“Ready?” he asks.
“I am.” I clear my throat, step out of his hold, and make my way to the truck. I feel his eyes on me, all over me, and I open the passenger before he’s close enough to do it for me. Maybe Desi is right; this is the kind of thing that gets women into trouble.
Chapter 14
Ember
One of the things I love the most about Sunnyville is the waterfall. Those steep falls of water over rocky ledges that give way to plunge pools. Marcy and I used to come here as teenagers and cliff dive, swimming in the pools. Those are some of my most treasured memories, just being out in the sun with all our friends, free enough to give in to gravity and free-fall into the depths. When I conquered my fear of heights, I felt like I could do anything, so I did. I came here every weekend, and I made sure I explored the cascades. The wearing away of the earth to create something so magical fascinated me. So as I pull up, I can’t help but remember those times.
‘The waterfall?” Shelby asks, in an almost eye-roll kind of way. “What is a city boy gonna show me that I don’t already know?” She smiles, though, and I know she’s kidding. I laugh at that, shaking my head. She thinks she has me all figured out, but she doesn’t, not quite yet, but I will change that.
“So you been here before, huh?” I lean against the headrest, and I don’t miss the way her cheeks pink just a little and the flutter of her lids. The waterfall is one ofthemake-out locations, and I am sure she’s been here.
“Who hasn’t, slick?” She laughs, getting out of the truck. I let out a small growl at the way that nickname turns me on. I’ve parked in the best spot, the bed of the truck facing the drop, with the most beautiful view.
I chuckle. “So, I bet you have more experience and can give me a bit of a tour then?”
She sticks her tongue out, then turns away, no doubt taking in the scenery. I uncover the bed of the truck, and I feel like the cheesiest asshole in the world.
“I thought we’d have a picnic,” I suggest, and when she turns around, the look in her eyes makes my heart thud just a little faster.
“You did all this?” She looks at me and the setup. A blanket sits at the bottom, along with pillows and a picnic basket. I added a few bunches of flowers and a few battery lights for effect.
“I did.”
“Pretty sweet.” She doesn’t react the way I expect her to, and for a moment, I think she’s mad. She turns back to the water, then slowly removes her shirt and shorts until she’s standing in her bikini.
I have to take a breath. Shelby is beautiful, maybe the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.
“You wanna swim?” she asks and takes a dive into the water. For a woman afraid of heights, that is entirely unexpected. I strip down and cannonball into the water. When I come up for air, she’s grinning at me. “I’ve never done that before.”
The admission has me swimming toward her. “Yeah?”
She nods her head and wraps her arms around my neck, dunking me into the water. We swim and float in the water, sharing stories.
“I can’t believe you’re from around here, but we never met.” She observes as she floats in the water, her eyes closed.
“Well, I went to a school outside of Sunnyville, all my friends were there. I wasn’t always this cool.”
She laughs and dives into the water, coming up for air in front of me.
“I left for college immediately after I graduated,” I tell her.
“Yeah? Why? Small-town life never did it for you?” She smirks.
“Not really. I fell in love,” I admit. Her hands cut through the water as she gets closer to me.
“What happened?” She’s so close that if I reached out, I could touch her.
“Life,” I tell her. Our eyes meet.
“I get that,” she whispers, leaning back and disappearing into the water. I take a deep breath, relieved that I don’t have to talk about my past anymore. I know that I can’t avoid the topic forever, but I’m glad even for a few minutes.
We climb out of the water and walk the short path up to where I parked. Shelby walks back to the ledge, just standing there looking out at the water.
“Thank you for this. It’s been a really long time since I just let go and felt like me.” I hear the sincerity in her voice.
“It’s my pleasure. This used to be one of my favourite places growing up. I figured it would be a good place to share with you.”
