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“I’ve got a grill and small backyard. I have the guys over from time to time.”
“Wow, that’s great you have a house. How old are you anyway?”
She could see the corner of his mouth hitch in a smile. “Thirty-five. I’m just renting the house. It’s owned by a Navy veteran, and he gave me a good deal.”
“Well, that’s lucky. Real estate here is even worse than in California. I was happy just to find a decent apartment to rent. As it happened, my lease was up at my old place. It just seemed like the perfect time to up and move.”
“You’re young. Now’s the time for adventures, right?”
“Yes and no. I mean, I’m twenty-eight, by the way,” she said with a laugh. “There are plenty of women my age who are married with kids already.”
“Do you want that?” he asked, glancing over.
“Marriage? Sure. I’m not too sold on having kids, to be honest. I love to travel, as you know, and like my free time. Maybe I’ll change my mind someday, but I don’t know.” She shrugged.
“Yeah. I’m not sure on the having kids thing either. I’m sure I’ll get married at some point. I’m not opposed to marriage, I just haven’t found the right girl.”
Ten minutes later, Wyatt was pulling onto a sandy road in what seemed to be a forest. Callie frowned, looking around. “Are you sure this an actual road? Can your SUV make it through here?”
He chuckled. “It is. You can even check Google Maps if you’re concerned it’s not a road. There’s a parking lot at the end by the trailhead. It’s a smaller waterfall than some of the bigger touristy spots, but it’s worth it just to avoid the crowds. The hike is pretty, too. Did you wear a suit?” he asked.
For some reason, Callie flushed. “Yeah. I’ve got a bikini on under my clothes.” She glanced down at her shorts, tank top, and hiking boots, feeling Wyatt’s gaze on her. She didn’t even own a one-piece. For some reason, it felt weirdly personal to be telling him about her bikini. If they’d run into one another on the beach, however, she wouldn’t have thought anything of it. “I’ve got flip-flops in my backpack, plus a small towel. I get that ultra-light kind that pack really small and dry quickly for traveling.”
“That’s smart. Maybe I can pick up some packing tips from you,” Wyatt said, flashing her a smile. “We’ve learned to pack our gear efficiently, but I’m sure there’s always room for improvement.”
“I travel fairly light, but I do bring a suitcase,” Callie admitted. “I’ve met plenty of travelers who stuff everything into an oversized backpack and are on their way. Honestly, I don’t want to haul that around. A rolling suitcase that I can handle is fine for me. As long as it’s light enough for me to lift into the overhead compartment on an airplane, I’m good.”
“You gotta do what you’re comfortable with,” he said.
Wyatt had opened the windows along their drive, and as they continued down the tree-lined dirt road, she could hear birds chirping. She realized that for the first time in months, she’d mentioned an airplane without getting a sick feeling. She’d flown to Hawaii. She’d flown back to California from Manila. She’d been terrified though, and here she was, talking with Wyatt like a flight was no big deal. Which it wasn’t.
A few minutes later, he was pulling into a small, dirt lot. There were several cars parked there but no other people around. She could see the trailhead marked with a small sign, and she started to feel excited. Wyatt shifted into park and then shut off the engine, glancing over at her again. She met his gaze, sensing the sincerity in it. “Thanks for letting me bring you here. I think you’ll like it.”
She unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed the door handle, somehow feeling flustered by his focus on her. It was both flattering and unnerving. Callie sensed that Wyatt saw everything. He wasn’t the type of man who didn’t pay attention. It made her feel safe but also like she was already falling for him, hard. She could trust a man like him to have her back. Callie was used to doing things on her own. It was hard to let another person in that way—to let them be her safety net.
“I’m sure I’ll love it. I can’t wait to see the waterfall.” She was already climbing out of his SUV. Wyatt quickly opened his own door, protesting that he would’ve helped her out. As Wyatt came around the front of his SUV, her breath caught. He was hot as hell standing there, and she couldn’t believe that aside from her attraction to him, he was a genuinely good guy. For some reason she loved seeing him in his baseball cap and sunglasses. He looked young—less threatening in a way. Not that she was afraid he’d physically hurt her. Her heart was another story. Even if nothing worked out, she had a feeling he’d always treat her respectfully. If anything, she hoped she’d at least have a new friend here. The attraction simmering between them was definitely more than friendly, but she didn’t know that he wanted a girlfriend.
Callie didn’t know what she’d done to manage to run into him again all these months later, but she was thrilled it had happened. After the ordeal she’d been through, she deserved for something good to happen, and she couldn’t wait to spend the afternoon together exploring.
Chapter 11
WYATT REACHED OUT AND grabbed the backpack from Callie as she winced, pausing in the middle of the path. She shook her head as he took the weight of it, rubbing her injured arm with her good hand. “I’m right-handed, so I naturally always swing my backpack down on this arm. I should know better by now to be more careful.”
“I got it,” he said, easily slinging it onto his own shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, but I can carry my backpack,” she protested.
“Yep, but so can I,” he said easily. Wyatt didn’t think she really cared if he hauled both. Her backpack was even lighter than his, since Wyatt had the food he’d picked up for a picnic. “Did you need your water?” he asked.
She said yes, grabbing her bottle from the side pocket.
Callie had pulled her hair back in a ponytail, the blonde strands turning wavy from the humidity in the air. She looked cute as hell in her tank top and shorts. He could see the string bikini tie around her neck—hot pink. The dainty little strings were sexy and feminine on her. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by staring, but damn. She was gorgeous. The tank top pulled across her small breasts. Her curves were perfectly proportionate to her lithe body. Clearly, she kept in shape. She was toned almost like a dancer—slim but strong. “You seem like you’re in good shape,” he commented as they began walking again. Wyatt had been prepared to move at her pace, but she’d moved forward up the trail, not winded in the least.
“I walk and hike a lot, but I also do Pilates and barre. I do online classes, although I’ll probably look into something local now that I’m settled here in Hawaii for the most part. Some things are harder now with my arm,” she admitted.
“Did it heal properly?”
“Yes, thankfully, it did. I was in a cast but didn’t need surgery. My doctor said it would take twelve weeks to heal. That’s long gone, but he told me it could take up to two years to fully regain my strength.”
