Heathen and Honeysuckle (Pacific Shores Book 1) by Sarah A. Bailey

Author:Sarah A. Bailey [Bailey, Sarah A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-05-07T00:00:00+00:00

“Careful, honeysuckle!” I shout from the bottom of the rock.

“Leo,” she huffs, “I’ve gone hiking before.”

I pause at the bottom of the steep embankment, hand on a hip. “Don’t be silly, Darby. You’ve lived your whole life in Kansas. You don’t even know what mountains are.”

She slowly steps around the rocks and roots, closing the gap between us as she mutters, “Heathen.”

When she reaches me, I outstretch my hand to help her jump the last few feet down onto the flat ground. We’ve been hiking through the red rocks for hours as we explore Arches. The bright color of the formations clashes with the piercing blue sky, illuminating the world around us in vibrancy. Despite it, she’s still the brightest thing out here.

We’ve just finished the three mile round trip hike to Delicate Arch, the most famous landmark of the National Park. The sun is beginning to lower on the horizon as we silently make the trek back to my Mustang.

“That was pretty incredible, though. One of those things you’ve seen a million times but never actually realized was real.”

I nod in response.

“I’m glad we spent the day here,” I say as we reach the car.

“Me too, Leo.” She smiles at me from the passenger side as I unlock the door. “I just realized another good thing to come out of all of this.”

“What’s that?” I smile.

“You finally found your dream car.”

I found my dream girl again too, but I don’t say that out loud.

As we slowly drive out of the Park with the top down, the setting sun against our faces, and the wind blowing through Darby’s hair, I notice a peaceful smile on her flushed cheeks.

I can’t help the fluttering inside my chest as I watch her. She looks so carefree, so happy.

The look on her face stirs something up inside me enough that once we make it to the exit of Arches, I don’t turn left toward town and our hotel. Instead, I turn right.

She whips to face me, amused confusion highlighting her face. I only shrug, smiling back at her as I fly down the highway.

Cars become fewer the farther away we drive until we’re the only vehicle on the one-lane road. I pull up my phone, deciding to play a song I know will keep her smiling.

Just as the beginning of the song begins to play, Darby’s beautiful face lights up with laughter. She props her feet up on the dash again, lifting her hands above her head to feel the wind blow through them as her hair flows behind her.

I press my foot against the accelerator, bringing the car to full speed just as the beat drops on ‘Summer’ by Calvin Harris. I feel Darby’s light laughter in my bones, my chest soaring with the speed and proximity of the beautiful woman next to me.

I allow myself, for the first time in ten years, to feel every emotion coursing through my body, to relive the perfect moment from the perfect night all those years ago, the moment I’d known I well and truly gave my heart away to the girl in my passenger seat.

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