The sun wore its way through the green canopy overhead. Every so often letting the wind rustle through the leaves as a gentle reprieve to the searing sun that brought with it that warm gaze.
He followed her through the trail, each of them winding and turning as they made their way along the path, taking a break away from the busy lives they could escape if only briefly with a getaway into the trees.
"Keep up, old man!" She called back, teasing as she led. Her years of exercise easily allowing her to set a brisk pace. He had found it tough to match, but was doing so at least for the moment.
"Whatever, slowpoke!" His voice chuckled as he replied, their usual banter never ending in almost every task. Day after day the two seemed to always know what to say or do, bringing one another out of the banal doldrums of their lives.
If he was down or anxious, her quick wit and smile always seemed to ease the sensation, making him able to take a deep breath and know that it would be alright. He hoped that his undying friendship brought along a similar sense of comfort, their friendship lasting most of their and through it all his care and adoration never seemed to waver.
Again she reached up to push a large overhanging branch from her path and dragging it forward, It did not go without notice when she did just how the muscles on her freckled shoulders and back rippled with the power within. Her small frame was packed with not just beauty, but a surprising amount of strength. The small white top that exposed her shoulders but covered her spine seemingly accentuating the act.
"We should be almost at the lake, I can hear the waves" She glanced back over her shoulder, catching his eyes glazed over in that familiar expression letting her know he was once again admiring her from his place behind.
"Hey, you listening? Heads up!" As she stepped forward, she let go of the branch and watched it sling itself back into place, his eyebrows raising with a "HEY!" as the leaves rocketed towards him.
Cracking twigs and a cry of surprise made her almost double over in laughter as the released branch took him square in the face, his sunglasses tilting on his nose while the hat on his head went off somewhere up and beyond. The vision of his surprise and the look on his face was perfect, her laughter carrying through the trees and echoing slightly, as if the whole of the forest found the act amusing.
"Oh. Oh it's on now, lady." His hands pushed at the tree, sliding it out of the way as he began to step under it, darting forward and reaching towards her only to have her dance just out of reach in time.
"Try it, old man!" She giggled again, teasing once more as she turned and darted down the walkway.
Not one to give in, especially to her when she absolutely deserved payback, he sprinted off in chase. Ducking another branch she had let swing, he could not help but grin at her high pitched giggle the beautiful redhead let out as she darted to the side, her small but powerful frame shifting to the side and always just keeping out of reach.
As they rounded the last bit of bush and out into a small opening that revealed the expanse of the small secluded lake, he finally managed to reach out just as she stepped up onto a larger rock, his arm pulling at her and keeping her tipped slightly off balance.
"Gotcha! That's it, you're going in!" He laughed again, not fully intending to follow through on that threat, but it seemed like a good idea.
Oh how wrong he was.
Turning her slender frame, his longtime friend slipped to the side, making him over extend and move too far, his body hanging on that wavering point of balance.
Right then and there, things moved seemingly in slow motion. Her arm still clenched in his grip, his body swaying back, and with a most unceremonious tumble, both of them slid off into the cool brisk lake.
Luckily enough, the backpacks had been dropped as the chase began in earnest, but when his head poked up above the water, her unimpressed smirk showed the clear indication that her soaked clothing and boots were still punishment worthy.
"oops." He grinned, hardly able to contain the humor in his voice at the ridiculous situation. Somehow, someway, it was predetermined that something crazy would happen. It always did, and here they were, chest deep in a secluded lake in hiking gear.
"You. Are. Such. A. Dork." she swatted at him, water splashing upward and around as he covered his face. Quickly dashing forward he scooped her tight, part from keeping her from splashing again, partly because he loved nothing better than an excuse to wrap his arms around the beautiful woman.
"Absolutely. But it's still your fault."
"My fault!" She mock-horrored the words, her hand pressing hard against his face in a teasing swat that made both of them laugh once again.
For a moment he just paused, letting the world around him reveal itself to his senses. The sun shone high, its heat making their impromptu swim comfortable, even through the wet clothing. The slight breeze causing her nipples to harden against the white fabric of her shirt, leaving even less to his already vivid imagination.
"This isn't the worst decision I've made in awhile." He murmured, his eyes looking deep into hers, the playfulness still there, but intoned with that deep affection he always tried so hard to push down, but not always having the willpower to succeed in.
"Yeah you planned this whole thing," she slowly pushed closer, letting him feel her body's warmth against his. She knew he ached for her, she loved that he seemingly always was fighting the urge to pull her tight. Now that he had, she also reveled in teasing him mercilessly, knowing full well his body ached to have more. A fact proven by the firm push up against her hip by his growing arousal.
