Dallas took my hand as we hiked up the gravel road. The rushing of the creek brought back so many good memories. “My family used to come up here nearly every summer with our old camper. We’d fish upstream and then sit in the hot pots. It’s pretty much the same now as it was twenty years ago.”
We stopped in front of the rocks surrounding the first hot springs we came to. Dallas helped me down near the bank of the creek. “That’s incredible it’s still here. So how many springs are along this stretch?”
“They’re mostly in this area—not more than a hundred yards. Look there.” I pointed to a wisp of rising steam. “You can see where the hot water is flowing right out of the mountain into the stream.”
Dallas looked in the direction of the boiling volcanic water coming from underground. I sat on a large boulder and kicked off my sandals. Three main pools had been created long ago when someone moved large rocks to block the flow of the frigid creek water from diluting the hot water of the springs. As I dipped my toe in the water, I breathed in the sulfur-scented air and wrinkled my nose. Dallas watched me and laughed.
“That part hasn’t changed.” I rubbed my nose. “I remember complaining of that stink to my parents.”
Dallas sank his feet into the water beside me. “I guess that’s the price you pay for a hot tub in the mountains.”
“A lot of people come here for health benefits and the healing properties of the springs. I think it doesn’t hurt to relax.” The water lapped gently at my calves, and I could feel some of the tension of the last few weeks trickling out. “Did you know this is where Natalie and Brock met?”
“Really? How?”
“Natalie and Lorea were up here soaking in that pool right there.” I indicated a group of rocks across the creek. “A lot of people don’t like to cross because it’s so cold, but that pot is hotter. So last year, they were soaking, and along comes Brock. Turns out he’d been coming once a week for some solitude. Natalie was sitting in his preferred spot. She says it was meant to be.”
“Kind of like how we met.” Dallas put his arm around me and pulled me close. “I wasn’t supposed to work that night, but someone called in sick.”
The look in his eyes hinted as to what his next words would be, and then we’d be back to that awkward place with me struggling to say the ‘L’ word. I let my feet slip on the smooth river rock, and I lurched forward out of his grasp with a little shriek.
Dallas grabbed me and helped me to a standing position. “Easy there.”
“Thanks—I didn’t bring my swimsuit. Guess I should have.”
“I agree.”
I shook my head. “Tempting, but I didn’t feel like I had the time.”
“You really need to slow down and let someone help you.” His hands rested on my arms, and he drew me in to his chest. “You have amazing talent. You don’t want to burn yourself out.”
“You sound like my mother.”
“Sorry.” He brought his face closer to mine, tilting his head slightly as our lips met. He kissed me and then pulled back. “I’m not your mother.”
I laughed and looked into his green eyes. “I know.” My mouth was a breath apart from his, and my heart beat double time. I parted my lips and kissed him, feeling his hold on me tighten. He sucked gently on my bottom lip, and I relaxed into him, allowing the kiss to deepen. The hot springs swirled around our feet, and the steam enveloped us in its mist.
“I love you, Adri.”
My eyes dropped down to the rippling water. Dallas put a finger under my chin and lifted it so I had to meet his gaze. “I know you’re not comfortable yet with those words, and it’s okay. I can see you’re having trouble deciding what your heart wants. I’ve tried not to push you with all the stress you’ve been under, but I can’t help telling you how I feel.”
I hesitated. My heart warmed at his honest evaluation of me. He was so kind. I thought about forcing myself to say what he wanted to hear, but he stopped me.
“You don’t have to say anything.” He kissed me again and let his words sink into my heart as his lips lingered over mine. “Can I come over to your house tonight?” he murmured.
I thought about it for a moment. Holding on to his arms, I stepped back and swallowed. Through the strong sulphur-coated air, I suddenly smelled the light scent of roses. Pink-and-white antique roses—from Luke. His face flashed through my mind, and my heart somersaulted with a new emotion.
I looked at Dallas. He was right. I couldn’t say that I loved him, but what he didn’t know was I’d never be able to say it. No matter how kind and gentle he was, the connection wasn’t there. His devotion to me was sweet, but it wasn’t Dallas’s face that kept flitting through my mind at random moments during the day. Why did I keep thinking about Luke?
Dallas rubbed his thumb in a slow circle on the back of my hand. The look in his eyes made me feel guilty about my realization. Remembering the deal I’d made with Lorea, I nodded. “Sure. Thanks for understanding my feelings.”
He embraced me again. “Thanks for letting me share mine.”
I stepped out of his embrace and smiled brightly. “Are you hungry? I brought sandwiches from the deli.”
“Starving.” Dallas rubbed his stomach, and I mentally compared his lean physique to Luke’s chiseled abs before scolding myself to
