Elizabeth watched Pratt and Josie on a boulder nestled beside two large trees. Pratt lay on his back with his head in Josie’s lap, and it struck Savannah how fast people connected with one another.
“They’re cute, huh?” Elizabeth said.
“When I look at them, I see how free they are. Like real life doesn’t exist. As if it’s just the two of them without a care in the world,” Savannah said.
“But you know that in a paucity of hours, they’ll be back to the real world, and who knows what will happen, or if they’ll ever see each other again.”
Savannah’s smile faded. A paucity of hours .
Jack joined them a moment later. “Ladies, how are you holding up?”
“This has been amazing, Jack.” Elizabeth looked back at her tent. “I think Aiden is quite taken with you.”
“He’s a cute kid. Seems really interested in all of this. I hope he can hold on to that as he gets older,” Jack said.
“We’ll instill the lessons that you’ve taught him. Don’t worry.” Elizabeth touched Savannah’s arm and said, “I think I’ll join them.”
Elizabeth turned her back to Jack and lifted her eyebrows with a wide smile toward her. In Manhattan, Savannah had one close girlfriend, Aida Strong, and she was so different from Elizabeth. Aida was a snarky and aggressive attorney, and Savannah enjoyed the time they spent catching up over drinks or dinners and passing quips back and forth when they passed each other in the hallway. Aida was a true city girl at heart, and as Savannah looked around the mountain, she knew that Aida would never have made it past the dirt landing strip, and she was glad for Elizabeth’s company.
Jack crossed his arms and planted his feet in a wide stance as he watched over the group, a position she’d come to know as one of either anger or of caretaker and proud instructor. As he rubbed the back of his left arm with his right, she had the feeling he was proud of not only leading the group, but at having taught them a few things along the way.
Her heartbeat ratcheted up as she drew her eyes slowly down his profile. The way his shirt and jeans strained against his impressive, taut muscles reminded her of the way he’d been standing when they’d first landed, only now when she looked at him, the first thing she saw wasn’t the harsh exterior. It was the birthmark just to the right of his left ear and the way he rubbed the thick white scar running down the back of his left arm.
Without turning to look at her, Jack said, “Some people consider it rude to ogle others.”
Savannah laughed. “Like when they’re bathing in the stream and that other person comes tumbling down the hill?”
He looked at her then, and she could tell he was repressing a smile. “I was keeping you safe.”
“From?”
“Bobcats,” he said, and finally the smile broke free. He reached for her hand. “You realize this is a four-day course, right? This is our last night together.”
Savannah didn’t want to think about it. “Yes.”
“Just making sure,” he said.
“What kind of answer is that?” Savannah opened her eyes wide. “Wait. Is this your way of saying that whatever this is between us is over when we leave?” I thought you weren’t a fling kind of guy .
“Nope. Just making sure you’re thinking about it.” He picked up a rock and tossed it into the stream.
“Do you want to talk about it?” She supposed they should even if she’d rather wait one more day and enjoy their remaining time together without the stress of worrying about what comes next.
“Nope. But I would like to spend time with you tonight.” He looked at the water once again.
“Me too.” She could see something pulling at his mind, sending worry lines across his forehead again. “Jack, is something wrong?”
“Nope. Just thinking about stuff. Come on. I’ll teach you how to build a shelter. You never know when you’ll be caught outside of the concrete jungle.”
Part of Savannah wanted to nail down
“They’re cute, huh?” Elizabeth said.
“When I look at them, I see how free they are. Like real life doesn’t exist. As if it’s just the two of them without a care in the world,” Savannah said.
“But you know that in a paucity of hours, they’ll be back to the real world, and who knows what will happen, or if they’ll ever see each other again.”
Savannah’s smile faded. A paucity of hours .
Jack joined them a moment later. “Ladies, how are you holding up?”
“This has been amazing, Jack.” Elizabeth looked back at her tent. “I think Aiden is quite taken with you.”
“He’s a cute kid. Seems really interested in all of this. I hope he can hold on to that as he gets older,” Jack said.
“We’ll instill the lessons that you’ve taught him. Don’t worry.” Elizabeth touched Savannah’s arm and said, “I think I’ll join them.”
Elizabeth turned her back to Jack and lifted her eyebrows with a wide smile toward her. In Manhattan, Savannah had one close girlfriend, Aida Strong, and she was so different from Elizabeth. Aida was a snarky and aggressive attorney, and Savannah enjoyed the time they spent catching up over drinks or dinners and passing quips back and forth when they passed each other in the hallway. Aida was a true city girl at heart, and as Savannah looked around the mountain, she knew that Aida would never have made it past the dirt landing strip, and she was glad for Elizabeth’s company.
Jack crossed his arms and planted his feet in a wide stance as he watched over the group, a position she’d come to know as one of either anger or of caretaker and proud instructor. As he rubbed the back of his left arm with his right, she had the feeling he was proud of not only leading the group, but at having taught them a few things along the way.
Her heartbeat ratcheted up as she drew her eyes slowly down his profile. The way his shirt and jeans strained against his impressive, taut muscles reminded her of the way he’d been standing when they’d first landed, only now when she looked at him, the first thing she saw wasn’t the harsh exterior. It was the birthmark just to the right of his left ear and the way he rubbed the thick white scar running down the back of his left arm.
Without turning to look at her, Jack said, “Some people consider it rude to ogle others.”
Savannah laughed. “Like when they’re bathing in the stream and that other person comes tumbling down the hill?”
He looked at her then, and she could tell he was repressing a smile. “I was keeping you safe.”
“From?”
“Bobcats,” he said, and finally the smile broke free. He reached for her hand. “You realize this is a four-day course, right? This is our last night together.”
Savannah didn’t want to think about it. “Yes.”
“Just making sure,” he said.
“What kind of answer is that?” Savannah opened her eyes wide. “Wait. Is this your way of saying that whatever this is between us is over when we leave?” I thought you weren’t a fling kind of guy .
“Nope. Just making sure you’re thinking about it.” He picked up a rock and tossed it into the stream.
“Do you want to talk about it?” She supposed they should even if she’d rather wait one more day and enjoy their remaining time together without the stress of worrying about what comes next.
“Nope. But I would like to spend time with you tonight.” He looked at the water once again.
“Me too.” She could see something pulling at his mind, sending worry lines across his forehead again. “Jack, is something wrong?”
“Nope. Just thinking about stuff. Come on. I’ll teach you how to build a shelter. You never know when you’ll be caught outside of the concrete jungle.”
Part of Savannah wanted to nail down
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