When we came to the familiar stream, I followed it along until we reached the drop-off, the water cascading into a wide pool at the base of the falls. The sunlight poured through the space overhead and glistened across the clear bluewater.
“God, that’s beautiful,” Dax said, and I appreciated that he could see what I always felt about thespot.
“Glad you like it because this is our destination,” I said as I removed myshirt.
“What are you doing? Oh shit. You’re not seriously about to take adip.”
“Nope,” I said as I began undoing my belt. “We’retaking a dip. Take off your damn clothes, Dax…unless you want me to helpyou.”
He was too busy searching around for peering eyes to enjoy myjoke.
“No one fucking comes out here,” I assured him. “So comeon.”
He tried to stifle his smile, but it shone right on through as he took off his own shirt. We stripped down, and as I removed my boxers, he said, “Oh, we’re going skinnydipping?”
“Fuck yeah, we are. Shouldn’t be any other kind of dipping. Why? Youshy?”
His expression turned serious again as he dropped trou, obviously impressed withhimself.
“Conceited about all the right things, aren’t you,Dax?”
“Confidentwhen I know there’s reason to be is more likeit.”
“You ready?” Iasked.
His eyes widened. “Oh, we’re jumping from here?” He headed to the edge and lookeddown.
“You afraid of heights?” Iasked.
“No.”
“Good.” I wrapped my arms aroundhim.
“Holy hell!” he yelled as we jumped. The water splashed all around us as we plunged into the pool below. I released him, and we swam to thesurface.
“Motherfucker,” he said, laughing. The way the sun glistened in his eyes, the corners of his lips high on his cheeks as he grinned about as hard as I figured he could, assured me that I’d made the right call by taking him outhere.
“We can stand if we’re closer to the other side,” I told him, swimming a ways until I felt the bottom beneath myfeet.
He kept close to me and laughed, which made me ask, “What?”
“I have to stand on my tippy-toes in this part, but you’re fine, aren’tyou?”
“Oh, duh,” I said, realizing I hadn’t walked far enough in, so we took a few steps until Dax could stand without straining his feet. His eyes shifted to the water cascading down the side of the drop-off, splashing and creating a white mist as it hit thebottom.
“Welcome to Fever Falls,” I announced, waving to the landmark as though I were a tourguide.
“Wait—that’s it? This entire town is named after this itty-bittything?”
I couldn’t help myself. I fucking bowed over in a fit of hysterics over his surprise. “No, Dax. This isn’t it. Tell me you are not that gullible? No. We’re in Fever Creek. The falls are down about a mile from here. Considering how warm it is today, I bet it’s packed. But we’ll say this is our own private FeverFalls.”
He laughed at my ruse as I moved closer tohim.
“Wow. Is that the joke you tell all the girls you bring out here?” Daxasked.
“I’ve never brought anyone out here before.” I hadn’t really thought about it until he’d mentioned that. Guess I’d never had anyone I wanted to enjoy it with until I methim.
His expression twitched about before his gaze settled on my lips. Hooking my arm around him, I pressed my hand against the small of his back. He didn’t resist, just moved right for it as our lips crushedtogether.
