Imagine With Me (With Me in Seattle #15) - Kristen Proby Page 0,32
morning.”
I open my eyes and grin at the sight of Shawn standing next to the bed, holding a tray.
“You’re a morning person,” I say as I sit up, wrap the bedding around me, and lean against the wooden headboard. Shawn sets the food on the mattress and sits next to me.
“I always have been,” he confirms as I reach for the coffee. I take a long sip and sigh in happiness. “I love it when you make that noise.”
“Coffee makes me happy.”
“Hmm.” He gestures to the food he prepared. “You should eat. You’re going to need your strength today.”
I feel the sly grin spreading over my face. “Oh, really?”
Shawn laughs and leans in to kiss my cheek. “Yes, for that too. But playtime is later. First, we’re going on another hike.”
“Did I mention that I’m not outdoorsy?” I open my mouth when he holds a forkful of eggs up to my lips.
“You did great last night. You even liked it.”
I nod and take a bite of toast.
“Being out in nature is great for inspiration,” he continues. “If I’m stuck on a project, I take a walk. It clears my head, and I’m usually able to figure out the scene.”
“I used to do the same with running.” I sip my coffee. “And then life got crazy. My dad died, and Mom needed me more. I had deadlines. Everything was just a mess. I got out of the habit, and running just didn’t seem terribly important anymore. Sorry, I’m babbling.”
“I like it when you babble,” he says and eats a strawberry. “I’m sorry about your father.”
“Me, too. He was a great person. Funny. He was damn smart, too.”
“And he passed that down to his daughter.”
I feel myself flush. “You give me too much credit.”
“And perhaps you don’t give yourself enough,” he says. “But before we get too philosophical, we should get ready for our hike.”
“You’re really going to make me go.”
He nods as he finishes his coffee. “It’ll be great. Trust me.”
“I must trust you if I’m actually entertaining the idea.” I lift my arms over my head and stretch, letting the linens fall around my hips in hopes that it’ll distract Shawn from this hiking idea.
He reaches out and circles my nipple with his fingertip but doesn’t take it any further. He stands and gathers the tray.
“Come on, let’s get going. The sooner we get started, the sooner we get back.”
I blow out a breath. “Fine.”
He laughs as he leaves me alone in the room. I take my time getting dressed and pulling my dark hair back in a short ponytail. My hair isn’t long. It’s just easier to take care of when it barely hits my shoulders.
When I’m ready for the day, I meet up with Shawn, who’s already outside on the front porch, leaning against a support.
“Ready?” he asks.
“As I’ll ever be. Are we going back up to the bluff?”
“No, we’re going in the opposite direction. There are some great waterfalls just a couple of miles away.”
“A couple of miles?”
“You used to run marathons, Lex. You’ve got this.”
“Yeah, in the city. On concrete. Where I wasn’t going to be killed by a bear.”
“Just a mugger.” He winks at me. “Besides, there are only black bears in Washington, and they don’t eat people. We’ll make noise to warn them we’re there, and they’ll go away. We’re not in grizzly territory.”
He takes my hand, links our fingers, and leads me to another trailhead about fifty yards from the house.
“Look at you, being the hiking guide and everything.”
“I have many talents.”
“Oh, I’m aware.”
That earns me a cocky grin that sends a little zing right through me. I enjoy flirting with Shawn. It’s easy because every compliment is totally true.
The path is windy, like the one yesterday, but this one inclines quickly, which tests my endurance and my heart rate.
I really need to get back to exercising regularly.
It’s a beautiful autumn day, and the trees offer shade from the sun. Birds fly by, and we see a few squirrels, but no other wildlife lurks among the trees.
“Do you go to Ireland very often to see your parents?” I ask, trying to distract myself as we climb and make our way on the path.
“At least once a year,” he says. “Before they moved there, we’d go every few years or so to see family.”
“What part of Ireland are you from?”
“The west coast, a little village about seventy-five kilometers from Galway.”
“The photos I’ve seen of that country are beautiful.”