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He takes his robe off and puts it on a hook. I watch as he gets into the hot tub. His tightly muscled body is all male, and I can’t wait to touch him.
I remove my robe and feel slightly awkward as I hang it up and stand completely naked in this dense forest. I step into the warm water and slowly immerse myself. “This is lovely.” I let my arms gently float. “It feels as if we are completely alone.”
Alex leans back and closes his eyes. “We are alone. Each dome is positioned far enough that guests have complete privacy.”
“Where have you been the last two nights? Here?”
He laughs. “No. I camped a mile from you. I left a couple of devices, so I’d be alerted if you had any difficulty.”
I sit up straighter. “What do you mean?”
His eyes meet mine. “I wouldn’t leave you alone in the forest without experience or real survival skills.”
A sudden feeling of coldness hits me. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were nearby?”
“You were alone, Immy. You did great.”
I stand up. “You tricked me.”
Alex looks up at me and holds his hands up. “I’m sorry. I should have been clearer. You’re not a typical guide that I’m testing out. We have a connection. I’m trying to figure out the lines.”
I sit back down but don’t take his hands. “I felt proud of myself, but now I feel so idiotic. I wasn’t alone.”
“You were. I was a mile away. It’s a long distance in the dark. I had a flashlight if I had to come to your rescue.”
I take a deep breath. “How would you have known if I needed to be rescued?”
His eyes narrow. “The device I used would have sent an alert if you screamed.”
I touch my neck. “I don’t know how I feel about that. I thought I was alone.”
Alex clears his throat. “You were completely alone for forty-three hours. It’s a long time, and it takes mental strength to make all the decisions and be okay with your own thoughts.”
I move my hands through the water. “It felt lonely at first. And then, I realized that loneliness is something I experience often. Even though I live a busy life and have many people around me.”
Alex nods but doesn’t say anything. He meets my gaze, and I can tell he is weighing his response.
“You don’t have to say anything. I recognize that I’m living for others and not myself.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know. Both of my sisters knew what they wanted to do with their lives. Ivy, being the oldest, knew how to chart her course I guess and found advertising. Iris took a leap of faith and became a midwife. I did the predictable and safe thing. I followed my parents and became a teacher.”
Alex held my gaze. “You teach young children. Aren’t your parents’ university professors?”
I nod. “They are semi-retired. I planned to attend graduate school and teach at the college level. After I obtained a four-year degree, there was an opening at a private school, and I got comfortable.”
His green eyes held mine. “Why? Why not pursue your dreams?”
I look into the forest. “I don’t know exactly.” I don’t feel as though he is judging me. It’s a conversation I’ve had many times with my parents, and I can’t come up with a coherent reply.
“Immy, why?” his voice is soft but insistent.
I look at him. “It wasn’t my dream. But the problem is, I don’t know what my dream is.”
He takes my hand and tugs me into his arms. Turning me, he pulls my back against his chest. I feel his powerful thighs beneath me, and I want to lose myself.
“Give yourself time. Getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things will help.”
