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“We’re here.”
“We’re … here?” I looked around at the trees surrounding us and then back at him. “There’s no ‘here.’”
“There is. Come on.” He hopped out of the truck again and went to the bed, beginning to pack everything up. I came around and finally got a good look at what he’d bought.
Firewood. Blankets. Groceries. Alcohol. And what looked like a go-bag, but it was zipped shut.
“Let’s go.” Looking like a pack mule, Deacon walked into the ditch, and I quickly rushed to catch up, slipping down the muddy bank to his side. Most of the snow had melted by now. Only the mountain still had snow clinging to its peaks while the resort’s snowmakers pumped out snow to keep the season lasting as long as they could. However, the rest of the world was beginning to awaken from its long winter nap.
As we walked, some bushes even had buds peeking out from their branches, the first of the green trying to make an appearance.
“I can carry something, you know.”
“This is nothing. You know how much my gear weighs?” He flashed me a grin as he turned back to the trees, cutting through and marching along a route that only he, apparently, knew.
“You gonna let me in on what the plan is?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” He pushed a branch out of our way, letting me go through first before he stepped behind me. The closeness of his body sent a thrill through me, and even though Iknewwhat was under his clothes, the excitement I felt next to him still hadn’t waned. I suspected it might never.
“A hike, obviously, but I have no idea to where.”
“A secret spot,” he said with a laugh that caused me to chuckle. We continued to walk, trudging through the bush when we finally hit a clearing, and as it opened, I found myself coming to a stop.
“What the hell?”
“I know, right?” He grinned, seemingly pleased with himself as he walked closer to the 1953 Hudson Hornet sitting in the middle of the forest with no roads around. It was a dark maroon, totally rusted and damaged by the elements, but otherwise, it looked in good condition. As good as can be.
“How did it get here?” I walked over to it as Deacon set everything down and dug through the bags before pulling out the moonshine jar.
“No idea. I came across it on a hike once. I asked my brothers, and the consensus is that maybe there used to be a road here, and it was abandoned after the road got pushed west. No one bothered to come and collect it, so the wilderness grew around it. But that’s only conjecture, no way of knowing.” As I came around the car after inspecting it, he held the jar out to me with a smile.
“Thanks. This is really cool.” I took a long swig of the alcohol, feeling it burn through my chest as I held the jar back out to him.
“I thought you might like it. Didn’t your dad used to have one of these?”
“Yeah, but this is definitely not his.” I laughed, still marveling at the car in the middle of the woods. Deacon took a swig of the moonshine too, hooting as it burned through him, and he shook himself out in exaggeration.
Reaching for the jar, our fingers brushed as I took it, and he reached out with his other hand, curling around my waist as he pulled me closer. Our bodies suddenly pressed against one another as he stared at me.
From the look in his eye, he wanted to know what was going on. He wanted to know why I bought him and what that meant. What could he see in my eyes? He leaned in like he was going to kiss me, and then suddenly, he stopped short as he smiled.
“Alright, c’mon, not much further. This was a pit stop.”
deacon
We carriedon hiking through the woods when we finally emerged at a cliff overlooking the river that connected two of the biggest lakes in our county.
Dakota stepped closer to the edge and peered down before turning to look at me with a grin.
“Well done.”
“Yeah?” Pride bloomed in my chest. If I had known she was going to bid on me at the auction, I certainly would have made the date more suited to her. Something more like this and less … generic. Boating, high-tea, and shopping felt like out of a romance novel, which seemed like something other women would like. Dakota was different, and I wanted to make sure I gave her something as special as she was. I knew no other woman in the county would appreciate a Hudson Hornet forest car and this view.
“Yeah, this is amazing.” She turned back around to help me get the gear off, and as the bag slipped off my shoulder, her hand rested on my chest while we stared at each other.
Could she feel my heart beating against my chest? Did she know what she did to me?
“I’m not done.” My voice failed me, coming out like a whisper. Whatever had developed between us, I wanted it, and I just hoped so did she.
