We have hiked into the mountains outside of the city, and it is now evening.
It is a summer's evening, but in the mountains the air always tends to feel a little chill. We have a campsite with a tent.
There is a place for a fire, but we haven't used it yet. We've finished a light, hiker's dinner a short time ago.
You know that there's a reason I've brought you to this place but I won't tell you what it is. "Trust me." I say, as I've said so many times before.
The sun has set, and the last traces of orange sky can still be seen in the west, over the mountain peaks there.
In the east, stars are just beginning to peek out of the darkening sky, shining 100 times brighter than can ever be seen in the city.
Finally, I stand and hold out my hand to you.
You rise and take my hand, and I pull you gently away from the camp, to a faint trail near our tent.
It is not too dark here yet, and I seem to know my way. In fact, my eyes are more often on you than on the path as I guide you through the tall pine trees toward some rocks or cliffs nearby.
You look at me questioningly, but I will not spoil the surprise now.
Just before reaching the large rocks, the path turns to go around to the right side of one large one. As we follow the path around, the air begins to feel heavier and, surprisingly warmer!
As we move between the very large boulders, some new, strange and unexpected sounds reach your ears.
A low hissing, a rumbling, and... is that bubbling?
The air definitely feels humid here, and, with all the various clues, you're not very surprised when, coming around a very large rock, you see water.
Not a cold mountain stream or a pool of melted snow.
This is a large, colorful pool with waves of steam curling off its surface!
To the right, you can see where the water flows out of the pool, flowing between the rocks to a natural channel, obviously flowing down the mountain side.
To the left, the source of this pool, a hot spring, with water bubbling so furiously from it that it's almost a geyser.
The spring splashes over and the water flows over hard stone and empties into the pool, which is now just a few steps from us.
I stop, and turn, and as I turn, I pull your hand to the side, so that you also turn into me.
I smile mischievously at you, nearly bursting with happiness for the surprise I've prepared for you.
The earth of the path has mostly turned to stone, like the stone all around the pool, but it is dry here. There is grass behind us and a few hardy mountain flowers around.
But as the evening deepens, these things become invisible to us. Only the white bubbles of the spring, the mist rising from the pool, and each other can be seen.
Still without words, I lean down and place my lips on yours.
My arm circles around your waist to bring you close against me. Your little baby bump is the first thing that presses up against me, but you're not so far along that I even have to bend forward more than usual to meet your lips. Still, I love that and every little reminder of the little life we've got growing inside you.
I feel your breath sigh out of you at our kiss, and your arms circle behind my neck.
A few more long but soft kisses build the emotion between us.
Whether it's the atmosphere of the pool or something between us, it begins to feel hot here, where we're standing.
I take a step closer to the pool, pulling you with me, not wanting to break our embrace.
I sink down to my knees and then sit on the rock there. My hand holds yours strongly, and I pull you down.
You are unsure exactly what I intend, so you nearly lose your balance, but I catch you and sit you on my lap on the ground, with both my arms completely around you.
You are turned to the side, relative to me, and you only need turn your head and lower it to kiss me again, which you do, lovingly.
Your arms are on my shoulders now.
Perhaps a little sooner than I should, my hands move to the bottom of your shirt, hunting for the way to your skin.
My rough hands move across your belly, finding a gap between your shirt and belt. I caress that spot gently.
Your kisses have become more passionate and I take that as a sign that I may continue.
Now my whole hand is under your shirt, still moving across your belly, your sides, your back.
As I become braver, my hands move higher until I brush against your breast.
Your hands have begun to move too, to pull on my T-shirt, trying to reach to my skin too.