“You don't know how long I've wanted to do this, to justbewith you, but now we are–and believe me–I'm not complainin'. But what do wedonow? What happens next."
Toby lets out a small chuckle, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand. "You know what I think? That we should just go with it, let things unfold naturally, without us overthinkin' it. We're both in this together, right?" I nod, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "But after yesterday I think we can agree ononething for certain."
I tilt my head, a small smile playing on my lips. "What's that?" I ask, even though I really hope he's thinking what I'm thinking...
"No more slow burn. I feel like I'm burning alive inside just touching you and not bein' able to do more."
I breathe out a sigh of relief. "Oh thankgoodness."
Tobes chuckles, lifting my hand and brushing his lips over my knuckles. "No more hesitatin', no more doubts. I'm yours and you're mine."
"And soon you'llreallybe mine if I have anythin' to say about it,” I can’t help but say.
A small almost indiscernible growl escapes his lips. "Don't say that when I'm tryin' real hard to driveandbe the gentleman you deserve.
After that, the conversation flows effortlessly, we don’t shy away from anything, telling stories from our pasts, sharing our passions and dreams, our hopes and fears. All of it. Each revelation brings us closer together in a way I’d always hoped it would.
Before we know it, the landscape outside begins to change. The tall trees give way to towering mountains so tall they seem to touch the sky just as we pass a sign welcoming us to Timber Falls.
The town is nestled in a valley, surrounded by a breathtaking canvas of vibrant winter colors, the air crisp with a hint of wood smoke, and the scent of pine fills our lungs as we make our way through the winding streets.
Toby's eyes light up as he navigates the truck into a small parking lot at the base of a mountain nestled next to the town center. It’s nearly as big as Bull Mountain or its sister peaks, but it's still stunning to look at and formidable from this angle.
He turns toward me with a boyish grin that has those butterflies swarming inside of me. "I made some plans for us today. If you're up for it, we're about to have our first official date."
"Here?" I ask, wondering what he's organized for us.
"See that sign over there?" He points to a green and cream wooden sign with a cartoon mountain on it and a train winding its way down.
My curiosity is officially piqued now."Yeah... What is it?" I ask eagerly, unable to conceal my excitement.
Toby's grin widens, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "It's a two-person, self-guided train ride up the mountain and back down again It's a new tourist attraction that's only just opened called the Timber Falls Mountain Railway." He rubs the back of his neck and I sense a bit of nervousness creeping in. "I thought it would be a fun way for us to enjoy the scenery and spend some quality time together."
"I love it!" I say, hoping to make it abundantly clear that I'm all for it. A private train trip around a mountain covered in snow and doing it next to the man I can't get enough of? Sign me up!
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. Better yet, I get to snuggle up next to you while we do it. Let's go,” I say, nudging his arm.
"God I–really like you," he stumbles out, making me smile.
"That's good, Tobes. Real good. You wanna know why?" I undo my seatbelt and shuffle along the seat toward him.
"Why?" he grins, his eyes locked on mine while his hands move to frame my waist.
"Because I reallyreallylike you too." I lean in and brush a whisper of a kiss against his addictive lips, just wanting to give myself a small taste to tide me over. Except when I go to shift back, he grumbles unhappily and dives in for another one, this time longer, deeper, and a hell of a lot hotter than any we've shared so far.
"As much... as I like where this... is goin'," I pant, willing my heart rate to slow. "We should go now because I really wanna go on this train trip with you, and if we stay here any longer, I can't guarantee we'll stop until you give me what that kiss was promisin'."
Toby's hooded eyes widen before a sexy knowing smile transforms his face. "Oh yeah. Let's go.This,” he waves a hand between us, “will be continued later."
"I damn well hope so, bossman."
"It's a promise, Skippy," he calls out over his shoulder as he exits the truck and moves around the hood to open my door.
I can barely contain my excitement as we approach the ticket booth and Toby buys our passes. The conductor hands us a small map and instructs us on how to operate the train before we climb aboard and find ourselves in a cozy covered compartment adorned with plush seats and large windows that offer panoramic views of the picturesque landscape.
As the train begins to chug up the mountain, Toby wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in close as the rumbling engine gets to work. I lean into him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat that matches mine in perfect synchronicity.
