“You guess?”
I pushed out a breath, my shoulders slumping. I didn’t want to go there. “Iknow. Okay? I enjoyed the community for the short period of time I was there, but I missed home. I’d been away for long enough and I was ready to come back.” That was at least partly truthful.
He gave me another long stare. “We’re still working on finding out who is behind the robbery.”
I frowned. “I know that. I don’t blame you for wh—”
“You should. It was my company. My place, security should’ve been tighter and it wasn’t. That’s on me to fix. We’ll get the son of a bitch that dared to fuck with what’s mine.”
I tilted my head. I didn’t know if he was referring to the property or me. Or both? Either way, I hated the look of guilt that crossed his face. I stepped in closer, taking his face in between mine. I pressed a kiss to his lips. “I trust you, Josh. You’ll figure it out and whoever is behind all the bullshit that’s been happening at Townsend Real Estate will regret the day they ever tried to cross you.” I meant every word with everything I had in me.
“Then you trust me?”
My head shot backwards at the unexpected question. “Of course.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Okay.” He turned and continued up the trail but something was off about his “okay.”
I frowned but proceeded behind him. Whatever had just happened I was determined not to let it get us off track. It was much too beautiful a day and there really wasn’t anywhere I’d rather be.
We continued walking in companionable silence when I began hearing the sounds of water in the distance. My head perked up at the same time Joshua took me by the left hand.
“We’re almost there. About another half a mile.” He looked over at me, grinning. “Think you can make it?” I saw the challenge in his eye and had the urge to reciprocate.
“Can I make it? Therealquestion is can you keep up?” I broke free from his hold and pushed him a few steps backwards, surprising him, and took off running, laughing as I went. This feeling, the lightness I was feeling at that moment was what I’d missed most of all about being away from home. Away from him. The trail, though lined with some brush and stones along the way, was fairly easy to navigate as long as I watched out where I was going. Within seconds I heard Josh’s chuckle turn into heavier breathing as he began jogging to keep up pace with me.
I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see he was just about a half a step behind me, barely breaking a sweat. He was choosing not to pass me. Taunting me with those long, muscular legs that could’ve easily overtaken my shorter strides.
“Eyes on the trail and not my ass!” I called over my shoulder.
“I can easily do both.”
I giggled and pushed myself to pick up my steps, the sounds of water growing slightly louder. I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the fresh summer air, closing my eyes.
“Oh wow,” I breathed out as soon as my eyes opened. I stared around at the beauty that surrounded us. We’d come to an opening in the trail that led to an embankment on a lake. The lake contained small waterfalls within it. “This is …”
“Beautiful, right?” Josh finished my thoughts.
I nodded, swallowing as I worked to catch my breath.
“I found this place about two years ago. Came out for a hike and discovered this. Other hikers visit but it’s somewhat isolated, so there’s not as many visitors as there are at the old waterfall.”
A smile touched my lips. The waterfall had been Josh and Chelsea’s place, at first. I hadn’t got a chance to see it, in person, until we released Chels’ ashes. But it was also the first place Josh and I made love.
I nodded, still looking around. A bird sitting high up in the trees, squawking, caught my attention. When it flew off an involuntary laugh fell from my lips. Its wings were the most beautiful shade of indigo I’d ever seen. Without giving it another thought, I began toeing off my sneakers and socks and walking closer to the edge of the embankment.
“What the hell are you doing?” Joshua called, following closely behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder, giving him a saucy grin. “You promise to save me if I fall in?” I laughed, not expecting a serious answer.
“Don’t play like that, Kay!” he growled, tugging me backward to his hard chest.
I felt the tension coiled through his body as I turned to him. “It’s okay—”
“It’s not okay! This lake is deeper than it looks.”
“Josh, I’m a great swimmer. Besides, I wasn’t getting all the way in. Just my feet.”
He gave me a hard glare; his jaw was rigid.
