caught her unprepared. She squeaked and tightened her hold around Adam’s waist, pressing herself against his solid, relatively stationary back.
This time, she definitely felt him laughing.
“We can slow back down...”
“No, no,” she said immediately, trying to sound braver than she felt. “Just give me a minute.”
He paused. “No rush.”
She suddenly realised how close she was against him and carefully loosened her grip a little. A very little.
~ ~ ~
They rode for another half hour.
Usually Adam allowed Stride to take the familiar route at a much faster speed so the more sedate pace was enabling him to see things he would often miss. As he pointed out his favourite spots and views he felt Amy relax against his back, adding a whole new level of enjoyment to the journey.
She asked question after question about everything she saw; plants, insects, birds, crops, an interestingly shaped rock. He was no expert, but he told her what he could. Having grown up in a big, noisy, dirty, overcrowded city, everything was new and fascinating and her enthusiasm was endearing. Adam couldn’t imagine a life not surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation and the wide open spaces of the area where he’d lived for his entire life. He was enjoying the ride so much he didn’t want it to end, although he was equally as excited to get to their destination.
He’d been waiting to do this for a long time, ever since they’d started corresponding and he knew he wanted her to be his wife. And although nothing turned out as he thought it would, the more he got to know Amy, the more he knew he still wanted to share this with her. The more he knew he wanted to share everything in his life with her.
When they reached a wooded area, Adam brought Stride to a halt and twisted to look back at Amy. “Close your eyes.”
He expected her to ask why, but she simply closed her eyes without question. In a moment of clarity, he realised it was because she trusted him. This scared, vulnerable, brave, strong woman trusted him. It almost made him feel lightheaded. He’d thought he was prepared for the responsibility of being a husband, but this feeling, this knowledge that she was relying on him to keep her safe and trusted him to not harm her, was both terrifying and elating at once. He prayed with all his heart that he could live up to her belief in him.
As he started Stride walking again she tightened her arms around his waist and leaned her forehead against his back. The experience was far from unpleasant, but he knew it was because she was still nervous about being up on Stride so he didn’t prolong it, much as he wanted to.
After less than half a minute, he brought Stride to a halt. “You can open your eyes now,” he said, looking back at her.
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his and for a moment his heart stopped beating. Pulling himself together with effort, he nodded to their right. She moved her gaze and gasped, her face lighting up in amazement like he knew it would.
They stood in a grassy clearing dotted with wildflowers and surrounded by trees that dappled the sunlight over the ground. One side of the clearing was open and what lay there held Amy’s delighted attention.
A wide, tranquil lake stretched into the distance, reflecting the peaks of the mountains beyond. The deep blue water undulated gently, lapping against the rocks dotted along the shoreline. Trees lined the shores to either side, creating a patchwork of green, yellow and bronze. The buzz of insects, the gently moving water, and the birdsong of the forest were the only sounds. And the tearing of grass as Stride bent his head to the fragrant growth beneath his feet.
“Oh, Adam,” Amy murmured, “it’s so beautiful.”
He’d known she would love it as much as he did. Even though they’d only met two days ago, he’d somehow known.
“This is my favourite place in the world,” he said. “I come here to pray or when I’m feeling
This time, she definitely felt him laughing.
“We can slow back down...”
“No, no,” she said immediately, trying to sound braver than she felt. “Just give me a minute.”
He paused. “No rush.”
She suddenly realised how close she was against him and carefully loosened her grip a little. A very little.
~ ~ ~
They rode for another half hour.
Usually Adam allowed Stride to take the familiar route at a much faster speed so the more sedate pace was enabling him to see things he would often miss. As he pointed out his favourite spots and views he felt Amy relax against his back, adding a whole new level of enjoyment to the journey.
She asked question after question about everything she saw; plants, insects, birds, crops, an interestingly shaped rock. He was no expert, but he told her what he could. Having grown up in a big, noisy, dirty, overcrowded city, everything was new and fascinating and her enthusiasm was endearing. Adam couldn’t imagine a life not surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation and the wide open spaces of the area where he’d lived for his entire life. He was enjoying the ride so much he didn’t want it to end, although he was equally as excited to get to their destination.
He’d been waiting to do this for a long time, ever since they’d started corresponding and he knew he wanted her to be his wife. And although nothing turned out as he thought it would, the more he got to know Amy, the more he knew he still wanted to share this with her. The more he knew he wanted to share everything in his life with her.
When they reached a wooded area, Adam brought Stride to a halt and twisted to look back at Amy. “Close your eyes.”
He expected her to ask why, but she simply closed her eyes without question. In a moment of clarity, he realised it was because she trusted him. This scared, vulnerable, brave, strong woman trusted him. It almost made him feel lightheaded. He’d thought he was prepared for the responsibility of being a husband, but this feeling, this knowledge that she was relying on him to keep her safe and trusted him to not harm her, was both terrifying and elating at once. He prayed with all his heart that he could live up to her belief in him.
As he started Stride walking again she tightened her arms around his waist and leaned her forehead against his back. The experience was far from unpleasant, but he knew it was because she was still nervous about being up on Stride so he didn’t prolong it, much as he wanted to.
After less than half a minute, he brought Stride to a halt. “You can open your eyes now,” he said, looking back at her.
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his and for a moment his heart stopped beating. Pulling himself together with effort, he nodded to their right. She moved her gaze and gasped, her face lighting up in amazement like he knew it would.
They stood in a grassy clearing dotted with wildflowers and surrounded by trees that dappled the sunlight over the ground. One side of the clearing was open and what lay there held Amy’s delighted attention.
A wide, tranquil lake stretched into the distance, reflecting the peaks of the mountains beyond. The deep blue water undulated gently, lapping against the rocks dotted along the shoreline. Trees lined the shores to either side, creating a patchwork of green, yellow and bronze. The buzz of insects, the gently moving water, and the birdsong of the forest were the only sounds. And the tearing of grass as Stride bent his head to the fragrant growth beneath his feet.
“Oh, Adam,” Amy murmured, “it’s so beautiful.”
He’d known she would love it as much as he did. Even though they’d only met two days ago, he’d somehow known.
“This is my favourite place in the world,” he said. “I come here to pray or when I’m feeling
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