gather the firewood while you unpack everything else?” he murmured against her hair.
“That sounds like a good idea.” She didn’t loosen her hold on him.
“I like this, just the two of us.” He breathed in her scent.
“I like it, too.” She clung to him as if she never wanted to let go, and he tightened his arms around her. A growl from his stomach ended the mood and she laughed and pulled away. “Go get the firewood so I can cook for you.”
“My stomach apologizes for ruining the moment.” He bowed his head and she giggled, pushing him away.
“We can share plenty of moments once we’ve set up camp and eaten.” She turned her back on him and crouched down next to the pack.
Caleb watched her, his eyes lingering on her face as he pushed his senses out, ensuring there was nothing close by that might threaten her safety.
Happy there was nothing but a few birds in the immediate area, he left the clearing and gathered wood. He also gathered some dried leaves and moss blown into a hole in the foot of a tree, it would make good kindling.
“This should be enough for now. I’ll go get more once we’ve started the fire.” He put the pile down on the ground next to a ring of stones Elise had gathered and arranged to contain the fire.
“Perfect.” She placed a large flat stone on the ground inside the ring of smaller stones. “The fire will heat the larger rock. I can use it to keep the food warm once it’s cooked.”
“Okay, do you want me to light the fire?” he asked.
“I can do it.” She picked up the small pile of kindling and set it down on the ground before glancing up at him. “You don’t need to watch me. I can do it.”
“I know I don’t need to watch you, but I like watching you.” He smiled softly as she blushed. “But I can go sort out the sleeping bags and set up the tent.” He looked up at the sky. “I wasn’t sure if it was going to rain. But if it stays dry, we can just sleep under the stars.”
“You didn’t check the weather forecast before we left?” Elise asked.
“I could check the Wishing Moon Bay weather, but I figured the weather here would be different since we’re in another world. You did see that we crossed worlds?”
“Is that attitude I hear?” Elise teased.
“I suppose that as much as you have questions about shifting, I have a lot of questions about your world. And you.” He came to her, kneeling beside her and stroking the tip of her ear. “We’re so much the same and yet so different.”
“But fate has chosen to bring us together.” She looked down at the ground before raising her eyes to meet his. “You make me want to sacrifice everything I’ve worked for. Being with you makes me realize how much I want a family. Children to love and care for.”
“Why does that mean you have to sacrifice everything you’ve worked for?” Caleb asked.
“Because there’s no way I can work in a restaurant and care for our children. The hours are long...” He put his fingers to her lips, and she swallowed down her emotions.
“You’re not in this alone.” He placed his hand on his heart. “I promise I’ll be there by your side every step of the way. Your career, your hopes, and your dreams are important to me. Somehow, we’ll work it out.”
She arched an eyebrow and his heart ached for her. “You’re saying I can have it all?”
“I’m saying we will find a way together.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “We’re a team, a partnership. In everything. And in case you didn’t notice, I have a big family and there are going to be a lot of babies soon.” He smiled softly at the thought of the next generation they would soon raise. The boys adopted by Valerie would know what it was to be fathers. “We have always helped each other out and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
Elise leaned her head on his chest and took a shuddering breath. “Thank you.”
“For what?” He slipped his finger under her chin and tilted her head up.
“For coming into my life. For being you.”
He chuckled. “Luckily, I’m good at being me.”
“Don’t ever change.” She kissed him, her lips hot against his as the late afternoon rays bathed them in sunlight.