“This is our spot,” he said, putting the backpack on a table.

“I’m starving,” I admitted, and began unpacking the chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, potato chips, and brownies. I was glad I’d ordered several sandwiches because I could eat two at this point, and I was sure Slate could eat that or more.

“How many of these do I get?” he asked, reaching for a sandwich.

“I’m taking two. So the other three are yours.”

He leaned over the table and kissed me one more time before we sat down to eat.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

THE DAY WAS perfect. The more time I spent with Slate, the more I admired about him. The love he had for his uncle was obvious, even though his life there hadn’t been easy. He’d been taught hard work. Something I really hadn’t experienced in my life. Neither had Crawford.

We were almost to the curve that I knew was going to lead back to the parking lot when Slate’s hand slipped around my upper arm. Stopping, I looked at him, confused.

“You hear that?” he whispered.

I went very still and listened, but I didn’t hear anything. So I shook my head.

He tugged me closer to his chest, then bent his head down close to my ear. “Listen. You sure?”

I was beginning to get a little nervous. I knew there were bears out here and I didn’t want to meet one up close and personal. But as hard as I listened, I didn’t hear anything other than the water from the stream and a few birds.

“I don’t hear anything unusual,” I finally said as quietly as I could.

He nodded. “Good. Me, either.” Then he settled his hands onto my hips and pulled me tightly to him before covering my mouth with his.

The smile that tugged at my lips was reciprocated by his own smile. He’d tricked me, but I liked this kind of trick. Kissing Slate was something I thought about often. Today it had crossed my mind at least every thirty seconds. He had the kind of mouth that made you think about kissing.

When he pulled back, his heated gaze was locked on mine. “You trust me?”

I did. Completely. So I nodded.

Then he reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it up and over my head, leaving me standing there in my sports bra. “I want to see all of you.”

The way his voice went all deep and thick when he said it made it impossible for me to think that getting naked in a public place was a bad idea. Again, I followed his lead. Because I wanted it, too.

I slipped the sports bra off and tossed it to the leaves at our feet. I couldn’t meet his gaze again, though. I felt my chest flush as my hands went to my leggings. He didn’t let me get that far, though, before his hands were cradling my face and he was kissing me again.

I leaned into him and my breasts brushed his chest, causing me to shiver from the contact. The only thing that could have been better was if he was also shirtless. I reached for his shirt, and grabbing handfuls, I began to pull it up until he stepped back just enough to let me take it completely off him.

This time, when I pressed against him the warmth of his skin sent delicious tingles through me. His groan of pleasure made me try to get even closer. This was so much more than I had ever imagined. Being with Slate was exhilarating. It felt right. Like nothing else could ever be this perfect.

His hands went to my pants and began tugging them slowly down my hips, until we had to break the kiss for me to slip off my boots, let the leggings fall to my ankles, and step out of them. I was only in my panties now, and Slate stood back. His nostrils flared as he took me in.

“You’re too good for me. I’ve known it since the moment I laid eyes on you. Too perfect, too beautiful, too untouchable.”

No. I wasn’t. I wasn’t perfect at all. I reached a hand out and began to unsnap his hiking shorts. “I disagree,” I said simply.

His hand covered mine and he said my name in a sigh. “If you do that, I’ll want more. It’s taking all my self-control not to grab you and press you against that tree and lose my fucking mind just from being inside you.”

The way he said it wasn’t pretty, but they were real words. Descriptive words—and I wanted it. My body was pulsing for it. “Please,” I said without any fear. Because I didn’t fear Slate. I trusted him.

“Vale,” he whispered in a choked voice. I continued with his shorts until they were at his feet. Then I began tugging my panties down as I watched him. I was being brave. I was being more wanton than I’d ever been in my life. Even with Crawford I’d never been this brave. When we’d had sex, it had been shy and almost awkward at times.

I was naked outside with a man and I wanted it. This was different.

He finished undressing himself, then paused. He reached for his shorts and pulled out a condom from his wallet. I didn’t question that. This was Slate Allen. And I was thankful he was prepared. Protection had been the last thing on my mind, but knowing he was trying to keep me safe meant something.

He scooped up his discarded shirt, and then picked me up as he began kissing me again, walking us back to a picnic table. When he set me down on my feet, he placed his shirt on the table, then put his hands on my hips and lifted me onto the shirt. “I imagined this. A million fucking times. Each time, you were somewhere special. Not on a picnic table in the woods.”

His words made me smile. I couldn’t think of anywhere more perfect. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. “This is exactly what I imagined,” I teased, making him chuckle.

“God, I want you.” His voice was harsh as he pulled me tightly against him, pressing my breasts flush against his chest. My thighs opened, and I could feel his erection pressing exactly where I needed it to be. “Please,” I begged, lifting my hips.

He slipped inside me then, and I knew my world would never be the same. I grabbed his arms and threw my head back as he filled me over and over again. The sweet friction and heat from his body made me crazy for more.

“Fuck,” he groaned as I rocked my hips hard against him, needing it all. That was the only invitation he needed to make his thrusts deeper, with more power. Exactly what I needed. I told him so and he said my name in a hoarse whisper.

I lifted my legs to press my knees against his hip bones and he slid even farther inside me, making us both cry out.

“Fucking heaven,” he said, grabbing my hips and getting rougher with me as his eyes dilated to the point that the green was gone. He looked like a man lost to his own pleasure, and that sent me over the edge. I fell back on my hands and lifted my hips as I screamed his name, and I’m pretty sure God was mentioned too as my body was racked with wave after wave of euphoria.

Slate’s roar of release was the sexiest thing I’d ever heard. His fingers bit into my skin and I hoped they left marks. To remind me how beautiful this was.

When my breathing finally slowed, I was being gathered into his arms as he slowly pulled out of me. I wrapped my arms around his back, and we stayed like that for several seconds. I couldn’t imagine anything ruining this moment. It was even better than I’d expected.

“I’m in love with you.” Slate’s words should have shocked me. But they didn’t. Not after that. I had felt it. This was the change in my life I never saw coming. It was the gift I didn’t know I wanted. My path had just turned into something different. And I was happy.

If only this moment could last forever.

But eventually, like with all good dreams … you have to wake up.