Page 91 of True Abandon

“What are you smiling like that for?” I ask.

“You’re blonde again.”

I lift my thumbs from the steering wheel as I say, “We established that last night.”

He sits back and grabs the handle above his door, the other hand glides behind my head rest. “You’re a blonde, and I got rid of that crazy-ass color I had going on. I feel like I’m experiencing deja vu.”

“Well, these are our natural colors.” I’m trying to be blasé even though I completely get what he’s experiencing.

He sits back and looks out the front window. That grin is still on his face. “It feels like we’re us again.”

I drive to the edge of Wailua River and park the car where there’s a kayak rental. There’s a tour I usually book my guests on where they spend the day kayaking, hiking, and zip lining. Kelli and I did it when first arrived on the island as part of our get-to-know-the-area experience. We were with a group that day, but today I’m taking Jax on a private tour to a spot Lani brought me to a few weeks ago.

We secure ourselves with life vests and bring the tandem kayak to the river. I sit in the front, and Jax gets behind me. We move our paddles in sync and navigate through the river.

Lush green ferns and palm trees grow out the side of the gorgeous landscape of the jungle beside us. I stop paddling to skim my fingers along the water and splash Jax.

He laughs and continues to paddle, bringing us deeper down the river. I grab mine and join him. We glide further into the jungle in silence. He doesn’t ask me where we’re going. He just travels with blind faith.

A red bird with black tipped wings sails above us and soars into the trees. A breeze ruffles the leaves and then stops as the sun beats down and warms our backs.

I point to an opening in the clearing a couple yards away, and we aim the boat in that direction. When we get there, we step off and lift the kayak onto land and behind some trees.

Unsnapping my life jacket, I throw it on the boat, and he follows.

“Now, we hike,” I say and take off down a path.

The further we walk, the air becomes dense with the aroma of fresh earth and exotic flowers.

Jax’s footsteps are right behind mine as we push tree branches out of the way.

“Either you really know how to show a guy who loves adventure a good time, or you’re going back to your original plan to try to kill me,” he says as he steps over a pile of mud.

“You’re just gonna have to trust me.”

It’s like I can feel his grin on my back. “That’s what I was hoping.”

I push away a long branch with banana leaves and hold it up for him.

He ducks under. “I like the combat boots. It’s a good look for you.”

“I didn’t want to get my sneakers muddy.”

“You didn’t care to warn me.” He says as he walks right on the dirt. The bottoms of his black Nikes are gonna need a cleaning.

“You have boy shoes. They’re supposed to get messy.”

He laughs. It’s deep and carries a soulful rhythm. “What did you wear when you were a star softball player?”

I make a mock laugh face. “I’m gonna show you some day that I can hit the ball. Fielding is another story. Anyway, I digress. I have sneakers, but they’re adorable Keds with flowers on them—not exactly hiking shoes.”

“I would have carried you.”

I roll my eyes. “Keep up, will you? You’re slowing me down.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He takes a giant leap forward and reaches with his wiggling fingers toward my rear.

I see his hands in motion and yelp. He grabs my ass cheeks, and I’m incredibly ticklish. I take a running leap forward.