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“If you don’t mind, that would be great. The only thing is…” She nibbled her lip, wondering if he’d think less of her for what she was about to admit. “I’m a bit of a city girl. I’ve actually never been out in the bush before.”
His lips twitched in that way they had, as though he was laughing on the inside. “We’ll be twenty minutes from the lodge at most. I’ll be right with you all the time.” His gaze raked from her head to her toes, and his pupils expanded. “If anything were to go wrong, I’m confident I could toss you over my shoulder and carry you down.”
She gasped, her hand flying to her face. “You wouldn’t!”
His mouth softened into a smile. “Relax, Megan. Unless you’re worried about being alone with me—and I’d understand if you were—you’ve got nothing to be scared of. What do you say?”
“Okay.” Why was it that she felt like she was agreeing to far more than a walk in the bush? “Count me in. After lunch?”
He nodded. “Wear shoes with a decent sole.”
“You got it, boss.”
* * *
When the sunwas high in the sky, Tione knocked on Megan’s door. He hadn’t been inside her room for a while and was curious to see how she’d settled in. His nosiness was not satisfied, unfortunately, because she opened the door and slipped out before he could catch a glimpse beyond. Reminding himself it was none of his business, he greeted her with a nod.
“All set?”
“I think so.” She looked down at herself. “Will this do?”
He scanned her. She’d opted to wear faded shorts and a long-sleeved shirt with sneakers. Once again, her outfit could have been plucked from a Salvation Army bin. “You’ll be fine. The walk to the waterfall isn’t hard.”
That was one of the reasons he’d invited her. It couldn’t be good for her to be stuck inside twenty-four seven, even if she was still healing. A slow-paced hike up the hill would do her good.
“If it’s not hard, then why do you need to check whether it’s safe?” she asked.
“Sometimes at this time of year the path gets slippery. If you stick with me and take it slow, you’ll be perfectly fine. It’s only an issue when inexperienced people barrel up there without looking where they put their feet.” He caught her expression. “Trust me, it happens more than you’d think.”
He strode back down the hall, and she followed, catching up to him in the foyer, where he held the door open for her. The thud of dog paws heralded Trevor’s arrival. The mastiff flew at Megan, who’d squatted to his level, and licked her with a long pink tongue, then collapsed to the ground, tail wagging, as she rubbed his belly.
“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she crooned. “Such a pretty boy.”
So much for his manly tough-guy dog. Trevor looked at Megan with more devotion than he’d ever shown Tione. Not that he could blame him. She was easier on the eyes, and he’d bet her touch was gentler, too.
“You’re going to turn him soft,” he said, as if he didn’t already spoil his dogs like crazy.
Her golden brown eyes met his. “Can he come with us?”
“Not today, sorry.” Her visible disappointment created a lead-like lump in his stomach. “The rangers have been laying possum bait on some of the trails, and this big old doofus would probably snaffle it up.”
“Sorry, boy.” She patted Trevor and stood, putting her hands on her hips. “Which way are we going?”
He led her across the lawn, then past his cabin and onto the earthen trail, where he paused and waited for her to stop, too.
“How long did you say this was?” she asked, staring dubiously up into the trees.
“Twenty minutes or so. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t have asked you to come if I didn’t think you could handle it.”
She huffed and her breath stirred her hair. “I think you overestimate my fitness. Being slim doesn’t mean I’m fit. There is zero muscle in these legs.”
Hiding a grin, he started up the hill. “You’ll manage.”
He heard her huff again before coming after him. He’d known she wouldn’t be able to resist. They hiked in silence except for her labored breathing, and a few times he stopped under the guise of pointing out a bird or a particular type of plant to allow her to catch her breath.
When they reached their destination, she gasped. “It’s beautiful.”
The natural pool was set in a clearing in the trees, with emerald-colored moss fringing the water. A waterfall thundered down from far above their heads, spilling over a cliff and splashing into the pool. The scene was like something from a postcard. He never tired of it.
