Chapter 6

Chapter 6

She took the last step in his footprints and then they were back on more solid ground. Not that the path at the peak wasn’t stable – it was. It was just… well, she just felt safer with more land between where she stood and the part that rolled down into the valley below.

Stone smiled at her. “Come here, AJ. I want to show you something. It’s not far, just about 100 feet down this way.” He took her hand and led her toward another path.

The sign they passed indicated this was the path to the Nualolo Cliff Trail. Annie’s eyes opened wide, and she froze in her tracks, pulling Stone to a stop in front of her.

“The Cliff Trail?!? Stone, I barely survived that walk of death back there and you want to take me on the Cliff Trail??” Annie sputtered, her eyes frozen wide with fear.

“No, we won’t actually be out on the cliffs at this point.” Okay, not exactly true, but where he wanted to take her wasn’t nearly as bad as the middle part of the trail that hugged the upper side of the mountain, with very little room for maneuvering, before the mountain continued its downward drop on the other side. “You’ll be able to see the more treacherous Cliff Trail from where we go, but the view from this point – I gotta show you. You’ll be perfectly safe. Trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Stone gave her hand a little tug. “Come on. It’ll take your breath away.”

Annie took a deep breath and tried to push all thoughts of falling from her head. “It’s not far? You’re sure we’re not on the cliffs?” she asked hesitantly.

“No. Just 100 feet away. And we’re in a… meadow, I guess would be a good word for it. Come on. I’ll show you.” And with that, Stone turned and started down the path.

He was right, Annie realized, as she followed Stone. He was right - It was like a meadow. Which quickly disappeared as the plant growth got taller. The desert-like grasses grew 4 to 7 feet high here, and they followed a hidden path. It was like walking through the fall corn mazes back home. And before she could say just that out loud, they came to a clearing. In front of her, Stone stopped and stepped aside. To the right, a small open meadow.

And to her left… the most amazing view. Annie drew a sharp breath. She was mesmerized by the sight. She turned to fully see the landscape before her. She was looking straight down into the valley below. The colors were breathtaking. The greens and yellows of the valley below were mingled so well together, that it could only have been painted that way by nature. Farther back, the deep azure of the Pacific melded into the turquoise sky, so you couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. She shook her head.

“It’s absolutely amazing. It’s so incredible. I never knew places like this existed, so close to home. I would have thought you’d have to travel to the other side of the globe to find a view as raw, as pristine, as beautiful as this…” Annie ran out of words. The view was indescribable, and she just couldn’t get enough.

She felt him step behind her and look over her right shoulder. “Amazing, isn’t?” he asked.

AJ could only nod in agreement. Luke put his arms out and around AJ, gesturing wide to each side. “All this beauty here to see…”

He put his chin on her shoulder and let his arms wrap around her chest. “And I don’t want to look at anything but you.”

He wanted to place a kiss on her neck – it felt like the right moment for it. But he didn’t know how AJ would feel about that. He decided not to. He didn’t want to risk getting pushed down into the valley hundreds of feet below, just because he was thinking with the wrong part of his anatomy.

Annie silently groaned with pleasure. How right it felt to stand there, his arms wrapped around her. It felt natural, as though they did this all the time. It felt like this is what she should have. It felt like… like she was dreaming again. Yep, she was lost in her fantasies.

So I’m attracted to Stone, she thought. Okay. So I’m very attracted to him. That’s why this feels right. But I don’t know that he feels that way about me. The more reasonal voice in her head tried to make her see the logic. He’s just being nice, is all. He practically held my hand across that narrow part of the path, and he just wanted me to be able to enjoy the view without worrying about how wide the path was. He’s just doing this to be nice. I’m sure he’d bring anyone else he might run into out on the vista out to this spot. But would he wrap his arms around them like he did me? asked her heart, as it beat wildly in her chest. It’s a great spot, with views no one should miss. He was just being nice, taking her to see the valley below. He was just being nice, the more logical voice tried to say. As her thoughts rambled together, Annie mentally berated herself for making more of it than she should have. He’s just being nice, she told herself more firmly. That’s all there is. Don’t read anymore into it.

She took a deep breath and shook her head to clear the contradicting thoughts from her mind. She tried to take a step aside, and Luke stepped back to allow AJ enough room on the path to maneuver around in front of him. He wasn’t sure if that had been smart to do – leaning in on her like that, wrapping his arms around her the way he did. But that was the very least of what he wanted to do to…with…for that beautiful woman.

That woman who had followed him out to stand at what could only be described as 'the edge of a cliff', after being so afraid of the equally formidable saddle path back there on the peak of the ridge. And she only came because he’d asked her to trust him. Because he told her he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

The fact that she’d put her whole trust in him, putting her fears aside because he asked her to – that hit him like a punch to gut. No woman had ever placed that much trust in him before. It made him feel all jumbled inside, and his heart was pounding like it wanted to get out of his chest.

What on earth was the matter with him? And where were these feelings, these urges coming from - urges to protect a woman he’d just met? He wasn’t sure where those feelings came from, but they sure felt right. Like he’d been born to feel that way about this woman.

AJ cleared her throat and looked up at him with those beautiful green eyes. “Are we heading back today or not? Stone? Do you want me to go first?”

Luke looked out at the sun. It was eye level now, and it would be nearing the horizon in about two hours. “Yeah. Why don’t you take point and lead us out of here. Just follow the path. I’m right behind you.”

They walked in silence for the few minutes it took them to reach the trail junction again. As they paused and took one last look out towards the vista, Annie hugged herself and smiled. Her Kauai guide book had been right - This had been a very good hike.

- - - - -

They veered left, following the Nualolo Trail back out the same way they’d come in. Behind her, Stone commented on how beautiful the view was. She nodded in agreement. They continued in silence, the steepness of the climb making it difficult for casual conversation.

When the path started its ascent, Stone stepped off the into the brush and found two sticks for them to use. Walking sticks were essential to keeping their balance as they made their way up the deep ‘slots’ through the Kauaian red dirt. Again, Stone was admiring the gorgeous view. Okay, if he found red dirt so interesting, thought Annie.

It wasn’t long before Annie was out of breath. She stopped on a patch of level ground, and pulled the beach bag straps from her shoulders, where she’d slung it behind her to wear like a backpack.

She pulled out a bottle of water, took one big gulp and it was empty. She put that bottle back in her bag, and Luke watched while she pulled out another bottle. But her brow was wrinkled again.

“Something the matter?” Stone asked. He wanted to get back to the hotel in a hurry. He could use a cold shower right about now. Just what was it about that scrunched up face she made that just turned his brain off and sent all the blood south?

“Yeah. I’m out of water. I thought I’d brought enough, but I guess I underestimated what I’d drink. Guess I was a lot thirstier than I realized.” AJ looked up at him sheepishly. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share some of yours? I could pour a little into my bottle and we’d be on our way again.”

Luke chuckled. “I don’t mind sharing. Here. Knock yourself out. But you don’t have to pour it into the bottle – that’d take too long. Here. Just apply gentle suction on this end – it works like a pressurized straw.” He handed the mouthpiece to AJ so she could drink.

She took several long pulls and was rewarded with a mouthful of cool water. She was amazed that it had kept so cold on such a warm day, especially out in the sun the whole time. “Mmm. It’s cold,” she said to Stone after another few sips.

“Actually, it’s not.” She looked up at him with a puzzled look on her face. He continued, “It would have been a whole lot colder, if it hadn’t been for you.”

She stopped mid-sip and tried to sputter something in her defense, though she hadn’t the faintest idea what to say. But the smiling eyes that looked down on her weren’t accusing her at all.

“I filled the hydra bladder with ice back at the hotel. It should have kept the water ice cold for close to four hours.” Luke’s mouth turned up at the corner and he grinned down at AJ. “But you made me so hot that I melted all the ice long ago. I’m surprised I haven’t heated it to hear boiling by now.”

Her mouth dropped open wide at that comment. She snapped her mouth shut and grinned at him. “Why, whatever do you mean?” she asked coyly. “I don’t know what I could have done to make you… hot.”

“Every thing you do makes me hot. The way you walk, the sound of your voice, the color of your eyes, your long chestnut braid, the length of your legs…” Luke stopped himself, but not soon enough to realize he probably shouldn’t have let on he’d been thinking so much about her.

She gazed up at him, a puzzled merriment in her eyes. “I think we need to get back to that parking lot up there. I’m getting hungry.” With a wicked grin, she motioned with her arm. “You lead the way, Stone.”

It wasn’t as hard to climb out as Annie’d expected, but it was still all uphill. Though Annie did enjoy watching the way Stone’s muscles flexed as he climbed. The way his shorts hugged his muscular thighs… and his butt. What was it made of ? Granite? It was chiseled just so, and it made her want to reach out and squeeze it.

With a gasp, she realized just what ‘view’ Stone had kept admiring when she had taken point! With a mirthful chuckle, she found great satisfaction that turnabout was fair play. Now, it was her turn to ‘admire the view’!

Annie was so lost in her admiration of Stone’s body that she didn’t notice he’d paused and she ran right into him. She put her hands out to catch her balance, and found her palms pressed right up on the very same chiseled butt she’d just been ogling. She pressed her eyes shut tightly and blushed deeply. She dropped her hands, but not before she felt the muscles beneath her palms flex and twitch.

Luke turned around in amusement and surprise. Had he just felt AJ’s hands on his rear end? He had to, if the blush creeping across her cheeks proved anything. He reached down and cupped her chin, turning her face up to his.

“It’s not all bad, following the leader, is it? I imagine the magnificent views back there are quite enjoyable?” he said with a chuckle.

So that was what he had been commenting on the whole time. The little devil. She could

play this game. “I don’t know about that. Great, maybe. But magnificent? Don’t you think that’s being presumptuous?” She laughed lightly. “Come on,” she said and gave him a little shove. “I’m losing strength here. If you don’t move out now, you’re gonna have to carry me up the rest of the way.”