the fresh
water run down my throat. “Thanks a lot. I needed that.” I put the cap back on,
and he takes it back.
“I’ll put it in the pack so you don’t have to carry it. Just
let me know when you want some.”
Why does he think of everything? I’m beginning to wonder
what woman in her right mind would let a guy like this go. I feel ashamed that
I’m not as thoughtful to others as he is.
After another half hour of a grueling climb, we reach the
top. The view is spectacular, and we stand on the platform and peer over the
side at the long drop. The air is crisp and clean. I let out a contented sigh
over how much I miss precious moments like these. All I do is stay within my
apartment like a hermit, and it’s beginning to take its toll on my life. I’ve
got to get out more.
Ian is quiet, as if he’s pondering life too. I don’t say
much of anything, because frankly I’m afraid to speak. It’s better to be
relaxed, enjoy the sight, and let things progress naturally—whatever that
means.
“Yeah, it’s been way too long since I’ve been up here,” he
says broodingly. I wonder if his own memories are swirling around his head.
“Me too.”
“I like to hike some of the other trails down the gorge.
Hopefully, we can do this again some time.” His tone changes as he appears to
shrug off the private musings.
“I’d like that, but I think I better get in shape first.” I
stretch my aching back with a moan.
Suddenly, he turns and looks at me with his warm blue eyes,
studying every aspect of my face. The attention makes me feel uncomfortable, so
I turn my head forward and stare down at the cascading water.
“You’re very pretty.” He gives me a little shoulder-to-shoulder
nudge.
“It’s the altitude,” I reply. “The oxygen depletion is
affecting your thought process.” He looks displeased that I can’t take the
compliment.
“So, you want to hike up farther to the next falls or have
you had enough?”
“Wow, that’s another half hour or so, isn’t it?” The thought
makes my feet pound.
“Yeah, about that.”
“I don’t know.” I grimace. “I’m spent right now. Do you mind
if we try that on another day?”
“No, not at all.”
After a few more silent minutes of taking in the scenery, I
breathe a deep sigh.
“Want to go?” he asks, probably sensing my fatigue.
“Sure, but let’s take it slow.”
We turn around and start heading back down the steep trail.
While we’re descending the mountain, I’m really starting to hurt. My legs have
turned into marshmallow, and one of my knees wants to buckle every tenth step.
Ian is being patient—more than patient with me, actually.
Finally, the klutz in me rules, and my right foot slips on a rock in the path.
The next I know, I’m falling backward about to land on my butt. I let out a
harrowing shriek of terror, thinking I’m going to fall off the edge and splat
on the rocks three hundred feet below. Ian quickly rises to the challenge and
grabs me on my way down.
“Whoa! I got you,” he says, grabbing my upper arms and
holding onto me tight. He sets me back up on my feet, and I’m trembling from
the near splat.
“You okay?” He genuinely sounds concerned.
Ian slowly turns me around so that I’m facing him. We’re nose
to nose. Our bodies are touching front to front. This is not good, or maybe it
is good . He doesn’t say a thing, except to look at me with a smoldering
gaze. A second later, he lazily moves his eyes toward my lips.
I’m frozen. I look at him with half anticipation and half
panic. He’s going to kiss me; I know it. His intentions are clearly expressed
in his blue eyes, which have turned a shade darker. I’m losing it. Hurriedly, I
remind him of his words to fend off the advance.
“Uh, I thought you wanted to be just friends?”
A look of admiration sweeps across his face. He gently
brings his hand up to my forehead and brushes a few strands of hair out of my
eyes. Ian is silent, but it’s obvious
water run down my throat. “Thanks a lot. I needed that.” I put the cap back on,
and he takes it back.
“I’ll put it in the pack so you don’t have to carry it. Just
let me know when you want some.”
Why does he think of everything? I’m beginning to wonder
what woman in her right mind would let a guy like this go. I feel ashamed that
I’m not as thoughtful to others as he is.
After another half hour of a grueling climb, we reach the
top. The view is spectacular, and we stand on the platform and peer over the
side at the long drop. The air is crisp and clean. I let out a contented sigh
over how much I miss precious moments like these. All I do is stay within my
apartment like a hermit, and it’s beginning to take its toll on my life. I’ve
got to get out more.
Ian is quiet, as if he’s pondering life too. I don’t say
much of anything, because frankly I’m afraid to speak. It’s better to be
relaxed, enjoy the sight, and let things progress naturally—whatever that
means.
“Yeah, it’s been way too long since I’ve been up here,” he
says broodingly. I wonder if his own memories are swirling around his head.
“Me too.”
“I like to hike some of the other trails down the gorge.
Hopefully, we can do this again some time.” His tone changes as he appears to
shrug off the private musings.
“I’d like that, but I think I better get in shape first.” I
stretch my aching back with a moan.
Suddenly, he turns and looks at me with his warm blue eyes,
studying every aspect of my face. The attention makes me feel uncomfortable, so
I turn my head forward and stare down at the cascading water.
“You’re very pretty.” He gives me a little shoulder-to-shoulder
nudge.
“It’s the altitude,” I reply. “The oxygen depletion is
affecting your thought process.” He looks displeased that I can’t take the
compliment.
“So, you want to hike up farther to the next falls or have
you had enough?”
“Wow, that’s another half hour or so, isn’t it?” The thought
makes my feet pound.
“Yeah, about that.”
“I don’t know.” I grimace. “I’m spent right now. Do you mind
if we try that on another day?”
“No, not at all.”
After a few more silent minutes of taking in the scenery, I
breathe a deep sigh.
“Want to go?” he asks, probably sensing my fatigue.
“Sure, but let’s take it slow.”
We turn around and start heading back down the steep trail.
While we’re descending the mountain, I’m really starting to hurt. My legs have
turned into marshmallow, and one of my knees wants to buckle every tenth step.
Ian is being patient—more than patient with me, actually.
Finally, the klutz in me rules, and my right foot slips on a rock in the path.
The next I know, I’m falling backward about to land on my butt. I let out a
harrowing shriek of terror, thinking I’m going to fall off the edge and splat
on the rocks three hundred feet below. Ian quickly rises to the challenge and
grabs me on my way down.
“Whoa! I got you,” he says, grabbing my upper arms and
holding onto me tight. He sets me back up on my feet, and I’m trembling from
the near splat.
“You okay?” He genuinely sounds concerned.
Ian slowly turns me around so that I’m facing him. We’re nose
to nose. Our bodies are touching front to front. This is not good, or maybe it
is good . He doesn’t say a thing, except to look at me with a smoldering
gaze. A second later, he lazily moves his eyes toward my lips.
I’m frozen. I look at him with half anticipation and half
panic. He’s going to kiss me; I know it. His intentions are clearly expressed
in his blue eyes, which have turned a shade darker. I’m losing it. Hurriedly, I
remind him of his words to fend off the advance.
“Uh, I thought you wanted to be just friends?”
A look of admiration sweeps across his face. He gently
brings his hand up to my forehead and brushes a few strands of hair out of my
eyes. Ian is silent, but it’s obvious
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