He chuckled. “She told me she gave you some tips for the restaurant’s Facebook Page a few months back.”
“I’m really bad about updating it, other than posting when we’re going to be closed, but she did harass me into adding the hours we’re open. But I tapped out when she started urging me to get on Instagram. I can only take so many photos of spaghetti.”
Once he’d gone back inside, Kenzie watched Danny strap the cooler into the back seat of the side-by-side. His helmet was already sitting on the driver’s seat, so he picked it up and grinned at her. “You ready?”
Judging by the gleam in his eye, she wasn’t sure shewasready, but she picked up her helmet. “Let’s do it.”
He kept the speed down as they made their way out through the back of the campground, but once they met up with the main ATV trail, he opened it up a little. The machine was a lot more powerful than Kenzie and her dad’s old workhorse, and she laughed, grabbing the safety bar when he slid it sideways through a corner.
He plowed through several big puddles, splashing them with muddy water, and she could hear his laughter over the roar of the machine’s engine. With her seat belt, the roll cage and his obvious skill driving the side-by-side, she wasn’t afraid, and they ate up the miles in an exhilarating blur.
Kenzie recognized the left turn he finally took, and he slowed drastically as he made his way up the narrow, rocky hill to one of the most popular scenic overlooks and picnic spots on the trail system. Because it was a Wednesday afternoon, they had the place to themselves.
Once he’d pulled the side-by-side along the edge of the tree line, she unbuckled and climbed out. She knew when she took her helmet off and set it on the seat that her hair would be a mess, but she didn’t care.
After removing his helmet, Danny opened the cooler and pulled out two bottles of water. He handed her one, and together they walked across the clearing to the edge, where the view stretched all the way to Vermont.
“I haven’t been up here in a while,” she said after taking a long drink. “I forget how pretty it is.”
“We used to come up here when I was a kid. The whole lot of us, with a little grill strapped to one of the four-wheelers, and coolers. We made for quite a parade, I’m sure.”
Kenzie laughed a few times while he shared a few stories from his family’s four-wheeling escapades, but she was conscious of how they each seemed committed to keeping space between them. Not a lot of space, but they wouldn’t be accidentally brushing arms.
Even though she desperately wanted him to haul her up against him and kiss her until neither of them could breathe anymore, she loved him even more for trying so hard to respect the boundaries she’d set.
Once they’d finished their drinks, they put their helmets back on and backtracked to the main trail. He took it easier this time, and she was able to enjoy the scenery as they went deeper into the woods.
They drove for almost an hour before he stopped by a walking trail that led out to a pond. It was a good place to spot moose in the early mornings and evenings, but Kenzie knew there wasn’t much chance they’d see one at this time of day.
“Up for a quick walk?” he asked after they’d removed their helmets.
“Sure. I think you splashed enough mud on me so the bugs won’t be able to find me.”
He laughed and then stepped into the distance between them to swipe his thumb over her cheek. “I should have warned you to keep your mouth closed when you ride with me. I don’t slow down for puddles.”
Kenzie watched him flick away the blob of mud. “I figured that out pretty fast.”
When Danny didn’t look away, but held her gaze as the smile slowly slipped from his lips, she held her breath. If he kissed her, she would be lost, and she absolutely couldn’t let that happen again.
But she couldn’t make herself take a step back.
* * *
In that moment, Danny wanted to kiss Kenzie more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. And if he couldn’t see the shadow of hesitation in her eyes—the certainty a kiss would be a mistake—he would have. Her conflicted feelings were written all over her face, and he backed up a step, smiling.
“Okay, my friend. Let’s get to walking. And keep your eyes out for wildlife.”
“To photograph or to run from?”
He chuckled as he fell into step beside her. “Depends on the wildlife, I guess. Or both? We could photograph each other running for our lives.”
Kenzie snorted. “I guess I could maybe get an action shot of you over my shoulder as I leave you behind to make new furry friends.”
“Oh, a challenge!” He laughed, shaking his head. “I kind of want to accept that challenge, but I also don’t want to be attacked by a furry woodland creature. It’s a conundrum.”
It was a moot point since their wildlife sightings were limited to squirrels and very angry sounding birds, but the insect population was in no way deterred by the mud drying on their shirts and faces, and they didn’t stand around long.
By the time they got back to the campground, the sun was getting low in the sky and the bugs were getting obnoxious. He was desperate for a shower, but he’d have to take the machine up to one of the empty sites on the hill with a water hookup and pressure wash it before putting it away.
