Free Patience by Sydney Lane

except the emotion rising in the back of my throat blocks the words on my tongue. If I open my mouth, I'm going to cry. Like, ugly cry.
    So I keep my mouth shut and bask in the moment.
    He loves me.
    He may not know it yet, but he does.

 
    Chapter 18
    Eric
    Shit. I almost spilled my guts while driving down the road. I've got to get a grip or else I'll ruin the whole thing. For a terrifying moment, I thought she was going to ask to go home. By the way she's checking her phone every five minutes and  nervously tapping her foot, it's obvious she's worried about Quincy.
    As soon as we drive into Asheville, though, Jenna's face transforms. She sits up in her seat and points at various things as we drive by. Did you know that the Vanderbilts built the Biltmore in the 1880s? That there are over 250 rooms and a bowling alley? Did you know the McDonalds in Biltmore Village has marble floors and a baby grand piano? She answers her own questions as she stares in awe at everything we pass.
    I knew she would love it.
    After parking, I reach over her to get the tickets out of the glove compartment. When my arm grazes her leg, my body goes into overdrive. Her exuberance affects me in a totally sexual way. Her face is flushed with excitement, and her eyes gleam with anticipation. She's looking at me likes it's Christmas day and she's just figured out I'm Santa.
    I'm sure Seth could have a heyday with that one.
    She puts her hand out, trapping my hand against her thigh. "Thank you for bringing me. You have no idea how much it means to me." I swear it takes everything I have in me to get out of the car.
    "Come on, Sunshine. This is your day." I walk around the car and open her door. Taking her hand, I help her out. Truthfully, this is the last thing I'd be doing right now if it weren't for her, but now I know what guys mean when they say women make you do crazy things.
    As we walk toward the mansion, across the beautiful greens, all kinds of images run through my mind. Jenna laying on the grass, her blonde hair a halo spread out around her face, kissing her by the fountains, pushing her up against the wall...
    Somewhere along the way, I've gone from wanting to win the bet to wanting to lose the bet, and now... now, I just want her. As we walk from room to room, her chatter is endless. She takes my hand, dragging me along when she doesn't think I'm going fast enough, and the only thing I see, all I think about, is her .
    Her smile lights up her whole face, and the light fragrance of her shampoo distracts me every time I get close to her. By the time we get to the end, I've seen about all of the Biltmore I'll ever want to see again. I can't wait for it to be over.
    But Jenna has other ideas. "Oh, Eric! Did you see the grounds from upstairs? Weren't they beautiful? We have to go on the tour!" Fuck .
    Again, we walk along with a group of people, and I begin wondering just how big this place could really be when we finally come to the greenhouses. It's hot. It's crowded. And I'm aching to get my hands on her.
    "Hey, Jenna, come over here. I have something to show you." I reach out, taking her hand and guiding her to the back corner, near some beautiful orchids. "Didn't you say you like orchids?"
    She smiles as she walks toward me. "No, Eric. I said daisies. Big difference." I stand behind her as she bends over to smell them, granting me a nice view of her ass, the one I can't stop thinking about. "Wow! They smell wonderful. Come smell."
    I stand behind her, my hands on her waist, as I bend forward to smell the damn flower. This is not what I came back here for. Having her body pressed against me fits right into my plan, and I've got her right where I want her.
    Glancing over my shoulder, I see that we are as alone as we're going to get. So I grind my hips into her from behind and pull her into me. "It smells good, but you smell better." My voice is husky as I whisper into her ear. She straightens in my arms, and my hands slide around her waist,