“This is incredible.”
“Glad you like it. There are other falls around, but this one is private.”
“It’s private because we’re trespassing in a state park,” I point out with a grin. “In case you missed the ‘No one past this point’ sign.”
He shrugs. “Just more imaginary lines.”
“Like time, huh?”
“Yeah, like time.” He pushes the sweaty hair away from my forehead. His voice coated in warmth when he speaks. “Happy Birthday, Cecelia.”
“Thank you. It’s cool you remembered.”
“You said you had one coming up, and I checked with HR on what the date was.”
“This is so much better than what I had planned,” I say, breathing in the cool mist drifting from the waterfall. A small cloud of a rainbow shines below on the rocks and I take a mental picture. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“What did you have planned?”
“Reading.” I glance around. “But you sure make that seem like a sad plan.” I gaze over at him and free the question I want answered most. “Are you for real?”
He frowns, pulling open a container and popping some cheese into his mouth. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…are you really this nice? Are you going to turn into some raging dick in a couple of weeks and ruin all of this?”
He seems completely unfazed by my question. “Is that what you’re used to?”
I don’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“Then, I guess it depends.”
“On what?”
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Yeah,” I lean in, my fingers itching to return the gesture and brush the sweaty blond hair from his forehead.
“Good.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep.”
“You’re talking in riddles again. Are we the secret?”
He reaches out and pulls me to him, my back to his front and grabs a piece of cheese, offering it to me. I take it and chew, leaning into him, enjoying the view and the feel of him behind me. He’s so attentive, so disarming, so incredibly good at putting me at ease that I loathe the thought he’s anything but the guy he’s shown me to be.
It’s then I feel his hesitation.
“Whatever it is, please tell me now. I’m serious. I would rather know.”
His breath tickles my ear. “I don’t do things the way most people do when it comes to any aspect of life. I follow my gut, my instincts on everything, and answer to very few.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
“It means I belong to myself, Cecelia, at all times. And I choose carefully who to spend my now with. I’m selfish with my time and sometimes, about the things I want.”
“Okay.”