Page 12 of Willow

I return the gesture, squeezing her back. My eyes shift to the rearview mirror, where I can feel Zane watching me. There are at least a dozen butterflies swarming my stomach, and I have no idea how to act around him right now.

“Ready?” he asks as I pull the seat belt across my lap.

His navy-blue eyes shift between Chelsea, Benji, and me, and I still don’t know how to feel when I answer, “Yes.”

I shift my gaze out the window as Zane turns the radio up. Radiohead blares from the speakers.

“It’s a forty-five-minute trip to Moose Falls,” Wyatt yells over the music, twisting in his seat until he can see me. “It’s this little pull-off just inside the national park’s south entrance.”

I nod. I’m excited. I have the whole day in front of me. No stress. No commitments. I can’t remember the last day I had off, let alone an entire two-week stretch. Over two weeks really. Maybe longer than that if I don’t have a job to go back to. A surge of uneasiness cramps my stomach at that thought, but I shove it away quickly and focus on our surroundings.

I chew on my lip as I listen to the music crooning through the speakers and watch the landscape pass by outside of the window. It’s a clear day without a cloud in the sky. The sun is shining, and the grass is a rich green color. We fly by pastures and ranches. The mountains tower overhead, and I can see the rocky details of the peaks in the daylight. They’ve lost most of the snow at this point in the season, but there’s still a layer of white at the very top. The view is breathtaking, and I wonder if I would start to take it for granted if I lived here all year long. I doubt it.

The drive passes quickly with scenery occupying my mind. The music overpowers any conversation, but it’s an easy silence with the five of us in close quarters, which is surprising, considering we’re virtual strangers. Or at least I am.

We park in a pull-off right beside the main highway. There’s an unmarked path to our right that’s rocky and framed by large pine trees. We’re the only vehicle in the lot right now.

The guys grab a cooler full of food and drinks from the back, and Chelsea and I carry some bags with more supplies. I follow them down the path, my eyes on the ground since the terrain is rocky and uneven. The trees clear, and the view opens before me. I pause to see a bridge that carries the highway over the river that’s flowing beneath it. I realize we just drove over that bridge.

I follow the others to the left, and the noise of running water grows louder. The walkway is narrow and steep and downhill. I stop at the bottom as the guys find a level space for the coolers.There’s a waterfall in front of me that I never knew existed even though it’s just steps from the main road. The mist hits me in the face as I stand there, watching it cascade over the edge. The sound of water rushing over rocks is soothing. I close my eyes for a moment and just listen, taking deep breaths of the pine-scented air.

“You good?” Benji asks, removing the bags from my arms.

He’s smiling when I open my eyes, and I return the expression.

“I’m better than good,” I say honestly.

“Come on,” he says, nodding to the left.

“You want a beer?” Wyatt asks me as we approach, extending his hand with an unopened can in it. A piece of ice slides down the exterior.

I shake my head. “Not yet.”

Zane smirks behind him, and I tilt my head with a soft smile, wondering if he’s subtly teasing me for drinking too much last night.

Wyatt shrugs and opens the can for himself, taking a long pull. “They’re in the cooler anytime you’re ready.”

“Thanks,” I say. I glance back at the river. The air is chilly. I shiver while imagining the icy-cold temperature of the water. “It might be too cold for me to swim.” Admitting this makes me feel like a city wimp.

Zane smiles knowingly. “It’s a hot spring.”

“What?” I ask.

“A natural spring,” Wyatt repeats.

“The water is heated,” Benji adds.

My eyes widen with excitement before I can temper my reaction.

Everyone starts to strip down. I watch Zane from the corner of my eye while pretending not to. He whips off his shirt, revealing inches of delicious, toned skin.

I leave the Tevas strapped to my feet and slip off my oversize sweatshirt in one smooth motion. My gaze is on the ground as I unbutton and unzip my jean shorts. I can feel eyes on me as the material slides down my legs, revealing one inch of skin at a time. I haven’t felt this exposed in a long time.

I look up to see Chelsea standing there in a tiny black bikini. She has an amazing body. Small boobs and a toned torso. Her long hair travels down her back, landing just above her waist. My body is curvier. I have full breasts and flared hips, though I work to keep myself trim and in shape by eating healthy foods. But I don’t have much time for exercise most days.

I venture a glance over at Zane, and his eyes flare as they move across my collarbone and stall on my chest. After a moment, he keeps going, lingering on my legs too. I wonder if I’m imagining it when I see his jaw clench as Wyatt comes closer and slides his arm across my shoulders, pulling me into his torso. I put my arm around Wyatt’s waist.

“It’s beautiful here,” I observe.

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