Skye and Ash spent the day hiking in the pines, following national forest trails as they searched for Skye’s elusive waterfalls. They found three—two dried up and one frozen for the winter. The frozen one sported huge icicles, which sparkled in the sunlight, creating a dazzling display. The sun climbed high, banishing the clouds, and brought warmth to the day.

A dense carpet of pine needles covered the forest floor and cushioned the ground beneath their boots. They hiked in silence with only the whisper of the wind, the scratching of squirrels scampering through the foliage, and the twittering of birds to fill the quiet.

Ash helped her scramble over the rocks, taking every opportunity to hold her hand. He hummed melodies. His mind seemed to be constantly fixated on the beauty of music. His brilliant smile lit up the gloomier parts of the trail, and the eagerness of his step pulled her forward, around the next bend, and up the steep slopes.

When they failed to find more than damp rocks during their waterfall search, he pulled her to him, fluttering light kisses all over her face. His lips banished the chill, but he broke off the kiss long before she was ready.

He scampered across the base of the last waterfall, the rocks glistening with seeping water. “I suppose it’s more difficult to hunt waterfalls than I thought.” He balanced on the slippery rocks, despite her insistence for him to be careful. “Who knew waterfalls could hide?”

“Sleeping maybe,” she said with a smile.

“Let’s do something different,” he offered. “Since these fabled waterfalls seem to have been scared into hiding, let’s get out of here.” He winked.

“They’re not hiding.”

He pointed to the damp rock. “Okay, sleeping. How about we grab lunch? I remember passing a greasy spoon on our way to the cabin.”

She’d packed granola bars and nuts into her backpack, intending on a light lunch on the trail, but at the mention of diner food, her stomach grumbled. “Greasy diner sounds perfect.”

On the way to his Jeep, Ash would chase her on the flat parts, claiming a kiss each time she allowed him to catch her. She’d laugh while he chased, and then she’d become speechless under the press of his demanding kisses. Everything about Ash brought a smile to her face and had her heart racing.

Before long, they arrived at the trailhead, and a short drive brought them to Chuck’s Bar and Grill.

Ash had on those wretched mirrored sunglasses again. His eyes were too beautiful to keep covered, and she missed the smoldering of his gaze when he looked at her.

“Can you take those glasses off?” She tried snatching the frames from his face, but he jerked out of reach.

“My headache’s back, and the light is bothering my eyes.”

He’d complained about a headache before.

She had pain relievers in her bag. “Do you need to take anything?”

“I’ll be fine,” he said with a wave of his hand. “But maybe no more hiking for the day?”

The waitress came and took their orders, placing water on the table. Skye asked for a cheeseburger with bacon, hold the fries. Ash ordered the same burger, asking for her fries to be placed on his plate.

He patted his stomach. “I’m starving from all that hunting.”

The waitress gave an odd look and then left them alone.

Skye rolled her glass between her hands. “If hiking is out, what do you want to do?”

His brows lifted above his sunglasses. “I saw an ad for a helicopter tour.”

She’d seen the same ad and canceled her reservations for the following day, thinking it would be too expensive for a struggling musician to manage. Her lips twisted. “I’m not so sure about that.”

The waitress returned with their meals, her gazing lingering a little too long on Ash. Skye couldn’t blame her. He was a hard man not to stare at.

“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.” He pulled out a flyer she hadn’t seen him pick up. “They have flights in the afternoon. I’m sure they’re not busy this time of year. Let’s call and see.”

“Do you know how much that costs?” Damn, she wished she could see his eyes. It was too hard to read him with those glasses hiding his expression.

“You only live once. Come on. I’m trying to win you over here.”

“But—”

“It’s my treat.”

“No. We’re splitting everything down the middle.”

“Exactly.” He took a sip of his drink. “Everything but this.” Tilting his head down, those magnetic eyes peeked over the rim of his glasses. “You know, I’ve had enough of this splitting-things-down-the-middle crap. I’m taking you out like you deserve, and I’m paying, exactly like a guy should when he takes a girl on a date. Kick and scream. Make a scene. Do what you need to, Skye, but my mind’s made up.”

“Your mind’s made up?” She couldn’t keep herself from smiling.

He looked adorable, trying to take control, and while she admitted it was sexy, he didn’t know her very well. She always paid her way.

He nodded and put words to the melody he’d been humming all day, keeping his voice low. She leaned forward to catch his song.

Her stomach dropped as the liquid tones of his voice dipped into her soul, carved out a pocket, and took root. The magic of his words transported her to another place, and she wasn’t the only one affected. The other diners stopped eating and stared.

She’d never been sung to, and she didn’t know how to react, not when he held her spellbound and wanting more.

“Ash,” she breathed out, blinking and shaking her head, unable to form a coherent thought. “Where’s that song from?”

“That’s the one I was working on last night,” he said with a self-satisfied grin, “for you. Did you like it?”

“Like it? It was…beyond words.”

He tapped the screen of his cell phone. “I think it’s going to be a hit.”

Every musician hoped for a hit. Who knew? Maybe this would be his.

Unfolding a bill from a roll of cash, he slapped a twenty on the table.

She hadn’t seen him use anything but cash. Who didn’t use plastic these days? Maybe he didn’t own a credit card.

“We’re splitting the check.”

The words of his song rattled around in her head, still surging in her heart, lodging deep inside and stirring up warmth.

He smirked. “Not anymore.” He grabbed her wrist. “Come, let’s see about that flight.”

He pulled her from the booth and dragged her outside.

In less than an hour, she found herself strapped inside a helicopter, holding hands with a grinning fool who had paid way too much for the one-hour flight—except the flight they were taking was nothing like the advertisement on the brochure.

Instead of flying over the lakes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the pilot skimmed the valleys and ravines. They found their waterfalls, tumbling sprays that no hiking paths would have ever reached. Water spilled down steep gorges and impossible canyons, casting brilliant rainbows in the fading afternoon light.

She leaned into Ash and hugged the hard muscles of his arm. She would have done more, but the seat harness only allowed so much movement.

The pilot kept flying long past the scheduled hour. After the waterfalls, their aerial guide took them down twisting canyons and over narrow waterways that stole her breath.

He dipped and soared, performing wild maneuvers that had her stomach flipping. Each new turn would bring a squeal of delight. This was all Ash; she was certain. Aerobatics were definitely not a part of the standard package.

And it worked like magic—until the sky began to darken with stormy looking clouds.

“Sir,” the pilot spoke through the headsets, “a storm is coming. We have to cut it short.”

Cut it short? How long had Ash booked the helicopter? The sun was almost ready to set.

Oh, a sunset.

Damn, he was a romantic.

“I understand.” Ash’s voice crackled through the headphones.

The pilot turned the helicopter around, and they landed as the first snowflakes drifted down. The weather report hadn’t mentioned snow.

What would it be like to be snowed into a cabin with Ash? Maybe she’d get a chance to find out.

The pilot helped her out, taking her headset and hanging it on a hook over her seat. “Sorry about cutting it short.”

“No problem.” Her grin stretched the muscles of her cheeks. “That was spectacular.”

Ash hopped out, disentangling himself from his headset and laying it on the seat.

“My buddies aren’t going to believe this,” the pilot said.

Ash gave a quick jerk of his head, and the pilot clamped his mouth shut.

“Thank you,” she said. “But you’ve officially ruined roller-coaster rides for life.”

The pilot puffed his chest out. “Glad you had a good time, miss.”

Skye gave Ash a peck on the lips. “Thank you, too.”

He wrapped his hands around her waist. “Mmm, you’re welcome.” His fingers brushed the top of her ass. “We should probably get back to the cabin.”

“Cabin?” asked the pilot. “You’re not staying in the mountains, are you?”

“Yeah,” Skye said. She briefly told him where Bob’s cabin was located.

The pilot shook his head. “Snow’s already falling. By the time you drive up there, the road’s going to be closed. You’re stuck down here for the night, maybe longer.”

She turned to Ash. “What are we going to do?”

Ash’s lips pinched together. “This certainly complicates things.”

No kidding.

“How adventurous do you feel?” He had the strangest look on his face.

“Why?”

“How about hunting the mother of all waterfalls?”

The fading light glinted in his eyes. As he stretched, the spiderweb tattoo flexed on his neck, making the dragon seem like it was about to take flight. Devastatingly handsome didn’t even begin to describe this man.

“Mother of all waterfalls?”

He shrugged. “We can’t go back to the cabin, but I still have two more days with you. Let’s head north. I’ve never seen Niagara Falls.”

She fisted her hands and settled them on her hips. “You want to drive to Niagara?”

He pointed to the pilot. “I want to fly.”

The pilot looked to the sky. “We would have to take off within the hour.”

They were crazy.

“And what about the storm?”

The pilot waved a hand. “Not a problem for the jet. I need to file a flight plan before we leave and get the jet fueled.”

She tugged on Ash’s coat sleeve and pulled him over to speak in private. “And how exactly are we going to pay for this?”

His smirk returned in full force. “Wooing going on, babe. You let me worry about that.” His mouth dropped to her ear, and the song tumbled from his lips.

He kissed her ear and then straightened. “Take a chance. Let’s hunt this waterfall. Same conditions as before. Nothing changes. What do you have to lose?”

Her sanity.

Ash shared a degree of impulsiveness with Forest. She was always the practical one. Forest took risks and did crazy things. Renting a plane would be right up his alley.

“You want to charter a plane?”

He gathered her hair and swept it to the side. “Don’t worry about the money. Let’s live a little. Imagine Niagara Falls in December. How cool is that?”

“Sounds pretty damn cold.”

“We’ll buy scarves.”

She punched him. “You’ll buy a hat.”

“Then, it’s settled.” He waved to the pilot. “She said yes!”

“Great.” The pilot pointed to the hangar. “There’s a lounge where you can wait. I’ll get the jet ready and file the flight plan.” He lifted his phone. “My copilot’s already on the way.”

“Awesome,” Ash said.

“What about our stuff? We only have your guitar and a few granola bars.”

“Only thing I care about is my guitar. The rest we can buy when we get there.”

She bit her lower lip. The practical decision was to say no and stay in a hotel until they could drive back to the cabin. But she’d locked that half of herself inside her brownstone. This trip was about taking risks and finding answers to her future.

What would Forest think of this change in plans?

The thing she loved most about Ash was his carefree approach to life. He flowed around decisions. He didn’t ponder each step, like she did. She envied him for that freedom, and his enthusiasm was infectious. He made her feel like she could conquer anything, but she still worried.

“Why do you look so glum?” Ash spun her in a circle. “We’re going to hunt the great white whale of waterfalls! Put a smile on your face.” His laughter surged around her as he danced in a circle, holding her aloft.

He set her on her feet and then held her hand as he sprinted after the pilot toward the warmth of the hangar.

“Come on, our adventure awaits.”