In Between Seasons

Chapter 10

After two weeks of traveling through the rough forest I got used to my footing, and I was able to keep up with Hunter with minimal breaks. He was careful to pace us, even breaking to walk at times when he thought I needed to slow down. He was usually right.

Dusk was trailing us, chasing us deeper and deeper into the never ending forest, and I could feel a storm setting in as the cool air stabbed at my lungs. I concentrated on the rhythmic sound of Hunter's paced breathing as I pushed myself to keep going. I wasn't going to stop until he told me we needed to, but I knew when we did my legs would be jelly again. I was pushing hard, desperate to get to wherever the hell we were going. The endless traveling had my nerves on end and my senses peaked. I noticed every movement now, and I watched as the sun streamed through the trees, causing the air to shimmer with the particles of dust lifted in our wake.

Hunter pulled me out of my thoughts as he slipped his hand into mine and smiled over his shoulder down at me.

"I love this time of day," he said, watching the wind whipping my hair around my face.

I didn't understand how he could talk and run, because I was sure I was going to choke if I did.

"The air is electrified," I finally managed to gasp out.

"That's because your hand is in mine," Hunter said, raising an eyebrow as we jumped over a fallen tree limb together.

I stopped dead and his hand jerked from mine. There was no way I could breathe, concentrate on not falling and laugh at the same time.

My hands were on my knees as I managed through laughter to say, "Was that a pick up line? Or are you really that arrogant?"

"I thought it was a reasonable response," he replied, and when I looked up his wide smile met his eyes, wrinkling them at the corners as he laughed with me.

He handed me a bottle of water from the pack.

"Actually," Hunter said. "I just like to hear you laugh."

"That also sounds like a cheesy pick-up line," I replied, finally able to stand somewhat straight.

"But what if it's the truth?" he asked as his smile dissipated into a thoughtful line.

"Then I really appreciate it," I answered, and I was acutely aware my pulse was racing when it should have calmed already.

Hunter turned his face to the sky and nodded. "It looks like we should set up camp here. The storm shouldn't be here for at least eight hours."

"Are you sure?" I asked as I rubbed my arms against the cold.

"I'm eighty percent positive," he answered with a wink. "The other twenty percent says God wants us to bathe."

I looked down at my muddy, sweat-filled clothes, suddenly aware I hadn't bathed with soap and warm water in weeks.

"Do I smell that bad?" I asked, my eyes drifting from his tattered sneakers up his torn jeans to his blackish-gray shirt.

Hunter shrugged. "No worse than me."

I rolled my eyes. "If it rains, I'm going to strip down and dance in it."

Hunter's brow furrowed. "Or you could just wash up in a stream...with your clothes on."

"I've been doing that for weeks."

"So you just feel the need to randomly dance around naked?"

I shrugged. "It sounded like a good idea when I said it."

"You just want to see me naked," Hunter teased, and the smile he was attempting to suppress burst forth as his crossed forearms bulged.

The thought ran through my mind, and I knew I blushed. I was pretty damn sure he looked amazing naked.