“How about you grab your camera and give me an up close and personal view of a day in your life?” he suggested.
“Yes.” I clapped my hands together in excitement. “So much, yes.”
Going up on my toes, I pressed a quick kiss to his lips before twirling around to race into the bedroom. I threw on a jacket,grabbed my camera, and slid my feet into my boots. I’d been quick, but Whit had still beaten me to the door. He looked as excited about our outing as I felt.
We walked out of the house, not letting go of each other’s hand until we reached a hiking path about half a mile from the cabin. I paused to take a photo every once in a while, including an image of a hawk circling overhead that was going to turn out great.
We were surrounded by so much beauty, I had my Nikon’s viewfinder up to my eye for most of our hike. If it weren’t for Whit’s keen eye, I would’ve missed the best shot of the day.
“Look.”
The word was the barest whisper of sound. Just soft enough so I could hear without startling the red fox and her two pups that were about one-hundred feet to our left. He wrapped his hand around my bicep to hold me in place, and I inched closer to his tall frame. We stood side-by-side for at least ten minutes, observing the mama fox tend to her pups before I slowly lifted my camera to my face. I was able to get about a dozen photos before she noticed us and hurried her babies toward the safety of their den.
“Thanks for noticing them. That was awesome.” I leaned into his side and smiled. “Moments like this are my favorite part of being a wildlife photographer.”
Whit nodded as he wrapped his arm around my back. “There’s something about wild animals in their natural element that’s so compelling.”
“No, it’s more than that.” I jerked my chin toward the spot where the red fox and her pups had been only a moment earlier. “I’m so lucky to have the chance to capture images of the love moms of all species have for their young.”
Whit’s gaze scanned my face, an understanding gleam in his dark eyes. “You’ve never mentioned your mom.”
“She died when I was ten.” I heaved a deep sigh and rubbed my cheek against his chest. “Breast cancer.”
“Shit, that must’ve been rough.”
“Yeah.” I paused to pull myself together so I didn’t start sobbing in the middle of the wilderness. “But at least my dad was by her side for all of it. If he’d still been in the Army, it would’ve been so much more difficult. I even heard him tell my mom that the helicopter crash was a blessing because his medical discharge gave him more time to spend with her before she was diagnosed.”
He turned and pulled me against his chest, my Nikon pressed between our bodies. “Damn, baby. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” I took a deep breath through my nose, pulling his masculine scent into my lungs. “I think losing her like that is a big part of why my dad is so overprotective. He already had the instinct in him, but with her gone, he only had me to focus on.”
He brushed a kiss against the top of my head. “I guess that’s something we have in common.”
My brows drew together in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I was ten when we lost my dad. A drunk driver blew through a red light and T-boned his car.” He shook his head. “Except I was the one who got more protective since I was the man of the house with him gone. My mom needed me to be strong.”
I hated that he’d gone through the pain of losing a parent young. I knew how much it hurt. But I respected the heck out of him for stepping up to take care of his mother. The whole ordeal was part of what made him the amazing man I’d fallen in love with. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too, baby.” He pulled me closer. “I’m not sure if having him gone so suddenly was better or worse than what you went through with your mom. Either way, it really fucking sucks to have them be gone.”
“Yeah,” I whispered, clinging to him.
We stayed like that until the sun ducked behind a cloud, and we realized how late it was getting. “We better head back to the cabin.”
“Good idea,” I agreed.
As we hiked back in the direction we’d come from hours earlier, I thought about how much fun I’d had with Whit today, even with the sad memories our conversation had brought back. I’d achieved my dream of becoming a wildlife photographer, but there had been a price to pay for my success. I spent more miles on the road than out in the field taking photos, technically still lived with my dad since it didn’t make sense for me to pay for a place when I’d rarely be there, and hadn’t been on a date in longer than I could remember. I’d never been tempted to slow down until now.
The days I’d spent at the cabin with Whit filled me with a sense of peace I’d never felt before. It was as though I’d finally found my home. But it was a person, not a place. We could’ve been anywhere, and I would have felt the same. “I’m really happy I could share today with you. Thanks for suggesting it.”
“My pleasure, baby.” He flashed me a happy smile. “I’m looking forward to seeing the photos you got today. I have a feeling they’ll be my favorites since I was with you when they were taken. Especially the ones of the fox and her pups.”
“I’ll develop them as soon as I’m able.” I have his hand a little squeeze, nervous butterflies swarming in my belly. “You make a great partner. I’ve never had that before. I’ve always done my wildlife shoots by myself, but I’d love to take you on one of my trips sometime after this whole mess is over.”
His reply was swift and heartfelt. “Tell me when and where, and I’ll be there, baby.”
11
