Six
“Long way or short way?” Aelissm asked Pat after closing June’s back door behind them.
“Long way this time,” he replied.
Without waiting for her, he stepped off June’s deck, and she had to stretch her legs to keep up with his long strides.
Pat glanced at her with a mischievous grin. “Now who’s huffing and puffing?”
“Oh, hush up.”
“I told you it wouldn’t take me long to get acclimated.”
“I never doubted you, but you know me. I couldn’t resist teasing you.” Aelissm laughed. “Is this what you do in your spare time when I’m not around to entertain you? Hike around the cabin?”
“Maybe.”
He chuckled and playfully hip-bumped her. It was difficult to ignore the instinct to take his hand, and as the days marched by, the strength and persistence of urges like that grew, incited by living
