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Brylee felt her anticipation mount.They’d made it back to camp later than she wanted. It was almost five when they shed their backpacks, the money still in Cash’s backpack, pulled off their socks and shoes, and put on flip-flops. They decided to eat something light and hope the rain would clear a bit and they could cook something more substantial later. After their bath.
Things were tentatively good between them, like they had reached an unspoken truce. She knew there was something deep and hard he wasn’t sharing. She had peace with that, but she wanted to have faith that they’d make it through the hard things and be together.
Tomorrow they’d be split apart. She had no idea if they’d see each other again. If he even wanted to. But right now, things were good. Cash set up a small canopy and they ate cold sandwiches. Then they brushed their teeth and she put on a thick coat of cinna-mint lip balm, earning a significant and heated look from Cash. Her stomach did a salsa dance of anticipation.
He called and checked in with Shawn, who confirmed they’d be there in the morning after the storm cleared.
Neither of them complained.
They walked to the waterfall pool in the misty early evening light. The sun was still up, she believed, but the light rain made the sky a romantic hue. They shed their rain gear and waded in. Even with the rain gear, they were both wet and very muddy. She noticed he pulled a pistol and knife from his shorts and tucked both underneath his raincoat.
The rain was still coming down, but it was more of a mist—not bad, and not much different than their usual baths in the waterfall pool. The difference tonight was the waterfall was coming a lot stronger. They stayed farther away from it, closer to the edge. The water was only waist deep for her here, a little below Cash’s hips. It was chilly, but tolerable.
Cash set the products on the bank, squirted shampoo into his hand, and gave her a meaningful look. He was going to wash her hair. She knew it would be a thrilling experience, but the kissing she’d lined up for the after show would be out of this world.
He said nothing as he edged in, cupped her waist with his free hand, and gently turned her to face away from him. He dipped her back into the water to wet her hair and their gazes collided. The moment was beautiful, and she considered starting the kissing session early. Cash smirked as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, but he lifted her to her feet, facing away from him, and started massaging shampoo into her hair. The tingling sensation in her scalp made her let out a soft moan.
Cash gently worked the shampoo through her long hair. Each touch of her scalp, her hair, her neck, and her upper back made her long for him to touch her and hold her every day for the rest of her life.
Brylee eased back until her back was cradled against Cash’s muscular chest and closed her eyes. Cash kept massaging theshampoo through her hair. It felt magical and touched her deep inside. Cash would always take tender care of her. Could he really leave her, say goodbye, and go their separate ways?
Much sooner than she wanted, he placed a hand on her hip, cupped the back of her head with the other hand, and lay her back in the water. It didn’t even feel cold with him touching her so gently.
He shifted his lower hand under her lower back to keep her afloat. With his other hand, he slid his fingers into her hairline, exploring along her scalp, and then slowly drew his fingers and hand outward as if massaging every strand of hair. She wondered if she was even getting cleaner with the waterfall looking cloudy, almost muddy, and all the mud they’d brought into the pool. She didn’t care about clean right now. Only Cash.
Staring up at him, she blinked misty rainwater or maybe waterfall mist from her eyes and kept on staring.
Cash held her gaze as easily as he held her. He bent low and their lips met.
Ecstasy rushed through her in an explosion of powerful feeling made more intense by the expiration of their time together. She arched up, and he lifted her upper body out of the water. Keeping his hand on her lower back to draw her tight against his chest and surrounding the back of her neck with his other large palm, he continued to kiss her.
Brylee’s pulse quickened, and she was certain he wouldn’t pull away this time. She wrapped her hands around his neck and savored each kiss, each touch. His fingers threaded into her hair, and his warm body seemed to surround her as she clung to him.
Suddenly, he broke the kiss. His gaze was dark, heavy, tormented.
“Cash, what’s wrong?”
He still held her close, but she could almost feel the wall between them being hurled back into place.
The evening sky seemed darker. The sun must’ve set. It was still light enough to see, but it felt gloomy with the misty rain and cloud cover.
“I can’t do this to you, Brylee.”
“Do what?” She wanted to tease that he could definitely keep kissing her, but she knew that wasn’t what he meant.
He released her and backed up to the edge of the pool, pressing his back against it and folding his arms across his chest. He looked so incredible with his T-shirt plastered to his strong body. But his handsome face was … miserable.
“Cash.” She didn’t move closer, but she tried to comfort him with her gaze. “Whatever it is, whatever you’re hiding, you can tell me. Please. I’ll understand.”
Long moments passed as he studied her. He didn’t even blink the slight drizzle out of his deep-brown eyes. The rain had tapered to almost nothing.
Finally, he nodded. “I know I could tell you anything. I just … this is going to hurt you.”
“Hurt me?”
He nodded.
“Cash, nothing could hurt me worse than not seeing you again after tomorrow.”
