The two of them fell asleep in each other’s arms and woke up a few hours later. Frozen stiff with the permanent imprint of a million little pebbles on their skin.
Lacy rolled over onto her side, staring in astonishment as the sun slipped below the horizon. It had been high in the sky just a few seconds ago. What the hell happened?!
“Dylan.” She nudged him anxiously, but he didn’t budge. He’d made a little nest in the picnic blanket and seemed content to stay there until the end of time. “Dylan, wake up.” Still nothing. Out like a light. “Honey?”
He opened his eyes at once, stared at her in confusion for a moment—like he’d completely forgotten where he was—then glanced at the settin
g sun in alarm.
“Shit—we’ve got to go! They’re going to be closing the gate any minute.”
He helped her to her feet, gathered up the blanket, and started walking briskly to the main path. Completely oblivious to everything else around him. Like the two dozen leaves in his hair, and the way the wind was nipping at his bare skin. She stared after him for a moment, a tender smile playing about her lips, before she cleared her throat.
“Uh, babe? Aren’t you forgetting something?”
He glanced back questioningly, then looked down and realized he was naked for the first time. A self-conscious flush reddened the tops of his cheeks, as he doubled quickly back, taking the shirt she was dangling between them.
“Shut up.”
She bit her lip, sliding into her own pants.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking it really fucking loud.”
They both burst out in laughter.
By the time they made it back to the car, the other people had long since left the park and the gate was just about closing. They skidded through it just in time, sliding to a stop in front of the kiosk as Dylan realized for the first time that he didn’t have any directions.
“Excuse me?” The ranger popped his head out the window, and Dylan flashed him a quick smile. “Do you happen to know the way back to the main freeway?”
Lacy immediately spaced out, thinking of a million things at once as the two men started hashing out the directions. He might have been concerned with getting back to Cleveland before daybreak, but she happened to be quite content reimagining their perfect day. The way his neck curved as he leaned over her, pressing a soft kiss into her skin. The way his hair spilled messily into his face, catching the glow of every ray of light. The way his eyes sparkled when they gazed down at hers in wonder—like she was his own personal heaven. Lying right there in his arms.
A warm flush swept over her entire body just at the thought, and she quickly turned her mind to other prospects. A little smile curved up her lips as she reached over and started playing with his blonde hair—twirling it between her fingers and stroking it teasingly along the base of his neck. When the tip of her nail caught his skin, his voice faltered and the man he was speaking with shot him a conspiratorial grin.
“So anyway, you said it was just down the—”
One set of fingers squeezed his thigh, as the others started tracing his ear. There was a hitch in his breathing, and he flushed a million shades of red.
“The interstate, I mean. If we just head...head south...”
Her fingers were replaced with her lips, as she leaned over to kiss the soft skin just at the top of his jaw. His voice trailed off as his knuckles whitened upon the wheel.
“Sorry, she’s...
“A little crazy,” Lacy answered.
Dylan shifted restlessly, as if there was something wrong with his pants. “Poor thing tried to jump in the lake.”
“The lake?” The guy raised his eyebrows with a knowing grin. “It’s too cold for that.”
Dylan nodded swiftly. “It most certainly is.” She batted her eyelashes at him with a sultry smile, and he was in a sudden hurry to get back on the road. “At any rate—which way is south?”
The ranger gave them directions, and they shot off down the road. Both pretending they didn’t hear him mutter, “Wish my girlfriend was crazy like that...”
They kept speeding until they were safely out of sight, at which point, he slowed down abruptly and turned to her with an exasperated grin. “What the hell are you trying to do? You want me to jump you with some guy watching?”
She bit her lip with a seductive smile.