Iwantedto go.
Not because I needed the exercise, but because being near her made me feel... lighter.
Like I could almost remember what it was like to feelgood,and I hadn’t felt that in a long time.
“What kind of hike?” I asked, just to mess with her. “We talking extreme mountain terrain or stroll-through-the-woods-with-a-picnic-basket?”
She smirked. “Somewhere in between. There may be a lake. Maybe a view. Maybe a deeply personal conversation if you’re lucky.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“I like dangerous.”
Of course she did.
I shook my head with a low laugh. “Fine. You win. I’ll pack for a hike.”
Her grin was victorious. “Meet me in the lot by eight. And bring coffee. I’m not responsible for my attitude if I’m uncaffeinated. If I’m feeling frisky, I might knock on your door early.”
“Deal.”
She lingered one second longer, gaze dancing over me, like she wanted to say something else. But instead, she turned and started down the path, her footsteps soft in the gravel.
And just like that, the night swallowed her up.
I stood there for a beat, blinking up at the stars, my pulse still humming. The fire had burned down to embers now, the occasional snap of a log reminding me that time was still moving even if everything else had slowed.
Then I turned toward the lodge, making my way up the stairs and back to my room.
And as I passed the window, I caught my reflection in the glass—just me, same guy, same face, same guarded lines.
But I wassmiling.
And for once, it wasn’t guarded at all.
I ran a hand over my jaw, still feeling the ghost of her lips on mine.
What the hell was happening to me?
This was supposed to be a two-week recharge. A break from people. A way to clear my head after... everything. I came here to bequiet, not to banter over marshmallows and kiss the innkeeper under the stars like I was auditioning for a second chance at joy.
And yet.
There she was.
Fifi.
In every corner of my thoughts, even when she wasn’t talking. And when shewastalking? I never stood a chance. She was like caffeine with a soul. All buzz and brightness, but warm too. Grounded in something that made me feel steady in her orbit, even if I didn’t understand why.
I rubbed my chest absently, like I could smooth out the tension building there. Not the bad kind. Not anxiety or dread or anger.
Just... the kind that came with wanting something.
Wantingher.
And that scared the hell out of me.
I wasn’t someone who did spur-of-the-moment. I made plans. I kept expectations low. I protected myself with distance, with silence, with sarcasm.
