Page 66 of The Accidental Honeymoon

"Wow," I say. I’m pretty sure that my brain has been short-circuited. That’s the most eloquent thing I can muster.

Jay’s face is alight with a boyish excitement. "Pretty amazing, right?"

I nod, unable to tear my eyes away from the panorama. A cool breeze tugs at my hair, and I pull the borrowed jacket tighter around me and zip it back up. For a moment, I forget everything. The fake marriage, the looming career crisis, my ingrained mistrust of men. All that exists is this view, this moment, and the surprising sense of accomplishment that fills me.

Jay sets down his backpack and unzips it, pulling out a small checkered blanket. He opens it with a flourish. "I thought we could have lunch up here," he says, spreading the blanket on the ground. "Best seat in the house."

I hesitate. Not because I don’t want to, but because the idea of sitting still and enjoying something feels so foreign right now. Like an indulgence I haven’t earned.

But my legs are wobbly from the hike. The thought of standing for a second longer than is strictly needed is enough to convince me. "Sure," I say, sinking gratefully onto the blanket.

Jay joins me, sitting cross-legged. He starts unpacking containers from his backpack. The scent of fresh fruit andsandwiches mingles with the piney air. My stomach growls. He hands me a sandwich and I inspect it closely. "Let me guess. Gluten-free, vegan, low-carb?"

Jay laughs. It’s the easy, unguarded laugh that I’ve come to like more than I should. "It’s just a turkey sandwich, Calla. I’m not that much of a health nut."

I take a bite, and it’s delicious. Real turkey, not the processed kind, with crisp lettuce, Swiss cheese, and a smear of mustard. Jay must have prepared these sandwiches while I was getting ready this morning. That warms my heart.

We eat in companionable silence. No one rushes to fill the space. No one needs to.

I watch a hawk circle lazily on a thermal. There’s a serenity up here that I can’t quite reconcile with my usual, frantic life. Should I move to this mountaintop?

Jay finishes his sandwich and leans back on his hands, stretching out his torso. "So, how are we doing?"

I look at him, confused. "Doing what?"

"Connecting," he says, a sly grin playing on his lips. "You know. Getting along."

I roll my eyes but can’t help smiling. "I think we’re making progress. The hike was a good idea."

"Told you it’d be fun."

"Don’t push it," I say. But there’s no bite to my words. I’m too relaxed, too content. This is dangerous territory.

He sits up and reaches for a container of strawberries, offering me one. I take it. Our fingers brush. A spark of static, or maybe something more, jolts through me.

It’s time for us to connect in another way.

twenty-three

JAY

Desire surgesthrough me as I push aside the Tupperware from our lunch. Our bodies collide with an almost explosive force as I lay her back on the blanket. She lets out a mischievous giggle. "This is the closest I've come to public sex," she says with a wink.

I trail kisses along her neck, savoring the faint taste of salt from our hike. "If you're as loud as you usually are," I murmur, "we might get caught."

She looks at me with a mixture of fear and excitement in her eyes. "That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Are you sure?" I run a hand slowly up her thigh, feeling the heat radiate through her leggings. "We could always wait until we're somewhere more private."

"Don't you dare." She pulls my head down to meet her lips again. The kiss is urgent, needy, as if we're trying to consume each other. My hands explore her body, tracing the curves that I’ve come to know so well. Her fingers dig into my back, pulling me closer, demanding more.

I glance around quickly. We left the crowded trailhead and veered off onto a less-used trail,so the hiking trail behind us is deserted. The thought that someone could appear at any moment adds a thrilling edge to our encounter. I like this side of her, the one that’s willing to take chances, to live in the moment. It makes me wonder what other surprises she’s hiding.

"Remember," I say. I pull back just enough to look into her eyes. "You might want to save some energy for the walk back down."

She laughs softly. It's a mix of exasperation and longing. "I think I'll manage." She bites her lower lip seductively.

I force myself to take it slow and savor every second, even though every cell in my body is screaming to fuck her right now. Our lips meet in a series of deep, languid kisses, each one stoking the fire that’s already blazing between us. My hands trace the contours of her body with a deliberate slowness. She squirms beneath my touch. Her breath comes in short, eager gasps.

---