I follow Beau up the trail, beads of sweat dotting between my breasts and the length of my spine. The ground is damp from the storm last night, the leaves sticking to my shoes. I straighten, pushing past the burning in my thighs and the ache in my feet. He looks over his shoulder at me and grins. I know he can see how this seemingly easy hike is a pain in the ass for me by the look on his face. But I keep my mouth shut and trek on.

Apparently this isn’t the first time Beau has been camping up here by himself. And when he said he wanted to show me something special, I hadn’t even thought of denying him.

“How are you doing back there, baby girl?”

I can’t help the blush that no doubt steals over my body at the endearment he calls me. “I’m good.” I give him two thumbs up and he grins and gives me a wink.

When he turns back around and starts walking, I brace both of my hands on my thighs and lean forward, huffing and puffing. Sweat is dotting my forehead now, and I realize how out of shape I am. I see him start to turn to look at me again and I straighten and follow him up the path like I’m not dying inside.

“Just a little bit farther,” he says and gives me another straight, white-toothed grin.

We only walk for another five minutes or so before I see where he’s taking me. I take off my backpack and set it beside me, bracing my hands on my hips as I stare out at the lake. The sun is high in the sky, glistening off the water, making it look like it is sprinkled with glitter. Large pine trees surround the lake, and I can see water lapping at the shore.

“It’s beautiful,” I look over at Beau and see he’s watching me, this longing expression on his face. “Thank you for bringing me here,” I say and smile.

“It’s almost as beautiful as you are.”

Any other time, and from any other guy, I would’ve thought it was a clichéd saying, but hearing Beau say it to me makes me feel pretty damn special.

He is in front of me a second later, his hands on my waist, pulling me closer to him. My breasts press against his chest. I feel his body heat through our clothes and instantly become wet. Even though I am sore from last night, I want him.

I lift my arms and wrap them around his neck, rising on my toes and pressing my lips to his. I don’t think about anything else except showing Beau how much I care for him, how much I love him.

He gives me a small kiss on the lips, but before anything can become hotter he takes a step back, to my disappointment. And then, surprising me, he starts undressing. Before I know it he is naked, his erection prominent. He gives me a half smirk and I feel my heart flutter.

He is big and strong, with muscles that are defined, and with boyish good looks that make him seem like he’s not the bad boy I know he is. It’s that rebellious streak that I love.

“Go on, baby. Get undressed so we can see how cold the water is.”

Although it stormed last night, the air is surprisingly warm. But I have doubts on if the water matches that. I know that shit is probably ice cold. I look over at the lake, and although it looks beautiful, the truth is I don’t care how cold it is. It can be freezing and I’ll still want to go in with Beau.

I turn back toward him and smile, quickly undressing myself.

Before I know what he is doing, Beau is in front of me again, his arms wrapped around my body, and he easily lifts me as if I weigh nothing. He has us in the water seconds later. I scream out, the chill so sudden that my entire body tenses.

I can hear him laughing, and I push away from him, scowling. He splashes water at me and I sputter as it hits me in the face. I can’t help but laugh in return. For the next ten minutes we do nothing but swim around, occasionally splashing each other, but overall just having a fun time. I can’t remember the last time I felt so free, so happy.

Beau is in front of me and pulls me close to his body. His body heat seeps into mine and I sigh, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and my legs around his waist. I can feel how hard he is, his erection pressing right between my legs.

“I’m never letting you go,” he says softly right beside my ear. I close my eyes and rest my head on his shoulder.

“I don’t want you to.”