“The mountains are beautiful this time of year,” she said, waving her hand toward the trees around. “These mountains are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridge. We used to come up here and take hikes so that my dad could take pictures.”
As they walked past some of the trees, her free hand would reach out and touch the bark on the trunks. “Birch, maple, hickory, and hemlock make up a lot of the forests. The evergreens are mostly spruce and fir. When I was younger, my favorite was looking at the flowering shrubs. Rhododendron and azaleas were what my father would always photograph when they were in full bloom.”
He cast his gaze around with a silent chuckle, realizing that he’d never cared about the flora and fauna of a place for its beauty… only if I could eat it or hide in it if necessary. But seeing the landscape through Lynn’s eyes gave him an appreciation for the area he grew up in. They fell silent as they continued to walk, fingers linked but thoughts their own.
He knew there was life after SEALs and had been truthful when he told her that once out, he wanted to come back and work with his father in the family construction business. Glancing to the side at the beauty walking next to him, he wondered when that would be and what she would be doing then. Would she still be working in the area? As much as she loved the Smokies, he could not imagine her living anywhere else. As he continued to walk, a darker thought hit him. Would she be married for real? He fought to keep his footsteps steady as he battled the idea that she would belong to someone else. But I have no claim over her. His hand tightened on hers, and he felt the cool metal of her wedding ring. Not a real claim. Startled when she shoulder-bumped him, he looked down at her smiling face.
“Where did you go? I’ve been prattling on about everything around us, and you went very silent.”
Giving her hand a little tug, he grinned. “You’re not prattling. Believe it or not, I’ve found every bit of your plant-lecture to be fascinating.”
She shoulder-bumped him again, this time harder. “Don’t make fun of me! I didn’t get the creative gene that my parents have. Sometimes I wonder if I wasn’t adopted! I seem to be fascinated by numbers, but can’t creatively write, draw, or have an eye for photographs.”
He came to a stop, and she stumbled slightly. His large hands settled on her shoulders and he pulled her directly in front of him. With his knuckle under her chin, he lifted her head and held her gaze. “Don’t ever knock your gifts. You’re smart and fascinating. You can look at a sheet of numbers and see things that would take me a long time to discern. And even if you can’t draw, you look around the world and see beauty. That’s a gift that you’re giving to me.”
Her elfish-blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight and her smile beamed. Bending, he took her lips in a searing kiss. He felt her trust as she gave him her weight, leaning in as his arms banded tightly. The kiss continued as he nipped and licked, long wet kisses alternating with nibbles. By the time he pulled back, his cock was straining against his zipper and her eyes were full of lust. Chuckling, he said, “We better get going before I’d find something else to do under these trees. I think there’s a rocky overhang up here, and we can take a little break.”
She sighed and nodded. Linking hands again, they continued up the trail until they came to a large flat rock that jutted out from the side of the mountain. Walking part of the way out, she tugged on his hand and he looked down.
“This is gorgeous, Nolan, but I can’t go any further. I’m terrified of heights.”
He backed up a few steps, then sat down on the flat rock far away from the edge and gently pulled her next to him. With his arm wrapped around her, he said, “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll take care of you.”
They sat in silence for several minutes, drinking from their water bottles and allowing the breeze to cool their bodies. Shifting to a more comfortable position, he felt something in his pocket. Shoving his hand in, he grinned as his fingers curled around a small object. Pulling the crumpled paper out, he chuckled. “Here’s something I got for you. Kind of a memento of our weekend.”
Her brow scrunched adorably as she took the small package and unwrapped the little carved black bear. “Oh, how cute!” Her smile was bright as her delicate fingers ran over the carved surface.
A flash of a memory flew through his mind. Before the appendicitis attack, he remembered his cousin presenting his new bride with a diamond necklace. Suddenly, Nolan’s smile dropped as his gaze landed on the cheap tourist gift. “It’s nothing…” he mumbled.
“It’s not nothing!” she exclaimed. “I think it’s the perfect gift for a weekend in the Smokies.”
He held her gaze but found no evidence of insincerity. As cheesy a gift as it was, she seemed genuinely pleased. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close and they gazed over the dips of the valleys and heights of the mountain forests all around. The blue sky was dotted with white fluffy clouds.
Once more, he wondered if he had ever just sat and enjoyed the view and the company but came up empty. Even when his team had stopped for a break or meal, they were constantly vigilant of their surroundings for signs of danger. Today was a new experience for him, and with the feel of Lynn pressed tightly against him, he couldn’t imagine
