Chapter 60

Olivia

“Just quit complaining and walk with me,” Nathan said with a mischievous look in his eyes. “I want to show you something.”

My childhood friend’s voice was laced with a tinge of mischief that I couldn’t resist. Finally, rolling my eyes, I picked up my skirt and followed him as he walked toward the woods that were lining the side of the road.

Nathan walked right into the woods, but I stopped by the edge and took a few moments to peer in.There was a thin trail that led into the woods, but it appeared muddy and bumpy and not at all suited for an elegant gown and heels.

I imagined how disdainful it would be to ruin the dress that I was wearing, which would make it two in a row that I had ruined.

“Nathan, I’m in high heels,” I complained, looking down at my feet. “I can’t walk in there. And I’ll ruin my dress. I don’t want to ruin another one.”

Nathan stopped and walked back to me with a smirk on his face.

“Come on, Liv,” Nathan begged, employing my seldom-used nickname, most likely because he knew that it would hit a soft spot and would convince me to listen to him. “It’ll be fine. Come on. You can even hold my hand.”

He held his hand out for me again. I felt my heart skip a beat and, biting my lip, I tentatively took his hand and let him lead me into the woods. His fingers felt warm and dry against my palm, and I couldn’t bear it.

Not long into our walk, I pulled my hand away and occupied myself with holding my skirt up to avoid the embarrassment of his touch.

The small trail we followed through the woods seemed like a secret pathway, hidden away from the rest of the world. My heart raced with nervous excitement, but I couldn't help but worry about my dress and high heels as we ventured deeper into the wilderness.

Quietly, we walked along the trail, taking care to veer around muddy patches and climb over fallen trees. However, at one point I found myself hiking my skirt up even higher, having given up entirely on exposing the uppermost part of my legs, as I climbed over a particularly large fallen tree.

When I finally made it to the other side, my heel on one shoe sank into the mud and nearly caused me to lose my balance.

“Nathan, I really can’t walk like this,” I whined, pulling my heel out of the mud with a loud squelch. I half-jogged after him as best I could, but still found myself utterly struggling to keep up with his long strides. “I wish you warned me so I could have prepared—”

Nathan glanced back at me, still with that same mischievous glint in his eyes. “You know what, Olivia? I've got a solution for you, since you keep whining,” he said, his voice playfully teasing. “Hop on my back, and I'll give you a piggyback ride.”

His suggestion caught me off guard, but the thought of escaping the constraints of my impractical shoes was too tempting to resist.

“A piggyback ride?” I asked with a disbelieving chuckle.

“Yes. Come on.” Nathan crouched down in front of me, waiting for me to climb on. I touched his shoulders, but then stopped myself and took a step back.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked, a touch of hesitance in my voice. “What if I’m too heavy?”

Nathan rolled his eyes at my hesitance. “Do I look like a weakling to you?” he asked. “Besides, you look like you’re about as light as a feather. Maybe even lighter.”

My cheeks turned red. “Fine,” I whispered.

Taking a deep breath, I let go of my inhibitions and climbed onto his back, my arms wrapping around his neck.

As he straightened up, I felt the strength and solidity of his body beneath me, making me feel safe and secure.

And, oh, his hair smelled like a mixture of fresh pine and a subtle hint of that grapefruit-scented cologne that I had become so familiar with — a combination that sent a wave of warmth through me.

With gentle yet surefooted steps, Nathan carried me further into the woods.

“See?” he asked, striding confidently through the woods. “Light as a feather.”

My face flushed an even deeper shade of red, and no words would come when I opened my mouth. All I could focus on was not succumbing to the sensation of him holding me and the scent of his sweet hair.

The ground beneath us was a tapestry of fallen leaves and mossy rocks, and the trees loomed tall and majestic around us. I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder, as if we were venturing into a magical realm, away from the rest of the world.

Eventually, we reached a small clearing where a crystal-clear pond lay nestled amidst the trees.

“Here we are,” Nathan said, gently setting me down.

The water sparkled like a thousand diamonds, reflecting the vibrant greenery surrounding it. The surface of the water was dotted with green lily pads and algae, and the edge of the pond was surrounded by lush cattails. It was like a hidden sanctuary.

As I looked out over the little pond, I felt my heart swell in my chest, as though someone was pumping it full of air like a bike tire.

“Wow,” I murmured, taking a step closer to the water’s edge. “This is beautiful.”

Nathan chuckled. I looked over my shoulder to see that he was standing much closer to me than I realized, with his hands in his pockets. In fact, he was standing so close to me that I could feel his breath on my skin.

He looked out over the pond with a dreamy look in his blue-green eyes, and it was then that they were almost the exact same color as the water here, and I would never forget it.

Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming urge to close the distance between us.

His lips looked plump and inviting in the light shafts that came in through the barren oaks and dark green pine trees, and I wanted nothing more than to taste his lips and find out if they tasted like grapefruit, lily pads, or pine sap.

I almost did, too. But then, the rational part of my brain kicked in and reminded me of the consequences of kissing my best friend. Our relationship was muddled enough as it was, and I didn’t need to cause even more confusion between us.

With an amount of self control that I didn’t know I had, I cast my eyes back down at the pond and pretended to be completely invested in the algae as I took a few steps away.

“It really is beautiful,” I said, swallowing nervously. “What made you want to come here right now?”

Nathan was silent. I froze for a moment, then turned to look up at him. There was surprise etched across his face.

“What is it?” I asked meekly.

Nathan’s eyes had a far-away look to them, and he shook his head. “You don’t remember?” he asked.

———————————————————————

My dear readers, Thank you for stopping by and reading this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I’m trying my best to update asap. I’ll appreciate it if you explore my other stories as well. Please follow my facebook page Caroline above story and group Caroline above story if you wanna chat or keep updated on my writing schedule.

Yours，Caroline above story