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I roll my eyes. “Really? You had no clue I’m a plant and animal geek?”
“Animal geek I knew. Anyone who can love a capybara must be an animal nut.”
“Capybaras are adorable and affectionate.”
“They’re also out to get me.”
“You need to get over what happened. Every animal handler has been bit at least once in their lifetime. If you want to spend more time at the refuge, you can’t be scared of the animals.”
He doesn’t respond and I backpedal. Not literally – I have no intention of wiping out in front of him – but figuratively. “Assuming you want to stay in Winter Falls and be more involved in the refuge.”
His breaks squeak as he brings his bike to a halt. “June Bug,” he calls out and I stop my bike as well.
He reaches over and grasps my hand. “What do I have to do to convince you I’m here to stay?”
I shrug because I don’t know. I feel like a teenager with a crush on the football quarterback while I’m the science nerd – insecure and unsure of myself.
“I’m not going to lie and tell you I’m giving up my career. I’m not. But I do plan to spend as much time in Winter Falls as possible. It’s my home base now.”
“Your home base? Isn’t Hollywood your base?”
“Nope. I plan to sell my house in Hollywood. I don’t need to hobnob with other celebrities and producers anymore. I’ve worked hard on my career and proved to them I can bring in the fans.”
My jaw drops. “You’re seriously selling your house?”
He doesn’t hesitate to answer, “I am.”
I swallow. “Okay. I will try harder to believe you’re in Winter Falls to stay.”
He leans across the bikes and kisses my cheek. “Thank you.”
A bike bell rings from behind us, and I startle. A public bike path is not the place to have a serious discussion. “Come on. I know the perfect place to have our picnic.”
We ride to the falls after which Winter Falls is named. I know the second Mav notices it because I hear him gasp. The falls are pretty amazing. I stop my bike to watch him. His mouth is gaping open as he stares at the waterfall. He pulls out his phone and takes a few pictures.
When he finishes, I lead him to the grassy clearing at the top of the falls. “This is one of my favorite places in the world,” I tell him as I spread a blanket over the grass for our picnic.
He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close until my back is plastered to his front. My body warms in delight at being in his arms again as he kisses my neck causing goosebumps to break out across my skin.
“Thank you for sharing your favorite place with me,” he whispers against my ear, and I tilt my head to the side to give him access to the sensitive skin below my ear. His tongue swirls a circle against my skin before he places a kiss there.
“A-a-re you hungry?” I manage to ask.
“Starving,” he growls. I don’t think he’s talking about food.
“We should …” My words trail off when he spins me around.
He palms my neck and leans down to whisper into my ear, “We should what?”
I bite my lip and contemplate giving in and telling him exactly what I want, but a chirp sounds before I can give into my desires. I scan the area.
Mav releases me. “What’s wrong?”
“I hear chirping. I think an animal is in distress.”
I drop to my knees and crawl to the brush. The chirping intensifies. I must be getting closer. I spot a striped skunk about three feet away.
“Hey, little guy. What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
