Page 64 of Living with Fire
I wind my arms around her and pull her flush to me, hugging her tight. “No one is going to get hurt. Not me, and definitely not you. I won’t let him hurt you ever again.”
I can physically feel the tension ease from her, like the weight of the world has been lifted from her shoulders and she’s being set free to live her life instead of living in fear. I wonder if she realizes how much she’s been carrying around with her all this time, and if she can feel it melting away as we hold each other.
I’m not sure how long we stand there, me giving her strength, her accepting it, listening to nature living around us, but I know it’s a while before she finally pulls back and smiles at me. Her eyes are clearer than I’ve ever seen them, and I return the expression, knowing in my soul she’s going to be okay.
“I know you probably have a million more questions for me, but can the rest of today be about us having a memorable first date?” she asks, looking at me earnestly.
Bringing a hand up to cup her face, I search her eyes, loving how close she is so I can see all the different colors in them. They’re mesmerizing and I know how easily I could get lost in them.
“Only if it can start like this,” I reply, dipping my head until our lips brush.
“Mmm,” she murmurs against my lips. “Best way to start anything, I think.”
After a moment, she pulls away, which is probably a good thing, even though I don’t like it. Slipping her hand back into mine, she tugs me forward, and we walk in silence, taking in everything the park has to offer. It’s peaceful and serene.
That’s one reason I’ve always loved hiking. It gets me out of my head and away from the hustle and bustle of life and responsibility. It’s rejuvenating to be out here, and Savanna adds to that feeling.
Before long, I’m pulling her towards a smaller secondary trail. It’s half the size of the main trail with more twists and turns, but it’s short and will dump us at the falls. During the height of the summer, this place can be swarming with tourists, but it doesn’t seem horrible today. We’ve passed a few people on our journey so far, but they’ve been few and far between.
The falls are busier though, something that’s evident even before we come around the bend in the trail that leads us there. Children’s laughter and shouting are coming from that direction.
When we come around the corner, I hear Savanna’s gasp at the sight before us. The waterfall isn’t anything crazy, but it’s stunning in its own right. It cascades over a wall of rock, coming from a stream being fed from higher in the mountain. The top of the falls is smooth, water careening over the side undisturbed until halfway down when the rock juts out, giving the sense that you could climb through it. I suppose you could if the rock face wasn’t slippery, but the firefighter in me bristles at the idea.
A pool of water sits at the bottom, feeding a stream that takes the water further down the mountain, winding and twisting through the city below until it reaches the river and eventually makes its way to the ocean. Lush, beautiful greenery flanks the waterfall on either side and the pool below. With no rain for months, the water is slow and gentle, but in the winter and spring months it can be rip-roaring mad.
My eyes are fixed on Savanna taking it all in, and once again I’m taken by her wonder at experiencing something for the first time.
She’s so damn beautiful it makes my chest ache. Her hair is braided today, and as usual, she’s only wearing mascara, the rest of her face bare of any makeup that I can see. I like that, despite this being our first official date, she didn’t try to doll up or change anything about herself. It makes her even more stunning, in my opinion.
“Nate, it’s gorgeous,” she says, her steps quickening.
There’s an entire lookout to view the waterfall, though that’s as close as we can get because there are no paths that lead to the pool below. Savanna pulls me over to an empty spot along the railing, leaning against it to take it all in.
I step up behind her, rather than beside her, and wrap my arms around her waist. When I feel her hands cover mine, I smile, her body pressing back against me.
“There’s a nicer one in the park, but it’s a full day trip, so it’ll need to wait until we have a whole day. I mean, that’s if you agree to another date,” I tease with a grin.
She cranes her neck so she can peer up at me, one perfectly arched eyebrow lifted. “Are you asking me on a second date?”
“I’d say I am,” I tell her, taking her by the hips to spin her around until she’s facing me. I know the point of being here is to look at the waterfall, but she’s far prettier than the falls, and she doesn’t seem to mind as she loops her arms around my neck. “If I’m lucky, you’ll agree to that and more.”
“Hmm.” She thinks hard, debating the topic, before finally giving a nod. “Do you think you’re lucky?”
I bump my nose against hers, smirking. “I sure as hell was last night.” That earns me a laugh, and I grin cheekily at her. “Hoping I’m that lucky again tonight.”
“It’s a sure bet,” she murmurs, pulling me down until our lips meet.
It isn’t the same sweet kiss we shared back on the trail. This time her mouth is hungry, and I’m instantly hard as thoughts flash through my mind of what this kind of kiss led to last night. Her arms tighten around my neck, and I know she can feel the bulge in my pants when she presses herself firmly against me, not leaving any space between our bodies.
Christ. I’d really love to find a private spot where I could have my way with her right now, but we don’t need someone to come along and catch us. Hell, the people around us now probably don’t need this much of a show.
Regretfully, I slowly pull my lips from hers, both of us panting slightly as we look at one another. “We’re going to be standing here for a while thanks to that.”
Savanna giggles, biting down on her bottom lip. She doesn’t look the least bit repentant about it. “Which way would you like me to stand? Like this, or would you prefer my ass?”
“Jesus Christ,” I groan, my hard-on pulsing at the image she’s putting into my mind. I’m thinking neither is going to help my problem now.
Releasing my arms from around her, I spin her back towards the waterfall and then step to the side, though I angle towards her so no one sees the evidence. As casually as I can, I reach into my pocket and adjust myself, gritting my teeth as the thought crosses my mind that I wish it were Savanna touching me, not my own damn hand.