“Oh, look!” Chloe said, pointing ahead. “Is that where the landslide happened, do you think?”
Ethan looked – and quickly saw what Chloe meant.
It wasn’t obvious at first glance – nature had had more than forty years to do its work. But the ground wasn’t sitting quite the same as it did in the surrounding areas, and all of the trees wereyoung and vibrant, their trunks not yet filled out to immense proportions.
“I think you’re right,” he said.
The gorge is just beyond that large log over there,his pegasus warned.We must be wary.
Trusting its judgment, Ethan added, “The pegasus says the gorge is just there – it’s concealed a little by the groundcover and fallen trees. We should be careful.”
“Thanks – I’ll stay back,” Chloe said, looking wary. “I don’t feel like plunging into a ravine today!”
Reaching behind him to unzip the backpack, she went on, “Let’s take a quick break, then get looking.”
“Sounds good,” he agreed, as she passed him a water bottle and some trail mix that Kira had provided. At leastsomeonein this town understood proper nutrition… though he was finding it somewhat less satisfying than he used to.
He could tell that the dried apricots had come from a tree that had been tended by the unicorn, though – they were sweet and delicious, and somehow still tasted juicy despite having been dried.
And the water was the best water he’d ever tasted – and he’d had some expensive bottled water in his time. He was pretty sure it’d just come straight out the faucet, so it was probably sourced locally. Was there no end to the pleasant surprises of Girdwood Springs?
Sitting down next to Chloe on an enormous ancient, mossy tree stump, he stretched his legs and sighed in satisfaction. It really was beautiful here. Peaceful. He’d never known anything like it.
Next to him, Chloe shifted uncomfortably, her face a rather fetching shade of pink.
“What is it?” he asked, immediately concerned.
“Oh, nothing,” she said quickly. “It’s just – I think I’m going to have to take this jacket off. All this walking around has made me warm.”
“… Okay?” Ethan said, mystified. “You can take it off. I won’t be offended.”
Even if hewouldbe a bit disappointed. It really was cute, the way her fingers were barely visible from the ends of the too-long sleeves. And seeing her in his clothes did awaken a possessive part of him that he hadn’t been fully aware of in the past.
“I know!” Chloe yelped. “It’s just… it’s just that…”
“What?” Ethan asked, genuinely curious.
Chloe mumbled something he couldn’t quite make out.
“Sorry,” he said, “you’re going to have to speak up.”
“It smells like you,” she said more loudly, her eyes averted, her previously pink face now a blazing crimson.
Ethan felt his own face getting suspiciously warm.
“Right. Uh, which is… a good thing?” he asked, before mentally shaking his head at himself.
Well, obviously. I don’t think she was trying to tell me that I stink. Or at least, I hope not.
It was possible, Ethan thought, that Chloe didn’t like the cologne he wore. He’d never really thought about it, he’d just taken the – expensive – recommendation of his personal shopper.
If our mate desires that we change our scent, we shall do it,his pegasus informed him in no uncertain terms, but before it could start listing off the things it personally thought might smell better – wet hay, for example – Chloe shook her head, smiling a little.
“Yeah. Definitely a good thing. It smells like… I don’t know.Good.”
Inside his head, the pegasus did a little twirl. Ethan had to admit, he was tempted to throw his propriety aside and do alittle twirl himself. Especially at the clear note of heated lust in Chloe’s voice when she’d said the wordgood.
It was a simple word, but it somehow conveyed so much.
