Sentimental Journey by Janet Dailey

times when I was small. The last time I was here, though, I was thrown out." His mouth quirked at the memory.
    "Why? What did you do?"
    "I didn't have enough money to get in, so I snuck in without paying, Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on your point of view, I was caught."
    As they continued along the trail past the balancing rock, his hand seemed to automatically seek hers. The grip of his hand was strong and firm. Jessica doubted that She could have pulled her hand free of it—not that she wanted to. She discovered that she liked this sensation of being linked to him. She was content to enjoy the feeling rather than question the wisdom of it.
    Without referring to her fear of heights, Brodie guided her away from the swinging bridge that spanned a chasm in the park and chose the more solid alternative of the stone bridge instead.
    At Lovers' Leap, Jessica gravitated unconsciously toward the Eagles' Nest, a man-made aperture that jutted out from the rock face of the mountain. The view was spectacular from the observation point. The air was crystal clear except for a thin band of haze on the distant Great Smokey Mountains. The vivid green of the land contrasted with the sharp blue of the sky, a combination of colors only nature could make.
    At the foot of the mountain was Chattanooga. Close to that was the Civil War battlefield of Chickamauga where the South had won its last major victory. But it was the far beyond, the distant horizons, that stunned the imagination. Here was a view of seven states. Directly south was the rolling landscape of Georgia and Alabama. Working north came South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and finally Tennessee and Kentucky.
    So wrapped up was she in the sprawling vistas, Jessica wasn't aware of how close she was to the edge until she accidentally looked down. A cold chill ran through her bones, freezing her heartbeat for a terrifying second.
    An arm circled her shoulders and turned her away from the edge. Her heart started beating again and she darted a grateful look at Brodie. His smile was gentle but fleeting. Once they were away from the edge and back on the trail through the park, he took his arm from her shoulders, but made no attempt to hold her hand.
    That was quite a view, wasn't it?" he offered in idle conversation.
    "In every direction except down." Her attempt at laughter wavered from her throat.
    "I wondered how long it would take before you realized where you were standing." There wasn't a trace of sympathy in his voice, only faint amusement.
    Jessica felt suddenly defensive. "Everyone has a weakness. What's yours?"
    Brodie stopped and looked her over, his direct gaze lingering on her honey-colored hair before meeting her eyes. "Women with blond hair and green eyes."
    Over his shoulder there was the sparkling silver ribbon of a waterfall, but Jessica didn't notice it nor the fellow sightseers scattered along the trail. She was aware of nothing but the man in front of her and the sudden tightness that had gripped her throat.
    "Is that right?" She tried to make it a breezy retort, but it came out breathless.
    "Yes." Relentlessly he held her gaze. "I read somewhere that a gentleman shouldn't kiss a lady until the third date. Counting lunch, this is the third time we've been out together, Green Eyes. I don't remember if it said when a gentleman is entitled to claim his kiss, but…" His hand molded itself to the curve of her neck, his long fingers sliding into the silky length of her hair at the back of her neck. His other hand cupped the side of her face, lifting her chin with his thumb. "I'm not going to wait any longer."
    His mouth made a slow, unhurried descent to her lips. There was ample time to protest, but Jessica didn't utter a sound. The curiosity to discover his kiss was overpowering. As the distance lessened, her eyes slowly closed.
    Then his mouth was warmly covering hers, its touch firm and experienced. At its persuasive movement on her lips, the tension of