“I – uh – I think so,” Kira managed to get out, despite her tight throat and breathlessness. Both of which she knew had only partially to do with the surprise of the situation. She could feel a red flush on her neck and cheeks, and she knew that if she didn’t get out of this situation right now she was going to end up embarrassing herself terribly.
But still – oh my God – it was so tempting just to lie here for a moment longer… and she couldn’t help but notice that Caleb didn’t seem to be in any particular rush to get himself off her, either.
He probably just wants to make sure there’s no more falling branches,Kira scolded herself. He’s just shielding you with his, uh, body.
“I – I think we should be safe now,” she finally managed to whisper, still unable to tear her gaze away from the blue of his eyes, framed by their thick dark lashes.
“Oh. Uh. Right. I think so,” Caleb said, sounding as if he was in a daze. Slowly, he levered his tall, broad body up away from her. Every cell in Kira’s body seemed to protest at the sudden loss of contact, and it was all she could do to keep her arms where they were by her sides, instead of grabbing him and pulling him back down.
“That was… that was so weird,” Kira managed to stutter out as she sat up, staring at the bough that now lay across the trail. “Oaks are usually as sturdy as… well, oak. Branches don’t usually just shear away like that, especially not in weather like this. It’s hardly windy at all.”
She glanced at Caleb, and was a little shocked to find him looking perturbed, his eyebrows drawn together, hand in his hair.
“This is my fault,” he muttered, almost as if to himself. “I didn’t think – I just wasn’t thinking. Of course the –”
He cut himself off, glancing at her, eyes pained.
Kira shook her head. Was Caleb blaming himself because he thought she might not have been out here to get almost squashed by a branch if she wasn’t showing him around? “No – this wasn’t your fault at all,” she told him. “I walk these trails all the time. This could’ve happened anytime. If anything, I should be thanking you for pulling me out of the way. That could’ve been a lot worse than it was.”
Opening his mouth, Caleb looked like he was about to offer some kind of counterargument. But in the end, he just looked away, shaking his head.
“Still, I – I feel like this is a little risky. Maybe we should head back. I don’t want… well, I’d rather not risk another accident.”
“I don’t think that’s likely to happen twice on one walk,” Kira said as she got shakily to her feet. “But sure, we can go back if you prefer. I just really hope this hasn’t put you off hiking for good.”
Or loving the forest,she added silently.
“No! No, not at all,” Caleb said, shaking his head. “I just think… maybe we could do something else for a while… like go get some lunch? Together, I mean. If you wouldn’t mind. We could get takeout or something and… eat it somewhere where there’s no big trees.”
Despite herself, Kira laughed. “Well, that’s gonna be pretty challenging here in Girdwood Springs, but we can grab a chili dog if you like and eat it on a bench outside.”
It wasn’t until she’d said it that the rest of what Caleb had asked her caught up with her.
Wait… together?! He wants us to eat together?! Like on a date?!
Caleb still looked a little ruffled by the whole almost getting squashed by a falling tree branch thing… but he also looked kind of hopeful.
Oh my God.
Kira felt a huge, goofy smile spreading itself across her face.
“Sure – we can do it together.”