It’s a beautiful day, with the kind of crystalline blue skies and puffy white clouds that would look more natural on a painting than in reality. The sun shines down cheerfully over the winding road in front of us, and a delicious earthy breeze filters in through the rolled-down car windows.

Bruno has his elbow resting on the window frame, gripping the steering wheel with one hand while the other reaches over to hold mine. He turns to smile at me, looking absolutely gorgeous in his shining aviator shades and just a hint of a prickly five o’clock shadow. He’s wearing a white t-shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled, blue jeans, and brown boots. He looks like a rugged, sexy woodsman heading out for a day of tromping through the forest. And I guess that’s not too far off from what we’re about to do.

The drive up here from Riverdale has been amazing; perfect weather the whole time. Ever since I was a little kid I’ve loved road trips, and I always dreamed of going on a long drive like this with a handsome man who made my heart flutter. I smile and think, wow, young Serena would be so happy if she could see us now.

Of course, everything isn’t roses and sunshine. Bruno more or less disappeared for about a week after that day at my house in Riverdale. He kept in touch this time, sending me updates from a burner phone, just like old times. Only now he doesn’t keep me waiting in such dreadful suspense.

I don’t know what kinds of shenanigans he got into, and I didn’t dare ask (honestly, I don’t know if I even want to know), but when he turned up to collect me for this trip upstate, he did look a little worse for wear, like maybe he’s been in some kind of fight. I know he leads a dangerous life, and now that he’s a fugitive, danger lurks around every corner. But I have to swallow down my fear. After all, you can’t love a dangerous man without expecting some rough patches, right?

Besides, he’s with me safe and sound now, and that’s what matters to me: collecting these precious little moments together when they come along. I used to think I wanted stability, calmness.

Now I know I just want Bruno, regardless of what that might mean.

“God, it’s a gorgeous day,” I remark, gazing out the window at the trees and other vegetation starting to thicken around us as we drive.

“Perfect,” Bruno agrees. “I can see why your family used to vacation up here.”

“It’s been so long since I came here last, but it doesn’t even look any different. Well, some of the trees look bigger, but otherwise it’s all the same. It’s weird to think about how much I’ve changed, how different my life is now, but it’s like time didn’t touch this part of the planet,” I muse aloud, dangling my arm out the window for a moment to feel the breeze.

“Like stepping back in time,” he says.

“Exactly.”

The car rumbles over a rough spot and I notice the paved road has given way to gravel now, the tires crunching as we roll along. “Sorry about your tires. I forgot about the gravel.”

“This car has definitely seen worse times than this,” Bruno laughs. “Besides, I’m an excellent driver.”

I raise an eyebrow and glance at him, amused. “Well, you’re not lacking for confidence, are you, Mr. Tokyo Drift?”

“Trust me, when you’ve worked the kind of job I have, you quickly learn to be an expert with all the tools of the trade. Tactical driving is just part of the necessary skill set,” Bruno explains.

“Oh, up ahead! Look!” I exclaim, scooting forward in my seat and pointing toward a small wooden structure just barely peeking out from behind the trees down the path.

“Is that it?” he asks. “Where do we go to check in?”

“Oh, it’s not that complicated. There’s kind of a scout’s honor type system up here. You just leave the money in an envelope in the mailbox when you leave,” I tell him. “Come to think of it, I’m starting to understand why my dad liked this place so much. Privacy and convenience. A property owner who doesn’t ask questions and couldn’t be bothered to care anyway.”

“A Mafioso’s paradise,” Bruno agrees, grinning.

“So many things are starting to make sense looking back now,” I sigh, shaking my head. “But whatever the purpose was, I have a lot of great memories here. It’s so nice to be back. I can’t wait to show you around and frolic in nature with you.”

I squeeze his hand and he laughs. “This is definitely more your speed than mine, but it will be interesting to say the least.”

“Oh, you’ll love it, I promise.”

Bruno pulls the car up to a spot next to the cabin and as soon as he turns off the engine and the doors unlock, I burst out of the car and take off toward the dense woods, unable to keep a grin off of my face. Bruno takes off after me, but when I look back I notice he still looks a little tense, glancing over his shoulder like he’s afraid someone might randomly appear behind us. Like he’s still worried that we might be watched or followed, even all the way out here in the middle of nowhere. I decide to make it my mission to distract him and get him to relax by whatever means necessary, and I already have a few ideas in mind.

“Come on!” I shout back at him, heading down a barely-there path in the forest. I’m navigating more by instinct than logic, hoping my memory will lead me in the right direction. Just as I stop short at a little babbling creek, Bruno catches up to me and grabs me in his arms, swinging me around as I cry out in mock fear. He sets me back down and kisses me, cupping my face in his huge hands as we stand on the mushy bank of the creek.

“Are we going to cross this thing?” he asks, gesturing toward the water.

I take note of a few smooth, large boulders in the creek and nod. “Of course! We’re just going to step across those rocks there.” I break away from him and deftly hop across to the other side of the creek, beckoning for him to follow. Bruno looks a little skeptical at first, but then he easily leaps across.

“Fun, right? Hopping around the streams was one of my favorite things to do here as a little kid. It’s easy to do nowadays, but when I was small it was way more intimidating, I swear,” I admit, laughing.

“I bet you were the cutest little girl,” Bruno says. “I can just picture you tiny and courageous, crossing a creek like some brave adventurer.”

“I definitely felt like that’s what I was,” I say, smiling widely. “Well, let’s keep going. I think we’re on the right path.”

“To where?”

“You’ll see!” I exclaim, bolting through the trees again with Bruno close behind. My heart is racing, my lungs filled with fresh forest air. The sun reaches down in golden-white streaks through the canopy, illuminating patches of earth. I feel happier than I’ve been in a very long time, like I’m finally free. Despite growing up as mostly a city girl, with my Manhattan apartment, designer clothes, and trust fund friends, I think I’ve always been a country girl at heart. Or something like that. I feel so at home here in the woods, running free and wild where nobody is around to judge me for my lack of composure. I can be myself here, and only the trees and lurking wildlife can watch.

Bruno darts up behind me and scoops me into his arms, carrying me for a few minutes. We’re both laughing openly, grinning from ear to ear as we race along down the narrow path. If you weren’t looking for the trail, you wouldn’t notice it, because the grass and weeds have begun to reclaim it. I imagine business must be pretty slow for the cabin owner lately. On the one hand, it makes me sad that this place seems to be largely forgotten, but on the other hand, it’s nice to know that it’s almost like my own personal private world. Like I alone know the secrets of this magical forest.

Bruno sets me down and we start walking briskly, hand in hand, down the way as the sound of rushing water grows louder. He looks at me in confusion. “What is that?”

“Be patient. You’ll see,” I tease him, poking my tongue out at him.

A few more minutes of walking and we arrive at our destination: a small but beautiful waterfall tucked away behind a thick patch of trees we nearly have to squeeze through to reach. Bruno’s face changes from confusion to full of wonder, and I can’t help but beam at how happy he looks. I can tell he never expected to come across something like this, and I’m overjoyed that I got the opportunity to put that look of awe on his face.

“You like it?” I pipe up, biting my lip.

Bruno turns and kisses me passionately, holding me close. When he breaks away he says softly, “This is beautiful, Serena. Thank you for taking me here. I — we — needed this.”

“Agreed. That’s what I love so much about being out in nature. It’s like hitting refresh on your whole life, like all your problems stay behind in the city and you can finally breathe again,” I say, shaking my head in amazement at how lovely it all is. “I can’t believe I waited so long to come back here. I could’ve really used a visit here during all those difficult years.”

“I never got to do things like this growing up,” Bruno says, standing with his hands on his hips as he surveys the scene appreciatively. “Back home in Italy I ran around the countryside sometimes, just causing trouble with my equally delinquent friends. But it wasn’t like this. And when I came to America, my childhood was over. I went from a scrappy little kid to a man overnight, becoming my uncle’s apprentice, learning the carpentry trade. Sometimes I wonder how different I would be if I had stayed in Italy. Or if the mafia had never threatened my family.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell him earnestly, taking his hand. “I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. I wish you’d had a chance to grow up like any other kid, instead of having those years stolen away from you.”

Bruno shrugs and gives me a peaceful smile. “It is what it is. And besides, the way I see it, all those shitty things only led me down the path to you. And that makes it all worth it.”

He pulls me close and kisses me again, his hands stroking my hair, sliding down to grab my ass as he pushes against me. I feel that familiar flicker of tingling warmth pass down my body and makes me shiver. I know exactly what I want. Right here, right now.

Bruno leads me over to a huge patch of soft moss on the dry rocks off to one side of the waterfall, where every now and then a stray fleck of water flies over to land on us. He guides me to the ground, his fingers tangling into my hair as he stares into my eyes. I’m transfixed, held captive in the perfect, blissful moment.

There’s no sounds of the city, no fear in my heart, no sorrow. It feels like I’ve shed myself of all the baggage I’ve been carrying for so long.

For the first time, I feel totally reunited with my long lost lover, without all the worries and fear marring every emotion. Ever since he’s returned, I keep having the feeling that it’s fleeting. That soon, he’ll be caught. That he’ll be taken away from me once more, and I’ll have to face life without him all over again.

But in the peace and serenity of the forest, no one can touch us.

Bruno’s fingers work along my skin, snaking up beneath my shirt as his lips press against mine. His tongue is soft but exploratory as it swipes across my lower lip, leaving his taste on me as he easily unhooks my bra.

He makes quick work of my jeans and panties, as well, folding all my clothing into a neat little stack beside us before he strips out of his own clothes. Goosebumps prickle up on my skin, our bodies both totally exposed to the cool, fresh air.

“You know, this is strangely similar to a dream I had one night while I was locked up,” Bruno says softly, kissing his way down to my breasts. “I dreamed that you and I were making love on the edge of a massive waterfall. Of course, in the dream there were also talking trees, but that’s beside the point.”

I giggle at that image but my laughter is interrupted by a sigh as Bruno gently bites and sucks at my nipples, his hand trailing down to cup my mound. “Well, I’m glad these trees don’t talk because I’d hate for them to tell anyone about this. Two people fucking in the woods, surrounded by nothing but nature.”

“Yeah, I would hate for them to tell anybody about how wet you are when I touch you, how you shiver when I stroke your sweet little clit,” Bruno growls, his fingertip swirling around that tight, sensitive bud while my hips rock back and forth involuntarily.

“Oh fuck,” I moan as he slides down between my thighs to lick and suck at my pussy. I reach down and tangle my fingers in his dark hair, gently pushing him down into my cunt. The waterfall pounds away, the constant white noise of rushing water only adding to the symphony of sensations I’m feeling. Just before I come, Bruno pulls away.

I whimper plaintively, disappointed.

But he quickly pulls me up and lies on his back, moving me to straddle him. I bite my lip, eager to ride his cock. I position the head of his shaft at my slick opening and slowly slide him inside of me, groaning with pleasure as I sheath him completely.

“Fuck, Serena. I want you to ride my cock hard. I want to fill you up and make you ache,” Bruno instructs, his voice husky and low. I begin rolling my hips, slowly and carefully at first, then more frantically as my climax approaches. It doesn’t take long for me to explode, crying out as I start bouncing up and down on his cock, feeling him strike my g-spot over and over again.

“Ohh, it feels so fucking good,” I murmur, closing my eyes as I ride him harder and faster. Bruno’s hands slide up to cup and massage my breasts, his fingertips passing over my nipples and making me tremble, starting to lose control. I don’t want to go slow. I want to fuck him hard and fast, give in to my animalistic desires.

Bruno sits up and pulls my legs around him so that we’re facing, my knees hooked around his waist. He kisses me, reaching down between us to rub my clit while I ride his cock. I moan into his mouth as he takes control, bouncing me up and down and thrusting up into my pussy.

“Good girl, good girl. Come for me,” Bruno murmurs in my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my neck. Almost as though by magic, I come immediately, my whole body shaking with the waves of intense pleasure. Bruno leans me backward, holding me up with his free arm so that I’m nearly horizontal, still speared by his cock as he thrusts up into me and strokes my clit.

He picks up the pace, slamming into me with loud, wet smacks, and I can tell he’s getting closer and closer. “Ready for me to come inside you, dolcezza?” he says, circling his thumb over my clit so that I’m almost overstimulated to the point of exhaustion.

“Yes! Oh God, yes!” I manage to choke out, my heart hammering away beneath my ribs.

“Fuck!” he bellows, seizing up and shooting his sweet seed deep inside of me as I come at the exact same time, my whole body going limp as my pussy clenches around him. He thrusts a few more times, his hands still on my back, holding me still. His gaze holds mine, both of us recovering from our orgasms.

He kisses me as he withdraws, both of us falling on our backs, panting and sweaty. The fine mist of the waterfall is welcome, cooling our skin as we lie there totally spent and happy. Bruno grabs my hand and squeezes it.

“If I die and go to heaven and it isn’t exactly like this, I’m going to feel so cheated,” he says, laughing. “I genuinely cannot imagine anything better than this.”

“Everywhere is paradise with you,” I tell him, glancing over to meet his vivid green gaze with a smile. “What’s that song? Heaven is a place on earth?”

“That’s the one,” he agrees, kissing my hand. We lie there in silence for a few more minutes, both coming down from our shared high.

Finally, I can’t keep those questions at bay anymore and I ask hesitantly, “Bruno, where were you this past week? You just kind of went off on your own. And when you came back, you had all that money. What happened? What did you do?”

He looks over at me with a pained expression. “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“I know. But I would rather have some idea of what’s going on. That scares me way more: the unknown,” I explain truthfully. I thought it would be easier not knowing, but it’s clear to me now that the secrets scare me more than the truth possibly could.

“Okay. I was involved in a theft. A big time. A heist, you might even say.”

“What?” I burst out, sitting up and looking at him with wide eyes. Bruno sits up, too.

Calmly, he explains the whole operation, and I listen intently, my mind racing in a million directions.

“I can’t believe you would take a huge risk like that just after breaking out of prison. Bruno, you’re a fugitive. That raises the stakes for everything.”

“I know. But Serena, you have to understand that taking risks is part of my job. It’s just the way I have to live my life. I promise that I’m as careful as can be. I take risks, but they’re calculated risks,” he says. “And I knew you would be afraid, so I kept it from you.”

I bite my lip.

“Bruno, listen to me. I know you think I’m some delicate little flower you have to protect from all the dangers of your world. But remember that I grew up around the mob, too. Even though I didn’t know much about it then, and I didn’t know any different, my dad was involved in some pretty illicit stuff. And after he died... ” I shook my head. “Bruno, not knowing what was going to happen to me, if I was going to... if that man was going to be able to touch me... I didn’t know if that was my life. And not knowing, I imagined all the worst scenarios. That’s what it’s like when you leave me, without telling me. My imagination runs wild. Besides, I’m in love with you. Anything you have to deal with you should be able to share with me. Okay?”

Bruno shakes his head in amazement, smiling at me warmly.

“Most women would shy away from a guy like me. How are you so brave?”

I shrug, leaning over to kiss him.

“Love makes you brave. From now on, I want to know what’s going on. Even if it’s dark. Even if it’s dangerous. I want to have a say.”

“I’ll do my best to include you,” he concedes, kissing me again. “I could never deny you anything, you know that? You’ve got some kind of crazy hold on me.”

“It’s my superpower,” I joke, grinning. “But if we’re going to be on the run, undercover and underground and all that, I think we need new aliases.”

“Aliases?” Bruno repeats, giving me a dubious look.

“Yeah! You know, like code names or something. Fake names.”

“That’s not usually how we operate, but I’m intrigued now. What name would you give me? Or yourself?” he asks, amused.

I squint at him, thinking hard for a moment.

“Hmm. We need a theme or something. Shakespeare, maybe. Like, you could be Horatio. Or Lysander.”

“Oh, those are terrible,” Bruno laughs. “And what would you be called? Juliet?”

“Juliet? So mainstream! I take it you didn’t study as much Shakespeare as I was forced to read,” I giggle, pondering female character names. “I could be Rosaline or maybe Olivia.”

“Your names are way better than mine,” Bruno points out. “I sense some unfairness here.”

“Fine, you can be something normal like Alexander,” I tease, nudging him with my shoulder. Then, I sober up and add, “But seriously, Bruno, I don’t want there to be any more secrets between us. If this is going to work, we need to be honest with each other. No surprises. No hiding things. You trust me, right?”

“Of course I do. Trust was never the problem,” he answers seriously.

“Okay. Good. It’s settled then,” I declare, grinning. “You and me, we’re a team.”

Inwardly, I make a different promise: that I’m going to take life by the horns from now on. If I’m going to be on equal grounds with Bruno, I need to be brave. Not reckless, but definitely courageous. I need to be strong and assertive. I need to take charge.

“No more trying to ‘protect’ me by keeping things from me. After all, I always find out sooner or later anyway,” I say, shrugging.

“Sounds fair to me. If you think you can handle it, I won’t hold back,” he says. Then he adds, “Seems like as good a time as any to break out of my usual routine.”

I look at him confused as he gets up and offers me his hand.

What the hell does he mean by that?