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I studied her. I knew that album; Gigi had showed it to me once. I wasn’t worried about seeing the photo of her and Jason, but regardless, she’d thrown up that familiar wall that I was just starting to knock down. I put my smoothie down and stood up. “Hey,” I said softly, then reached for the album. “I told you I had you, remember? It’s fine. Show me when you’re ready.” I set it on the coffee table.

Devon followed my movements, only relaxing when the book was out of my hands and I’d straightened. She shut her eyes, seeming to need to collect herself. A moment later, she opened them and let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I promise.” I pulled her to me for a hug, gripping her tightly and waiting for her to relax in my arms. She finally did, and I held her a bit longer, selfishly enjoying the feel of her pressed against me.

“Thank you,” she said, tipping her head up. “For being…you, I guess,” she laughed softly.

My chest warmed at her words. “Anytime. You want to get out of here? Forget the house today. Let’s go for a hike.”

“Yeah?”

I kept my arms wrapped around her. “Just you and me. No dogs.”

She smiled brightly. “That sounds amazing.”

An hour later, we were surrounded by trees, the sun dappling through the canopy above us. Birds called to one another across the lush, late-summer trees, and our feet moved steadily against the worn dirt path. The only hint that fall might consider gracing us with its presence was in the yellowing of a weed I couldn’t name, growing in clumps along the forest floor.

We barely spoke, but it didn’t matter. Because ahead of me, Devon seemed to relax with every step, her shoulders lowering and her gait loosening as we moved along the trail. And that was exactly what I’d hoped for.

Two miles in, the trail split. “Left is where most hikers go,” I said. “But right is better. There’s a hidden waterfall that you really have to work to get to, but it’s worth it.”

She nodded and smiled, her face flushed from the heat and the hike’s exertion. “Then let’s head to the right.”

I stepped past her to take the lead, grabbing and squeezing her hand as I did so. She gave me another smile, this one so full and genuine that it made me stop in my tracks. “There you are.”

“Been here the whole time,” she said.

I faced her. “You’re back out of your head,” I clarified. “Fully present.”

She frowned and looked down. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh no you don’t,” I said, tipping her chin up and capturing her gaze with mine. “You don’t need to apologize for having to work through things. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s why hiking was invented,” I joked, relieved to see a corner of her lips curve up.

She went up on her toes and gave me a quick kiss, then smiled again, her eyes clear. “Did anyone ever tell you how amazing you are?”

I laughed. “Definitely not.”

“Well, you are. Definitely.” She held my gaze, finally breaking it when a chipmunk tore across the trail at lightning speed. “Ready?”

I nodded, then turned and led us to the waterfall.

She gasped when it came into view. “Oh, wow! It’s not at all what I expected.”

I took her hand as we walked closer. The water fell from fifteen stories up and was only about ten feet wide. But it caught the sun perfectly, shooting off rainbows as it plummeted down to the river below. Best of all, you could hike behind it.

“No one’s here,” she said, looking around as we made our way across the rocks to get behind the waterfall.

“I know. It’s amazing.”

She laughed. “I thought you liked people.”

I held out my hand to steady her up a slick rock and looked her in the eyes. “I like you better.”

She smiled, showing her dimple. “Is that so?”

I was dead serious. “Absolutely.”

She looked away, but the smile stayed on her face. Another win.

We picked our way slowly up and over the wet rocks until we were perfectly behind the waterfall, which began about five stories up from where we stood. It was almost like a cave, made up of nothing but rocks and carved out of the mountain over centuries. It was cooler back here, and windy. Tendrils of hair swept across Devon’s face and goosebumps erupted on her arms and legs from the temperature drop.

“This is amazing.” She pulled out her phone and snapped pictures. “I can’t believe no one is here.”

I smiled, grateful to see her so light and free. A far cry from the woman holding the wedding album a couple of hours ago.

“Come this way when you’re done,” I said, then rounded an almost hidden corner to my favorite spot, a massive chunk of shale that lay flat and dry against the very back of the mountain and was shielded from view by another upright piece of shale. The waterfall was still visible, but no one could see you back here.

Eventually Devon appeared, her expression brightening even more at the scene. She shrugged off her backpack and set it next to mine, then came and sat on the thin blanket I’d laid out beside me. “Perfect make-out spot,” she said playfully.

I raised an eyebrow. “Here I was thinking we were just going to relax.”

She leaned over, eyes sparkling. “Kiss me, Aaron.”

I wanted nothing more in the world. I met her lips, and tasted the sweet cherry of her lip balm. She whimpered and pushed her fingers through my hair, making me groan in return. “This jaw,” I said, my voice thick and my forehead resting against hers.

“You have no idea.” She shifted and straddled me, surrounding me with every luscious curve she had.

Oh, I was pretty sure I did. I pulled her even closer, my hands skimming the backs of her legs to squeeze her perfect ass as I rained kisses down her neck.

Are sens

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