Noah stopped walking, tugging Coop toward him. “I like my hands on you, whenever I can have them there.”

Cooper leaned forward and pressed his lips to Noah’s. “You’re good at this. Usually I’m the one using lines like that.”

He tried to start walking again but Noah held him in place. “It’s not a line, Coop. Tell me you know that.”

The look in Cooper’s eyes changed. Softened, but flared with heat, too. “I know.”

Before Noah tried to take him right here in the trail, he let go, and they started hiking again.

“You haven’t talked about your parents once since you’ve been back. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little curious,” Coop said.

Noah was surprised Cooper had gone this long without asking. Wasn’t like it was a huge secret, but he also didn’t like talking about his family. He also was never very good at keeping things from Cooper.

“Dad died about a year ago. Heart attack. Went to bed one night, never got up the next morning.” He was grateful when Cooper didn’t try to stop hiking as they spoke.

“Shit, man. I’m sorry about that.”

“Yeah,” Noah said. “Me too. I miss him. We always kept in touch over the years, even when I didn’t speak to her. He loved her till the end. Didn’t matter how many times she hurt him.”

“Or you?” Cooper asked.

Noah looked over his shoulder and nodded. Those simple words cemented all the reasons Noah was in love with him. Because he knew he was. Trying to deny it wouldn’t change it. In some way or another, he’d always loved Cooper Bradshaw. Now, he was in love with him.

“Or me.”

It was another few minutes before Cooper spoke again. “And her?”

“She’s alive and kicking. I went back home when Dad passed. He’d left me half of everything, so there were papers to sign and all of that. I planned the funeral. I wanted to do it for him. Not that she wouldn’t have but…I don’t know why, but it was important to me, and she gave me that. I left the day after and haven’t seen her since.”

There were days he missed her, days he even thought about calling her, but then he’d remember his father and pain he had endured all those years. He’d remember leaving different homes, leaving Cooper, and Noah just couldn’t do it. He was so different than his father. The other man had forgiven so many times, Noah couldn’t bring himself to ever do it. He saw forgiveness as a weakness, a way to get hurt.

Cooper let the conversation go after that. They climbed for another hour and a half before they made it to the top. Noah took in their surroundings. The thick trees, mixed with rocks and the world below them that looked a million miles away.

“It’s beautiful.” Noah glanced at Cooper beside him to see him looking off at the distance.

“The air feels different up here. Like it’s not the same air others are breathing.”

There was this sort of awe in his voice that hit Noah right in the chest. He wanted to show Cooper everything. For him to see the world differently when they were together. It’s what Coop had always done for him.

“My parents used to hike. Did I ever tell you that?” Coop asked.

Noah put his hand on the back of Cooper’s neck, letting his fingers run through the hair at his nape. “No. I’m even more glad we came then.”

Without looking at him, Cooper replied, “I already was.”

They enjoyed the view for a little while longer before having lunch. The hike down went much faster than the one up. When they made it back to the cabin, they showered before heading to a restaurant for dinner.

They were in a small town, about two hours from home. It reminded Noah of a movie from the past—an old town feel, that he’d always loved.

“I’m stuffed. Haven’t had a steak that good in a long time.” Cooper said, as they walked down the street.

“I’m glad you liked it.” Noah wanted to touch him. There was a little voice in his head that told him he shouldn’t. He wasn’t sure how Cooper would deal with it. The man was still adjusting to being with another guy. Touching in public might send him over the edge but damned if he didn’t want to stake claim to him in that way.

“Hey.” Cooper nudged him with is arm. “We just went on our first date. I hope you don’t expect me to put out.”

Just like that, Cooper lightened the mood; despite the fact that Noah didn’t fully grasp why it had been heavy in the first place. Reaching over, he grabbed Coop’s hand. “You better put out,” Noah whispered in Cooper’s ear.