Page 27 of Exclusive

“Atta girl; love the enthusiasm!” I stand up and set her to her feet. “Now go get ready; rabies train leaves in ten.”

In a startling turn of events — if Sutton knowing me better than I know myself came even close to startling me anymore — I was wrong. This place is beautiful, breathtaking, positively exhilarating; and today’s been wonderful.

There’s a nice breeze, gaining strength the higher you hike, and an almost chill, at least for this native Georgian, the lower into the valley and nearer the caves you go, perfect weather. And, there’s tons of wide open space for Castello to run free like a headless chicken, chasing all kinds of different insects through patches of wildflowers. Yeah, it’s amazing here. Another ideal day, thanks to Sutton.

“You ready to go home?” Sutton asks as I stand and gather up the remnants of our picnic lunch.

“No way. We’ve got time to hit that last trail,” I point, “before it gets dark, don’t we?”

He doesn’t answer right away, silently surveying me, top to bottom, as his slow grin grows bigger. “Yeah, Sugar, we’ve got time.”

“Good,” I chirp, grabbing Castello’s leash and calling him to me. “I know,” I laugh as I squat to clip it to his collar, despite his puppy sounds of protest. “But you gotta stay with us on the trails, rowdy pants. What would Mama do if you got hurt?”

“He just wants to meet that little boy,” Sutton laughs. “Dontcha, buddy?”

I stand up, wrapping the leash once around my wrist before cinching my grip, my gaze following the end of Sutton’s pointed finger to see what, or who, is so damn fascinating that my usually angelic mutt’s tugging against me in blatant rebellion. Sure enough, there’s a kid, six or seven if I had to guess, about a hundred feet away, waving one hand, patting his leg with the other, clearly antagonizing my dog. “Sutton, tell him to stop,” I grunt, reining in my poor, tortured captive.

“Castello, sit,” Sutton reprimands… the wrong little boy.

“Not him. Him.” I jerk my head toward the kid. “You can’t expect Castello not to react; he’s being taunted! Tell that kid to knock it off with the hand gestures and Castello will settle right down.”

“Yeah, okay,” he sco-, nope, he stops mid-scoff, eyes flaring wide. “Holy shit, you’re being serious, aren’t you?”

“Um, yes?” I have to ask, confused as to why he’s confused.

He snorts in laughter, head dipped while he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Babe, for real?” He looks at me, grinning, which helps him none, because I don’t much care for his tone. “It’s adorable how mama bear protective you are over Castello, but yeah… no. I’m not gonna tell a little kid, somebody else’s little kid , to stop, nicely, and from afar, admiring our dog. The dog we purposely brought in public; you know, where there’s other people, who may or may not wave their hand.

“Fine,” I surrender the leash, but keep up an air of annoyance; can’t let him know that I know, he’s right. On both counts — suggesting he verbally accost a probably very sweet little boy for waving at a puppy, and that I do, indeed, tend to slip into some loco headspace, insanely protective and offensive over my dog.

And the second Sutton turns away, I turn to the little boy, giving him both a smile… and a wave.

Before we’ve even hit the halfway mark I decide it’s by far my favorite trail of the day. Not because Sutton’s handling the very rowdy, curious about every bug, flower and/or rustle of leaf, Castello this time, or the fact that means he’s walking in front of me, his grey mesh gym shorts showing me each and every flex of each and every muscle in his firm ass.

Well, not only because of that.

This trail’s incline brings a slight burn of challenge to my calves and thighs, but only just, leaving room to enjoy the beauty around me. Lush trees line both sides of the path, sprung with rainbowesque foliage, home to birds and butterflies by the masses and somewhere, hidden in the wonderland, a creek melodically trickles.

“You okay? Need a break?” Sutton asks, noticing I’ve stopped.

“No, I’m good. I was just… looking.”

“I get it,” he laughs. “Pretty, huh?”

“Very.”

“Think I might’ve stopped a few times the first time I saw it too.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you’ve been here before.” I wince, hearing the low note of disappointment in my voice. I’m not surprised it’s there though; I change more and more every day I spend with him, something I’m coming to expect, and accept, and the sting of jealousy brought about by learning I’m not the only one to even share this with him is just another example.

“Hot Shot?”

“Yeah?” I force my eyes to his.

“Been here one other time, with JT. Just JT.” He winks.

“Okay?”

“It is now. Right?” Damn him and his smug tone. His coy grin. His… ugh, just, just damn him to hell.

“You gonna w-” I don’t get to finish; because speaking of hell… it all breaks loose.

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