“Firearm? Gavin, you aren’t making it any easier for me to exit this vehicle.”
He reaches over to take my hand in his. It’s warm and comforting. “Tiana, relax. I know these trails; been on them many times. So, I’m prepared. And I wouldn’t have invited you if I thought there was any danger. It’s nature, so yes, other creatures, but we usually give each other a wide berth. Can’t let that stop us from adventure.”
“Okay, I’m trusting you, but just know I shriek like a banshee should anything startle or scare me.”
He laughs. “Good to know. That alone would probably scare anything off.”
“It’s my superpower.”
“Ha, no, your superpower is creating divine edibles no one can resist.”
He stares at me with such a sexy grin,Ihave to resist leaning closer to taste those plump lips. I notice his gaze drop to my lips before looking back at me. Gavin then clears his throat and releases my hand. He turns off the vehicle and pockets the FOB.
“Shall we?”
“Yes, we shall,” I say.
We exit the vehicle, and while Gavin goes to the rear, I grab my pack and meet him there. He’s unlocking a box, pulling out a small pistol, and sliding it into a holster at his hip. He closes the hatch, shrugs into his coat, and retrieves his larger pack, easily slinging it onto his back.
We each take a deep breath of the fresh air as we take in the solitude. The temperature is pleasant, so I hold off putting on another layer right now. I’d braided my hair in one long tail and decided to wear a colorful wrap instead of a beanie. But I have one in my pack if I change my mind. Gavin’s wearing a deep red beanie and jacket that stands out amidst the green and brown.
“We’ll take that trail,” Gavin says, pointing off to the west. “It circles close to a stream and there’s a great high point, the lookout, where we can see down into the valley.”
I look off to the northeast at a peak that already has a dusting of snow. “And what’s that mountain?”
“That’s Mount Laguna, over fifty-seven hundred feet high. There’s another trailhead up there that’s nice but a bit more challenging. And there’s also an observatory. Pretty cool to check out sometime.”
“Is that another date you’re asking me on?” I grin at him.
He looks at me and grins too. “Sounds like you’re implying today is a date.”
“Is it not?”
“It can be construed as such.”
I throw my head back and laugh.
“And I’m not opposed to there being more,” he says.
I meet his gaze, seeing mischief in those crystal blue eyes. “Me neither,” I reply.
His smile broadens as he adjusts his pack. “Let’s begin.”
I fall in step next to him as we head out, traversing an easy path. We slowly climb in elevation, and thankfully, I’m handling it well. The only exercise I get besides my yoga is walking around my cafe and walking or biking around San Diego. If I don’t need to use my vehicle for shopping or deliveries, then I won’t.
We stop after a few hours, drinking water and enjoying the views. Tiny wildflowers dot the landscape and plenty of birds and insects buzz about. As I place my tumbler in the side pocket,a red and black blur slithers a few feet from us. I can’t contain the yelp that escapes or the death grip I have on Gavin’s arm as I move close to him.
He looks at the ground then at me as my gaze darts back and forth from him to the snake. “It’s okay. It’s a Coast Mountain Kingsnake. They aren’t venomous.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
Gavin unclips something from the side of his bag then whips it in front of us. It’s the baton. He starts to walk closer to the snake, but I have a firm hold on his arm. He turns to me. “I’m just going to encourage it to move along. Rare for one to still be out in the cooler weather.” I release his arm, and he takes a step toward the reptile, tapping the baton on the ground. The snake slinks away into the low underbrush. “See, nothing to worry about.”
“Uh, huh.” I inspect the area, seeing it’s safe to join him. Gavin keeps the baton extended as we continue on.
Within another hour, I hear the stream and see a rocky formation that looks like a pedestal. “The lookout?”
“Yeah. About two hundred feet tall. There are footholds on the other side that were created, making it easy to get to the top.”
