Page 76 of Promised Love

Lukas returns with my two beanies, one in lavender and one in pink, and looks between them. “I love you in these pastel colors you wear.”

He noticed and…he loves me in pastel colors.

Stop it, Autumn. He meant he loves your clothes. Don’t get any crazy ideas.

I take the lavender beanie from him and watch as he removes his jacket and puts on a black turtleneck. God, he looks handsome in everything.

“I thought you didn’t own a sweater?”

“I do. I just wear them when it’s absolutely necessary. And it’s an absolute necessity where I’m taking you.”

I replace my green moccasins with Ugg boots. “You know I’ve lived in Cherrywood all my life. There’s no part of this town I don’t know.”

He smirks. “I’m one hundred percent sure you haven’t been to where we’re going.”

“Is it under the lake? Because that’s the only place I haven’t been.” I jerk my head from side to side, feeling proud at myself for finding a fitting reply.

“Very cute.” Lukas pulls me closer and kisses the tip of my nose. “No, it isn’t underwater. It’s actually the opposite of it.” He loosens my bun and wraps the scrunchie around my left wrist like I do often. “You’ll like it better with your hair down.”

Thirty minutes have flown past, and I’m fisting the soft leather of Lukas’ jacket like my life depends on it.

We don’t talk during the ride, but Lukas’ one gloved hand intermittently presses against mine. I look around in surprise when he takes the road that leads toward the forest in the hills. We continue to drive as the road becomes narrower and the road signs fewer.

I think he’ll stop at the end, but he continues toward a dirt road into the forest.

“Lukas.” I mumble his name, but of course it’s lost into nothing but a hot breath in my helmet. I slap his stomach to get his attention, and his head turns to the right before he parks in a corner.

“Something wrong?” Lukas takes off his helmet and helps me with mine.

“Where are we going?” I glance toward the road ahead, nestled between trees.

“Hey.” His fingers drift back and forth over my cheek, urging me to look at him. “Nervous?”

“Um…yeah. There could be bears in the woods, you know.”

“Did you forget I told you I won’t let anything happen to you?”

“I’m serious,” I whisper.

“Me too. Serious as a…real heart attack, and not like your grandpop’s.”

I burst into laughter. “That’s such a bad thing to say.”

“It is, but I couldn’t help it.” Lukas grins back before cocking his head to the side. “I really want to take you up there. You know there’s a waterfall?”

I shake my head. His fingers haven’t left my face as they continue to run over my skin. “This is a real surprise.” I look around. “How do you even know about this place?”

“I’ve roamed these roads often,” he admits, and before I can comprehend that maybe Lukas wasn’t always as far away as I believed, he hands me my helmet. “Come on, wife. Let me amaze you some more.”

Wife.

This isn’t the first time he has called me that, and I can’t help the hitch that rises in my throat every time I hear it.

I slide behind him and hold him tighter than before.

Lukas takes us up, and I feel like Bella from Twilight, grabbing onto her Edward as he demonstrates his powers.

When he finally stops, I get down and look around but there’s no waterfall in sight.