She buckled up and sipped her coffee. “I love walking in the forest,” she said softly.
Score one for me.
“I figured you would,” I said, starting the engine. “This one’s special. I don’t show it to just anyone.”
“Should I feel honored?”
“Extremely.”
She smiled again, and that damn bond thrummed between us like a low drumbeat, each pulse dragging me closer to the edge.
It wasn’t a long drive—maybe fifteen minutes around the lake and into the thick of the forest where a narrow trailhead started between two massive old pines. I parked, grabbed the bag from the backseat—packed with food, a blanket, and yes, some snacks—and then reached for her hand without thinking.
She gave it to me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The trail was quiet, cushioned with pine needles and so
