises might be gone, but he distinctly remembered the pain of bouncing off rocks in the torrent of water from running a river before they were ready. He wouldn’t do that with Carly again. For the moment, burying his face in her hair, feeling her breath against his forehead... that was going to have to do.

    ~*~

    Brittany and Joseph had stuck to them like leeches through the remainder of the day. Carly had never been so sick of spending time with her