I looked at the blindfold in my hand, then at Garner. "I'll direct you first," I said, passing him the blindfold.
He raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You're the one with the control issues."
"I don’t have control issues," I said.
He glanced at my wrist, where I was snapping my hair tie against my skin again.
"Fine." I snatched the blindfold back. "I'll wear it first."
The material was cool against my eyelids as Garner tied it behind my head. Immediately, the world went dark, and my other senses heightened. I could smell the pine trees surrounding the garden, feel the slight mountain breeze on my skin, and hear Garner's steady breathing near my ear.
"Ready?" he asked, his voice closer than I expected.
I nodded, fighting the urge to reach for him.
"Take three steps forward," he instructed, his deep voice guiding me.
I moved carefully, my hands slightly outstretched.
"Good. Now turn right. No, not that far. Just a quarter turn."
I adjusted, hyper-aware of every sound and shift in the air around me.
"Two steps forward, then stop."
I did what he said, surprised by how completely I trusted his directions. There was something oddly intimate about putting myself entirely in Garner's hands like this, even if he wasn't actually touching me.
His voice continued to guide me through the course, around potted plants, between small obstacles, and over a low footbridge. When I finally reached the end and removed my blindfold, I caught him looking at me.
“You did a good job,” I said. He hadn’t let me trip or bump into anything during the entire course.
“Is that your way of saying you like it when I boss you around?” he teased.
Heat crept up my neck. If only he knew how often I fantasized about him telling me exactly what he wanted me to do to him in bed.
“Your turn." I handed him the blindfold.
He was still smiling as he slipped the blindfold on over his eyes. As I guided him through the course, I realized how much I enjoyed watching him follow my instructions. This big, strong man who moved through the world with such natural confidence was completely dependent on my voice. It was kind of a turn on.
"You're doing great." I encouraged him as he navigated a tricky part of the course. "Now one big step over the rock, then five small steps forward."
When he removed the blindfold at the end, he grinned at me. "Not bad, Vale. You'd make a decent air traffic controller."
I laughed, and any tension remaining between us drifted away.
Once Serena was satisfied we’d all passed the test of trusting our partners, she led us out of the garden and onto one of the paved trails. It wasn’t much of a hike, but being out on the resort property gave us the opportunity we needed to look around. As the group paused at a scenic overlook, I tugged Garner's hand.
"Look," I whispered, nodding toward a partially hidden path branching off from the main trail. "Should we check it out?"
He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then nodded. "Let’s do it during the break after lunch.”
After stuffing ourselves on salad and sandwiches, we slipped away from the group and headed back to the path. It wound through dense trees before opening onto a clearing where a cluster of identical cabins stood. A sign read "PRIVATE RESIDENCES – STAFF ONLY."
"There’s got to be something here," I said. The whole charade of pretending to be married had to lead to something. If I’d spent all of my savings and forced my best friend to be my fake husband for nothing… I wouldn’t let myself think about it.
We stayed close to the tree line as we moved closer. The cabins appeared to be vacant, with blinds drawn and no cars parked outside.
"Look," Garner said, pointing to a small office building at the far end of the clearing. "That might be a good place to check out."
