He grabs a couple of waters from the bed of his truck and hands me one. I raise a brow for him to go on and explain how he found this place.
“I used to come here a lot during high school. It’s private, and not once was I interrupted.”
“Oh.” It’s starting to make sense. He brought girls here.
“You know what I mean,” he says, holding my gaze.
I shake my head.
“Oh, come on, we live in a small town and never get privacy.”
I hold my hands up.
“You don’t have to explain it to me.”
He chuckles.
“Clearly, I do.”
“No really, I get it, you came up here to?—"
“To be alone,” he finishes for me.
The shock on my face can’t be faked.
“Oh.”
“Didn’t you have a place like that?”
Again, I shake my head.
“My mom left us, my sister left us, and my dad is the town sheriff. I had plenty of time to myself. Probably too much.”
I want to look away because when he stares at me this way, I feel confused as to how I’m supposed to feel. Like, I never want him to look away, but he can read everything though going through my mind, and I can’t have that.
“So, are we hiking?” I say to break the spell.
“Yep, but it’s not far.”
I do a few stretches and then try my best to keep up with him as we begin on a steep hill. I slip a couple of times, Dutton reaching back and lending a hand to help me.
It’s weird to know this spot is out here, so close to home, and I’ve never seen it.
Despite the fall weather itching to begin changing the color of the leaves, the trees and plants are still lush, making me feel like I’m on another planet.
I glance in front of me a few times, taking in how this hike takes zero toll on Dutton's breathing. But you know what it has taken its toll on? His ass.
Yes. With each step, I can't help but watch the muscles in his butt tighten and do their job as if they have done this a hundred times before.
“Brooke, did you hear me?” Dutton stops and turns, and I have to avert my eyes quickly to not be caught gawking.
“What?”
“Are you okay? Do we need to take a break?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
