He couldn’t hold back the smile. “You were on a public trail before. They tend to stay away from people.”
“Have you ever seen one?”
“Couple of times. And look... I’m still alive to talk about it. Relax. You should probably be more concerned about the rattlesnakes.”
“Rattlesnakes!”
He chuckled at the adorable look on her face. “Didn’t you read that pamphlet I gave you?”
“I guess I misplaced it.”
Something scuttled in the underbrush.
Mia squealed, all but leaping into his arms. “What is it? Is it a snake? Be careful!”
“Mia. It’s a squirrel.”
“Are you sure? How do you know?”
He laughed. “See it? Right there?”
“Oh. Yeah.” She looked back at him and seemed to realize she was practically hanging from his neck. One hand grasping his shirt, one knee tucked up against his stomach where he’d caught it.
She gave a sheepish laugh as she disentangled her limbs. “Whoops. Guess I got a little spooked. My heart is beating so fast right now.”
Hers wasn’t the only one. “See how much more fun it is hiking with someone?”
“You mean more terrifying?”
“I’ve lived here most of my life, and I know how to handle myself. I wouldn’t let any harm come to you.”
“Great, well... maybe you can just take the lead then.”
“Happy to.” He squeezed around her on the narrow path, pausing to pull a leaf from her ponytail. His eyes met hers. “You have a great laugh, by the way.”
Levi set off on the trail again, wincing.
You have a great laugh?She’s going to think you’re hitting on her.
Never mind that she’d just been in his arms. Never mind how good she’d felt against him. Or how reluctant he’d been to let her go.
But the look in her eyes when he’d said it. The way they’d warmed. The way her face had softened just before he cleared his throat and passed by. When a man got a reaction like that, it only made him want to do it again.
fourteen
By the time Mia heard the rush of water she was out of breath, and sweat beaded on the back of her neck. She and Levi broke through the dense forest. A small waterfall plummeted into a shallow creek that was about thirty feet wide.
“Here we are.” Levi walked to the edge where the grassy bank flowed right into the water.
Rocks poked up through the shallows like turtlebacks, the water flowing by, heading to the lake somewhere down the line. The air was heavy with the fresh scent of pine.
“This is pretty. And so peaceful. What is it about rippling water?” Mia sat on the bank and pulled off her tennis shoes.
“Makes you want to take a nap, doesn’t it?”
She took off her socks and pulled up her leggings to her knees. “Feels great,” she said as she stepped into the water, which was deliciously cool. She began picking her way across the rocks. “Aren’t you getting in?”
“In a minute. Hey, be careful, those rocks are—”
