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“Still true.”
She kept shaking her head as he leaned closer. Whatever smart-ass response she’d been about to give him disappeared when his mouth met hers.
Slipping a hand behind his neck, she kissed him back, enjoying the rare pleasure of having him to herself without anyone waiting for them.
When the brim of her hat bumped his, Grady pulled back long enough to take it from her head and place it safely beside his on the blanket.
“You better not crush that. It’s custom.”
“It's safe.”
His mouth found hers again, and within seconds, she stopped caring about the hat, their unfinished lunch, or anything else beyond the man beside her. With nothing but trees surrounding their private oasis and the waterfall masking every sound, there was no reason to stop what they’d started.
He shifted closer, his hands moving to the buttons of her shirt. He’d opened the first few when she caught his wrist. “Wait.”
His hands stilled, and he pulled back, searching her face. “What?”
She glanced toward the trees surrounding the meadow. They hadn’t seen another person since leaving the ranch, but that didn’t mean someone couldn’t come across them. “Are you sure nobody’s going to see us?”
Understanding replaced the concern in his expression. “Highly unlikely on a Tuesday. We’re a good distance off the main trail.”
“You’re sure?”
“Nope.” A grin tugged at his mouth. “But I think you’re worth the risk.”
She released his wrist. “Good enough for me.”
He kissed her again and lowered her onto the blanket.
The blanket cushioned them on the rock beneath, as a fine mist drifted toward them whenever the breeze shifted, carrying the scent of fresh water and damp earth. Nearby, Hank and Penny occasionally snorted or tore another mouthful of grass from the ground.
Grady’s mouth moved from hers to her neck as he finished opening her shirt. She worked at his, needing to feel him beneath her hands. They’d done this many times over the past month, but something about being out there with him made every touch feel more intimate. Perhaps it was knowing this was their last full day together, and she didn't want to waste a minute of it thinking about what came next.
For now, only Grady mattered.
When his mouth found hers again, she wrapped her arms around him and let herself get lost in the kiss. Neither of them bothered with removing more clothing than necessary, and the faint possibility of someone appearing on the trail added a thrill she hadn’t expected.
One of the horses snorted nearby, startling a laugh out of her.
Grady lifted his head. “Ignore them.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
He kissed her again, and she stopped worrying about the horses, hikers, or anything beyond the man in her arms.
With the waterfall cascading beside them and the Wyoming hills hiding them from the rest of the world, they spent part of their last day together making love beneath the afternoon sun.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Amanda sat on the edge of the hotel bed in Cedar City, Utah, staring at the room-service menu without absorbing a single word.
She was exhausted.
Eight hours behind the wheel would have been enough. Add in the crying she’d done at various points between Wyoming and Utah, and she felt as if she’d been wrung out and left to dry somewhere along the interstate.
At least she’d made it halfway. Tomorrow, she’d do the rest. Tonight, she wanted food, a shower, and about twelve hours of sleep. Unfortunately, her brain had other plans.
She dropped the menu beside her and rubbed her face with both hands. Her eyes felt swollen and gritty, and she didn’t need a mirror to know how awful she must appear. The last time she'd stopped for gas, seeing her reflection in the bathroom mirror had nearly started another crying spell.
