Chapter 14 #2
My heart fell. This had been a huge mistake. “I understand. It’s something else I took from you. Would you like to go somewhere else?”
“No,” she exclaimed. “I’m so happy to hike this with you again.”
I loaded up the backpack and wouldn’t let her carry anything. What was the point of being a dragon if I couldn’t handle a little extra weight?
The trail was narrow and most of the way she hiked in front of me. It wasn’t conducive for talking, so I let myself reconnect with nature as we moved.
The few times the trail widened, we talked about this and that. She seemed a little shy, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I’m curious about your dating life.” She had to walk in front of me for a bit, so I had time to gather my thoughts, but she continued her question. “I’m sure you weren’t a prude, but did you have any serious relationships?”
I was completely honest with her. “I’ve dated a few women.” Maybe not completely honest. I could’ve told her they were female dragons that were in the area. “I never settled down.”
“Why?”
“They weren’t you,” I said simply and honestly. “I would’ve been settling.”
She tried to hide her smile, but my chest puffed out, my dragon pleased that she was happy by my answer. Hell, it was true.
“Tell me more about Bret?” I partly didn’t want to know. Whatever it was would likely make me hate the bastard even more.
“Um, I’m not totally sure what you already know.
We met in college. He seemed perfect, proposed, the whole nine yards.
I fell for him hook, line, and sinker. Then, a few months out from the wedding, he gets someone else pregnant.
” She shrugged and pulled ahead and finished telling me again when the trail widened.
“He used our wedding date and plans to marry her. She’s due any day now.
And I’m happy to be away from him. I hadn’t realized what a narcissist he was.
I guess I was in too deep, but he and I together were the height of unhealthy. ”
I thanked my lucky stars that he’d gotten someone else pregnant. Not that I would’ve ever in a million years wished that pain on Skye. But if Bret hadn’t cheated, or rather if he hadn’t gotten caught, she might’ve been with him when I moved home.
Talk about torture. “Well, I’m sorry you were hurt in the process, but I’m so glad you’re not with him anymore.”
She reached over and took my hand. “Me, too,” she whispered. “It wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the pregnancy. Made me feel like such a fool. And I had no idea.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “That part sucks and makes me want to rip him limb from limb. But it’s his loss and my gain.”
We reached the falls, the highlight of the trail, and where we’d always turned back.
After sitting in front of the tall, impressive waterfalls and eating our snacks, we headed back down.
As soon as I had service again, near the end of the trail, I got on my phone and texted Jace.
He’d agreed to do me a favor, I just had to tell him when.
“What now?” Skye asked as we got back in the car.
“Well, I’ve got one more thing up my sleeve. It doesn’t start until dark, could I interest you in a quick dinner?”
Our hike had taken most of the day and the snack hadn’t gone far for me, and Skye nodded her head vigorously. “Yes, please. I’m starving.”
“Excellent. Actually, I think I can incorporate our dinner into our evening plans. Is that okay?”
She shrugged. “Since I don’t know what it is, I’ll say yes.”
Chuckling, I told Skye about my first roommate in Boston, a disastrous guy who had a goldfish that had died.
By the time I got to the chicken restaurant, I had her rolling with laughter.
Before I’d gotten him out of my apartment, he’d accused me of killing his goldfish, and I’d woken up in the middle of the night to find him staring at me.
We parked at the town square, where a movie was being screened with a projector. Jace had sent someone to sit here and save us a spot on the grass. I burst out laughing as I walked up. Jace was here, and he’d brought a picnic.
“I thought you said to bring dinner,” he cried.
“Oh, no,” Skye said. “I’m starving, I’m sure I can eat both.”
Jace gave me a dark look. “I cooked this myself.”
“Here.” I thrust the bag of chicken toward him. “You have this for dinner. We’ll have this delicious spread you’ve made for us.” Whatever it was.
“Did you get extra crispy?” Jace asked suspiciously.
Skye, with her head already in the picnic basket, snorted. “Is there any other kind?”
Jace grinned down at her. “I like her.” He snatched the bag of chicken from me and took off. “Have fun!” he called.
“You’re a sap,” Skye said as she pulled out containers and spread them out on the blanket. “I would’ve been fine with subs and a six-pack.”
Settling down beside her, I laughed and leaned in for a kiss in front of everyone at the town square. Several of the people here were definitely in my clan.
She held out her face and allowed me to press a slow, lingering kiss to her lips. “I’m glad you never let that side of you go. Sometimes subs and beer are just what the doctor ordered, but for tonight, we have…” I peered into one of the containers. “Whatever the hell this is.”
“I think it’s soup,” she said. “I’m cooled off enough now that it sounds pretty yummy, too.”
I pulled out an inflatable pool float thing from the bottom of the picnic basket. “Nice touch, Jace,” I murmured. After we finished eating, I spent several minutes blowing it up, then settled down on it and wrapped the blanket around my shoulders.
Skye snuggled in beside me, both of us barely fitting. As the movie came on, I inhaled her scent and closed my eyes, totally ignoring the movie as my tattoo tingled on my arm. It didn’t burn, it almost tickled. Surely that meant progress.
We snuggled through the movie, and when it was over packed everything up and walked back to the car.
As time drew nearer for me to tell her the truth, the more I wanted to back out.
It was too soon. Telling her the truth now would’ve just made her run screaming.
I couldn’t let that happen. I had to give it more time.
Today had been idyllic and almost perfect.
Did I really want to ruin that now? Did I want to risk the relationship we were building?
I had to be sure, damn sure that she was just as in love with me as I already was with her.
I wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready. It wasn’t time.
Just a little while longer. Just a little while.