by Kris Bryant
Even though it was said innocently, Gabrielle felt a rich heat spread throughout her body. When was the last time she felt a slow burn? Dani took her from a peak adrenaline rush to an explosion within minutes. This warmth laced with excitement felt new and different.
“Okay. Are you sure I can’t bring anything else?” Gabrielle knew she was going to overpack, regardless of what Serena said.
“Just your courage.” The happiness in her voice made Gabrielle smile.
“Easier said than done.”
“We’re just keeping the momentum going.”
For a brief moment, Gabrielle wondered if Serena was talking about her comfort level around dogs or the fate of their blossoming relationship.
Chapter Seventeen
Serena stood at the overlook and filled her lungs with the sweet, thin mountain air. Colorado was beautiful early in the morning. Even though it was summer, there was a slight chill in the breeze that ruffled her hair and slipped inside the collar of her T-shirt. She shivered, knowing in about three hours she would beg for anything this refreshing.
“Come here, L.B.” He was getting too close to the edge, and even though she kept him off-leash and he stayed close, accidents happened. If he slipped and tumbled down the steep mountain, Serena would never forgive herself. She snapped his leash on and moved away from the cliff.
Gabrielle was meeting them in ten minutes. Serena took the time to stretch and rearrange her backpack. Five waters—four for the humans and one for the dog—a towel, T-shirt, trail mix, two apples, kibble for L.B., and jerky. Her phone was completely charged. The trail to the waterfall was an easy four miles. Even though Gabrielle looked like she was in shape, Serena didn’t want to assume she could do a longer, more strenuous hike. Besides, it was their second date and she wanted to take it easy, but still give L.B. a workout.
Gabrielle pulled up beside Serena’s Jeep and lowered her sunglasses so her eyes, those beautiful amber eyes that made Serena swoon, sparkled in the early morning sun. “Are you taking me out here to kill me?”
Serena leaned forward so her face was only a few inches from Gabrielle’s. “Now why would I do that when I still need you for so many things?” Where her brazen behavior came from, she didn’t know, but Gabrielle’s reaction was priceless. Most impressive was that she didn’t lean back at Serena’s nearness. Surprise registered on her face, but she leaned forward, pushed her glasses onto her head, and played with Serena’s braid.
“Let’s spend the next few hours of you telling me exactly what you need me for.”
Their moment was broken up when L.B. put his front paws on Gabrielle’s convertible. She shrank back, out of habit, but didn’t make a sound and her eyes didn’t show as much fear. It was obvious he’d startled her, but Serena was impressed with her ability to keep her control. “Get down, L.B.” He immediately lowered his paws and sat next to Serena. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay, but I won’t get out of the car until he’s maybe a few feet away.”
“Oh, of course. Come here, L.B. Let’s get a drink before we walk.” Serena opened the back of the Jeep, tapped the carpet for him to jump inside, and poured a bit of water into his bowl. While he lapped it up, Serena watched Gabrielle slip out of the car, straighten her shorts and T-shirt, and retie one of her shoelaces. She looked fantastic. She was tan and fit, and Serena couldn’t stop staring at her legs. It was obvious that Gabrielle worked out with heavy emphasis on her lower body and arms. She wasn’t overly muscular, but extremely fit. It made Serena’s mouth dry and other body parts tingle. Gabrielle was perfect. Not too thin. Her shorts hit her mid-thigh and the T-shirt she wore was white cotton with a purple yoga studio emblem right above the curve of her left breast.
“Oh, this is Bodhi, Piper’s studio. If you finish her torturous advanced class, you get a T-shirt,” Gabrielle said.
Serena blushed at getting caught. She cleared her throat and exhaled before she looked at Gabrielle. “I’m impressed. Yoga is tough.”
Gabrielle laughed. “Or you can buy one. In this case, I bought it. No way could I handle one of her advanced classes. Besides, I’m more into spinning.” That explained her toned calves and firm thighs.
“I only recently picked up hiking. Please don’t leave us behind on the trail.”
“You’re younger with more stamina.” Gabrielle swung her small backpack over her shoulder. “Lead the way, boss.”
Serena liked the sound of that. Nobody had ever called her boss before. Even playing. She blushed and locked up the Jeep. “I’m not that much younger.”
“Three years? Is that right?”
Serena nodded. She had turned thirty in the midst of her mother moving, the middle of signing all the Colorado lottery forms, and a week before she hired Gabrielle’s firm. It was something that came and went with very little excitement, like most milestones in her life. Chloe and Jackie knew her aversion to big celebrations, so Serena slipped into her thirties with a small dinner party, no gifts at her request, but surrounded by the people she loved most. Faith baked a small chocolate cake. She couldn’t bring it by until after her shift ended at eleven, but Serena blew out the candles a few minutes before her birthday slipped into the next ordinary day.
“This trail is one of my favorites.”
“I’m ready when you are,” Gabrielle said.
“Do you want to say hi to L.B. or should we wait?” Serena dropped her best smile, hoping it was charming and not too dorky.
Gabrielle took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
Serena slowly walked L.B. to Gabrielle. “Be a good boy. Stay down.” She patted his head and rubbed his ears while Gabrielle held her hand out for him to sniff. He smelled her fingers and licked them. The stricken look on her face made Serena intervene. “Okay, let Gabrielle pet you. She doesn’t want your kisses. Yet.”
“Thank you.” Gabrielle reached over L.B.’s snout to touch his head. He wasn’t as soft as Muppet, but he was just as gentle. When he arched into her touch, Gabrielle pulled back. “That was okay, right?”
Serena nodded. “It was perfect. Let’s go before the mass of people swarm this place. At least we’ll get a head start on them.” They walked along the path making small talk until Serena unleashed L.B. He ran ahead of them but looked back several times to make sure he didn’t go too far.
“How was the rest of your night?” Gabrielle asked.
Serena didn’t want to tell her she’d spent at least an hour trying to figure out what to wear for their walk. Or how she’d tried to remember all the makeup tips Faith gave her just a few nights before. She’d even ironed her T-shirt. Who did that? Her navy shorts covered her pale legs and flattered her ass, according to Chloe and Jackie, who helped pick out her outfit. She glanced over her shoulder as if they would show up again.
“What’s the matter?” Gabrielle looked over her shoulder because Serena did.
Serena laughed and reached out to touch Gabrielle’s arm. “For a moment, I expected Chloe and Jackie to show up.” She liked the way Gabrielle’s muscles twitched under her touch.
“I think it’s sweet that they’re concerned for you. They seem like great ladies and very positive people in your life.” Gabrielle always knew the right thing to say. She was either sincere or really smooth, and Serena, in her tiny little fairy tale, wanted to believe it came from the heart.
“I’m thankful they showed up in my life when they did. They saved me.” Serena’s stomach did a hard bounce when Gabrielle slid her hand down her arm and held her hand.
“You make more of an impact on people than you give yourself credit for.”
“Now that I have money,” Serena said. She felt a squeeze on her fingers.
“Even before you did. Faith. Chloe and Jackie. And then the people whose lives you touched that you don’t even know about.”
“I worked at a diner, a car wash, and a bookstore. I don’t think people even knew who I was.” Serena’s shoulders slumped as she thought about the pe
ople who never saw her, never looked at her, and barely knew she existed.
“Hold on.” Gabrielle stopped and turned Serena to face her. She tucked a piece of hair that the wind had blown across Serena’s face behind her ear. “Listen to me. I know that winning the lottery was a massive improvement to your life, but if I met you, bookstore clerk Serena Evans, you still would have caught my interest.” The fierceness in those amber eyes made Serena literally swoon. Needing to hold on to something to keep her grounded in this pivotal moment, she put her hands on Gabrielle’s waist. A bold move on her part.
“Thank you,” she said. Thank you? She inwardly groaned. A beautiful woman was in her personal space telling her wonderful things and she said “thank you”? She wanted to lean forward and kiss Gabrielle’s full, red lips, but she was afraid. What if she didn’t want to be kissed? Before she could doubt herself further, she felt Gabrielle’s lips press against hers. Her eyes fluttered shut and she slid her grip down to Gabrielle’s hips. This was what heaven was. This was perfection. She boldly took a step closer until she could feel the heat radiate off Gabrielle’s body. Their first kiss grew into something that she had never experienced before. Flames fanned out, the burning sensation swelling her body in delicious places. Serena had been kissed before, but never this thoroughly. Gabrielle’s hands were in her hair, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. Her mouth was warm, her lips soft, but she was completely in charge. When Gabrielle released her, Serena wobbled a bit as her knees threatened to give out.
“Are you okay?” Gabrielle put her hands on Serena’s waist to steady her.
Serena looked at her shoes and kicked a rock out from beneath her. “Yeah, I just came down wrong.” She wasn’t going to admit their kiss shook her to the core. Or that it was perfect and nothing was ever going to be the same again. “I hope we didn’t lose L.B. Where are you, boy?” That was the great thing she said after a kiss like that?
“I saw him over there by the short trees.” Gabrielle pointed as a small group of shrubs rustled and L.B.’s head popped up. “He’s been pretty close to us.”
Serena took a step back because as much as she wanted the kissing to continue, the great outdoors wasn’t the ideal place to make out. There was only one trail to and from the waterfall, so the chances of people bumping into them were great. She was never a fan of public displays of affection only because she never was a part of it before. “Come here.” She tapped her thigh and waited until he sprang back over to them. Gabrielle stood behind Serena and reached down to pet him quickly, but softly. “You’re doing well.”
“I’m trying,” Gabrielle said.
Again, Serena was only inches from Gabrielle’s mouth. “We should keep going.”
The lopsided grin on Gabrielle’s face revealed that she knew just how her nearness affected Serena. She flashed a quick smile and moved ahead on the trail. The path narrowed so only one person could fit at a time. Serena missed the warmth of Gabrielle’s fingers interlocked with hers, but a surge of excitement coursed through her veins when she felt her palm on the small of her back. Thankfully she wasn’t sweaty yet. By the time they reached the waterfall, Serena was more relaxed but still very much aware of Gabrielle’s nearness.
“This is gorgeous. I’m so happy you brought me here,” Gabrielle said.
“With all of the rain we’ve had and the snow melting, the waterfall is really full. It’s actually more impressive than I remember.” Serena led L.B. to the edge so he could drink and take a swim to cool down. He waded in, but stayed close.
“Somebody’s thirsty,” Gabrielle said.
“He walked twice the distance that we did. He’s going to sleep well later today,” Serena said. She pulled out a small pack of sanitizing wipes and offered one to Gabrielle, who gladly took it.
“I know you told me not to bring anything, but I had to bring these cookies. Rosie and the kids made the best peanut butter cookies and brought a dozen to me. I would feel guilty if I ate them all by myself.” Gabrielle sat on a boulder after brushing off dirt and leaves. She opened her backpack and offered Serena the bag.
“Oh, my favorite. And crunchy, too. I like Rosie. She’s really nice. Actually, all of your friends are super nice.” Serena stopped short because it made her sound desperate and she felt strange going on and on about Gabrielle’s friends.
“They’ve said nothing but nice things about you, too. It seems as if you and I have made good choices with friends.”
“And they bake for you, so I say that’s a win.” Serena told herself she was only going to say positive things. Faith had pointed out that most of their conversations ended up on the fast track to Negativeville, and she wasn’t wrong. It had been a while since she was able to relax and just be herself. But being positive was harder than she’d anticipated. She’d spent the first thirty years of her life waiting for the other shoe to drop. And it always did.
“And yours show up on dates to make sure you aren’t out with a murderer or dog kicker.”
Serena laughed. “Dog kicker was a concern, but now that I understand your history, I know you wouldn’t kick a dog unless you had to.” She winked at Gabrielle to let her know she was teasing and was rewarded with a killer smile.
“I’m getting better. I’ve made friends with three or four dogs now.”
“I’m proud of you. And just so you know, I might pick up another pup or a few kittens at the shelter. How do you feel about cats?”
“I generally stay away from all animals, but cats are okay. They don’t really like me, but they leave me alone. We have an understanding.” Gabrielle quickly added, “You should do what you want to do. If you want five dogs and twelve cats, that’s completely your decision.”
Not sure how to take that news, Serena pushed a little bit. She didn’t want to start a relationship with somebody who was never going to like animals. Then the relationship was doomed to fail. And after a kiss like that, she was having second thoughts about adding four-legged family members. “Do you think you’ll ever be comfortable around dogs? L.B. is very gentle and loving.”
“Do you know why he was surrendered to the shelter?” Gabrielle asked.
“They found him running around the shelter, so somebody probably dumped him. I’m sorry I don’t know his history better, but I think he’s sweet.”
“Come here, L.B.,” Gabrielle said.
Serena masked her surprise when L.B. popped up from drinking and trotted over to Gabrielle. She broke off a piece of cookie and put it on the palm of her hand for him. Serena wanted to tease her that he wasn’t a horse, but this was a huge moment, so she didn’t want to say anything to upset Gabrielle. And even though she didn’t want him to be fed table scraps, Jackie was forever slipping him pizza crusts, so this also was a thing she was going to overlook. She smiled as Gabrielle patted his head while he crunched on the cookie. “Are you ready to see the waterfall up close and personal? Or do you want to eat lunch?”
“Oh, can we go behind it?”
“We can, but we’ll get soaked. Leave your phone and keys in your bag so they don’t get wet,” Serena said. She tightened her laces and waited for Gabrielle to secure her bag on the tree next to hers.
“What about L.B.?”
“He’ll wander around,” Serena said. She thought about tying his leash to the tree, but nobody was around and he’d probably follow them anyway. Access to behind the fall was on a narrow path about fifty feet away. “We won’t be gone long. It’s more exciting to sniff at all the woodland creatures here than to go behind a waterfall.” She led the way, motioning Gabrielle to follow. “Be careful. Here’s where it gets slick.” She reached to guide Gabrielle behind her. When her hand came in contact with hard abs against soft cotton instead of the arm she was aiming for, she quickly dropped her hand. The waterfall was loud once they slipped behind it, so Serena raised her voice. “Sorry about that. I just wanted to make sure you were walking behind me and not beside me or you would’ve fallen.”
“It’s so lo
ud.” Gabrielle leaned closer to Serena. “But so pretty.” Her back was flat against the wet stone wall. She pushed her hand through the flow of water two feet in front of them. “That’s a lot of power.”
Serena liked looking at Gabrielle’s lips when she talked. More so now that she knew what they were capable of. Kissing that rendered her both speechless and weak in the knees. She nodded, losing herself in the memory. Gabrielle reached out and pulled her close. Her gasp got lost in the rushing sound of the waterfall.
“You know that when you look at me like that, I can’t think of anything but kissing you again.” Gabrielle slipped her hand on the back of Serena’s neck and leaned to kiss her. Before their lips touched, before she felt the whisper of Gabrielle’s warm breath against her mouth, she heard a shout and felt Gabrielle slip out of her embrace. Serena watched helplessly as Gabrielle slid down the rock, through the waterfall, into the pool below.
Chapter Eighteen
Gabrielle had never liked swimming. She didn’t like the helplessness of being underwater. There was a vulnerability the instant her head slipped below the surface, and she hated the loss of control. Her bikini and bathing suits got a workout in hot tubs, not pools. But now she understood why Serena had told her to bring clothes and wisely suggested they keep their electronics in their backpacks.
“Oh, my God. Are you okay?” Serena scrambled to the edge of the pond with her hand extended.
Gabrielle waved off Serena’s offer of help. She brushed back her hair with her fingertips and looked at her clothes. She was soaked to the bone and only had a dry towel. “You should have told me we were going to swim today. I would have dressed accordingly.” Her clothes, swollen with water, clung to her body. The tightness left nothing to the imagination.
“I can give you a dry T-shirt,” Serena said.
Gabrielle noticed how Serena averted her eyes when she started wringing out the clothes still on her body. “That would be great.” She took her towel and Serena’s extra T-shirt and ducked behind a clump of bushes. She peeled off her drenched clothes and dried off the best she could. At least she’d be comfortable from the waist up. Serena’s T-shirt felt soft and worn in. She tied the towel around her waist.
