When we pulled away, I gasped for air, resting my forehead against his. I could stay right here forever and get lost in him.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” I said quietly, my voice almost getting lost in the rush of the falls behind us.
“You don’t have to thank me.” He pulled back, his thumb stroking the underside of my jaw. “I’d do anything that puts that look on your face.”
My heart fluttered at his words. Somehow, he always knew the right thing to say. When he pressed a kiss to my forehead, I leaned in, savoring this moment.
A throat cleared before Paul said, “Here’s your phone.” I buried my head in Mateo’s wet chest. I completely forgot he was still standing there. Mateo’s chest moved beneath me as he chuckled. Nothing like having some random stranger watch you make out.
“We’re about to turn around if you want to see the falls one last time,” Paul said before his footsteps faded away from us. I groaned into Mateo’s chest.
“Well, that’s awkward.”
“Eh, I bet he’s seen worse.”
I lifted my head off his chest with a sigh. “Did we at least get a good picture?”
Mateo moved his phone between us, the light mist covering his screen. The two of us bent our heads together as he thumbed through the pictures Paul took.
“I take back anything I said. Paul is amazing,” I muttered, staring at the handful of pictures he took of us. I guess being a tour guide for one of the busiest attractions made one good at taking photos.
There couldn’t have been a more perfect place for a picture. The falls roared behind us, mist clinging to the air, rain soaking through everything. Mateo stood tall beside me, both of us wrapped in our ponchos and smiling like nothing else existed.
The best photos weren’t the posed ones, though. It was the one where he was already looking at me, pure adoration written all over his face while I grinned up at him…and the one where we were kissing, his hand steady at the back of my head like he never wanted to let me go.
“Send those to me? I want to post them.”
“Ready to become social media official with me?”
I peered up at Mateo and shrugged. “About time I tell everyone you’re mine.”
“If you don’t findme something warm to eat in the next five minutes, I’m blaming you for my death,” I muttered, tugging Mateo toward a line of food stands.
We were in dry clothes—praise Mateo for telling me to bring another outfit—and starving as we wandered the streets on the Canada side of the falls.
The smell of food hit me instantly, my stomach rumbling in response. Stands lined both sides of the walkway, offeringeverything from poutine fries loaded with cheese curds to something called beavertails that I didn’t recognize but immediately wanted to try.
“What’s a beavertail?” I asked, glancing up at Mateo as I stopped in front of the stand selling them.
“You’ve never had one?”
I shook my head, still eyeing the stand. “Should I be concerned about the name?”
“Definitely,” he deadpanned. “It’s exactly what it sounds like.”
My head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing. “Mateo, you better be joking.”
He broke into a grin. “Relax. It’s fried dough with all sorts of toppings.”
“Oh.” I turned back to the stand, watching as the woman pulled dough from the fryer. “Then, yes. I want one.”
“You’ll love it.” He pulled me forward, ordering one before I could say another word.
When he handed me the beavertail wrapped in a plastic slip, the warmth seeped into my hand. It was topped with cinnamon sugar and looked mouthwatering. I shuffled off to the side, getting out of the way of others ordering.
“Try it.” Mateo stood in front of me, waiting to see my reaction. I took a big bite off the side, instantly moaning at the taste. It was like a donut but better. “Good?”
“Amazing,” I mumbled around my bite, extending it for him to have some. That was exactly what I needed after being soaked to the bone.
