Page 115 of Wildest Dreams

I give him a reassuring smile to let him know that I appreciate how he looks out for me, and that no harm has been done, so everything’s fine.

He nods his head and then gently tips the ball into the air for me to catch. I laugh as I jump up and grab it, throwing it back to him as high as I can. He smirks as he drops his arm from my shoulders so that he can get into position, reach up and grab it.

“Tyrant,” he grins, before running up ahead. He turns around and throws the ball lightly my way, his hands fiddling with his cap before he throws them back in the air, awaiting my next throw.

We laugh the whole way to the top.

Chapter 28

Aisling

Present day

By the time that we get back to the cabins it’s late afternoon, meaning that we hop in a couple of the trucks and head into town for dinner. The two booths that we take up are filled with more food than I’ve ever seen.

When we return to the cabins the sun is still on the horizon, just about to set, and Fallon, Hunter, Winter and Caden are sat together around the lit campfire. Caden is holding two skewers over the flames, toasting two giant marshmallows as his girlfriend neatly prepares the cookies. Then she holds them out for his marshmallows so that they can make the world’s most epic looking s’mores.

“S’mores? No way. Can we join?” Connell asks, jaw practically dislocating as he stares longingly at the marshmallow heaven happening in Winter’s outstretched hands.

Caden glances up mid-marshmallow removal and suddenly lets out a surprised curse, his eyes flying back down to his thumb as he yanks it away from the molten marshmallow.

Winter lets out a sympathetic squeal before quickly placing down the cookies.

She takes Caden’s big hockey player hand in her delicate palms.

“Are you okay?” she asks softly, a sympathetic dimple popping in her cheek when Caden swallows down the sting of the burn, clears his throat and nods.

“It’s fine,” he rumbles quietly.

Winter gives him a knowing smile before pressing a gentle kiss to his burnt thumb, then his palm, and then his stubble-coated cheek.

Caden drops his head so that no-one can see him blush.

Winter turns her attention back to us as she tugs at Caden’s arm, silently asking him to stand, which he does instantaneously.

“Of course you can join,” she says, smiling kindly. “We’ll just be a minute.”

Then she hauls Caden by his wrist to the smooth edge of the lake, tugging him so that he crouches down beside her. She eases his thumb just beneath the surface of the clear water, trying to ease the burn without even saying anything.

“They are so freaking cute,” Connell murmurs to me as everyone starts settling around the fire, and I nod in agreement, in awe of how gentle their love is.

My eyes drift over the shimmering water until I’m looking at the lake house, and an excited warmth flutters in my belly as I catch the hint of a glow coming from the downstairs window. I’m unable to really see what’s inside as the glass reflects the warm evening sunset.

But I can guess who will be inside there.

My phone has been vibrating with love notes from Tanner all afternoon, but I haven’t been able to peek at most of them because I didn’t want to draw any more suspicion than I already have from his teammates as we trekked to one of the beautiful lookout points in the nearest of the Larch Peak mountains.

Connell holds the bag of giant marshmallows in front of me, slapping away Austin’s hand when he tries to take one before I do.

I scrunch my nose at them, laughing at how sweet and silly they are, before peeping into the bag and taking one of the pink ones.

Connell’s eyes flick between my face and the lake house, a hint of a crease on his brow as he skewers his own marshmallow.

Then he pulls off his cap, roughly scrubbing at his hair.

“You calling it a night?” he asks, before glancing at the cabins behind us, undoubtedly wondering if Tanner is in there.

From the faint hint of a sconce glow radiating gently from beyond the lake house’s porch, I am ninety-nine percent sure that I know exactly where Tanner is.

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