Page 44 of To No End

To my utter surprise, above me was a small tree house. Hidden by thick leaves and branches, you had to be standing right underneath to take notice of it.

“How did you find this?Whatis this?” I questioned in amazed curiosity.

“This is a haven. Left behind from the war.”

My eyes widened. “Like a safe house?”

“Basically,” Trace confirmed. “These are scattered throughout the land and served as a place of refuge for the military when they needed it.”

He reached up, untying a rope that unfolded into a ladder and created an entrance.

He pointed at it. “Ladies first.”

I gave him an uneasy smile but withheld any judgment. I had climbed trees in my youth, but had never been inside any kind of treehouse or otherwise. When I got to the bottom of the structure, I pushed up on a flat door that opened into the main—and only—room. I was grateful I hadn’t worn a dress, even though I toyed with the idea, thinking it might have been flattering for my figure; something I had rarely considered before Trace.

I glanced around the space, taking it in before watching Trace make his way up through the same door on the floor. It was a bit amusing trying to see someone of his size fit through that tiny opening, but he made it work, nonetheless.

On one side was a small stovepipe, a shelf for storage, a small table with two chairs. I took special note of the only bed, no bigger than the one at the inn. The space was plain in every sense of the word. No frills, decoration, or non-necessities. Which made sense given he had said it was a military haven, not some kind of retreat.

Trace waved his hand to encompass the space.

“It’s not much, but it’s why I needed a week. I couldn’t bring you here in its prior condition. Pretty sure you would have killed me.”

I tried to imagine a condition any plainer than this.

“Me? I’m still unsure you’re not the one who’s going to do the killing. Given the fact that you’ve brought me to the middle of nowhere, as far as I can tell. No one would even hear me scream.”

I realized the unintentional innuendo as soon as the words left my mouth, and Trace’s devious smile was a confirmation of that.

“I was tired of the males in the bar gawking at you. Figured we could enjoy some privacy. Plus, I have some other surprises up my sleeve. That is, if you play your cards right.”

“They were not gawk—” he cut off my protest with a kiss.

Grabbing my chin and pulling me into him, suddenly I didn’t care where we were because this was what I had longed for. This was worth the wait of every agonizing day apart. He pulled away first, leaving me breathless and hazy.

“Privacy is good,” I admitted, defeated.

Trace helped me bring up my pack and find places for my things alongside his, like we both lived here. He didn’t have a lot, a few changes of clothing, more weapons than I cared to take note of, and a leather-bound book that caught my attention. I was almost certain it was a sketchbook, and I was going to make it my mission to see what was hidden inside of it.

He had already stocked the place with food and water. The only thing eating away at me was the absence of a washroom. I didn’t want to upset him by making mention of it; so, I kept the concern to myself for now.

It was only a short time before the twilight hour arrived and Trace encouraged us to eat again before he unveiled the next surprise. He was always insistent about eating, drinking water, and taking care of oneself. I don’t know that I’d ever get usedto this rigid and regimented behavior that was ingrained in him. On one hand, I felt cared for, and maybe a little controlled, but in a way that I found oddly satisfying.

When darkness veiled the area, he led us by lantern light a small distance from the haven. When we approached the destination, my breath hitched.

Before me was a small body of water, blanketed in moonslight. But it wasn’t the light that stole my breath. It sparkled, actually shimmered, as if lit from within. I had only ever read about springs like this. They were rare, so much so that I had just accepted that I’d likely never see one in person.

From my studies, I knew they were unique hot springs, and that the minerals in the pool created the luminescence that I was now enamored with.

“Surprise,” Trace said nonchalantly, with a smirk I could faintly detect in the dim glow radiating off the water.

Next thing I knew, he began stripping down. I watched as he removed his shirt, as if in slow motion, revealing that body that I craved. My eyes trailed down the length of his tattoo. Without a second of hesitation or doubt, he removed his pants, unveiling a fully naked Trace in all his glory.

There wasn’t a hint of embarrassment on his face, and I envied the confidence. My mouth watered with desire as he strode casually to the edge of the pool and lowered himself into the steamy abyss of the water.

“Just in case you wanted me to prove it, there are no eels.”

He pushed himself back from the edge, casually wading deeper. Waiting for me to join him.

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