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“We’re very sorry,” Rick agreed.
The woman gave a loud harrumph, then walked with her companion to the edge of the ridge, where they began taking photos.
Rick stood and tugged on Olivia’s hand. “We should get going.”
“Do we have to keep climbing? We’re good, right?”
He squeezed her hand. “We’re better than good, but the hike will be worth it. The view is supposed to be stunning. I know you can do it.”
She loved that he had so much faith in her. “Okay. But can you slow down a little?”
By the time they reached the summit, she was shaky and sweaty. Her water bottle was nearly empty. But the view was magnificent. Spread out below them were valleys and dense pine forests. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue. For a long time, she stood beside Rick, taking in the scenery, her heart light with joy.
After taking pictures, they found a secluded area under a thick grove of pine trees. Rick pinned her up against a tree and kissed her until she was breathless. Though she wanted to keep going, she was afraid the scary British women would catch up to them. There would be time for real intimacy later.
On the walk down, they slowed their pace, teasing each other and taking a ridiculous number of photos together. Olivia sent one to Sofia and got a series of heart-eye emojis in return. They’d almost made it back to the car when Rick’s phone buzzed.
He peeked at the screen. “TJ said they’re done hiking and ready to go. I’ll tell him we’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.” Grinning, he plucked a pine needle out of her curls. “Sorry about your hair. I don’t think it’s salvageable.”
She didn’t care if everyone knew what they’d been doing. She was done with secrets. Now that she and Rick were together, she had nothing to hide.
