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“I’m taking her swimming.”
“Ooh, are you going to?—”
“Ah, ah, no, Mamí. Don’t ruin it,” I chide, cutting her off before she can effectively ruin the surprise.
“Ohh, I see,” she says with a knowing look, her smile wide and brows raised. “Well, you two have fun, but I expect you home forChinchónand dinner tonight, yes?”
“Yes, Mamí. We’ll be home by sundown.”
Mamí cups my neck, giving me a quick peck on either cheek before doing the same to Elise, who looks over at me like my mother hung the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
SUNDAY, JUNE 8
Rafaeland I parked along the side of the road and have been walking in the heat for what’s been at least ten minutes, and I’m roasting out here.
The views of the cliffs are gorgeous, but it’s hard to see much of anything with the sun blinding me, even with sunglasses on. “I’m not even going to say it, but you know what I want to know,” I grumble.
“Yes, princess. We’re almost there,” he says, his tone teasing as he smacks my ass.
We walk for a few more minutes before we approach a massive rock wall with striated layers throughout. The roaringsound of rushing water isn’t far, and anticipation starts to sizzle through me.
I bounce on the balls of my feet as the sound grows nearer, and the moment it comes into view, I know exactly where we are.
I have a habit of watching travel videos, something Rafa has started to do with me. And a few weeks ago, I’d shown Rafael another video I’d found online about the most amazing places in the world to visit and told him I’d love to come to this waterfall in Argentina someday. It looks like today is that day.
My wide eyes swing to his, and I’m met with an irrepressible smile that fills my blood with honey. He takes my hands, dragging me along with him as we run together toward the entrance.
I’m stopped in my tracks when we get to the small alcove that opens up to where the frothy cascade of water falls into the crystal-clear pool below. There are three distinct falls with some smaller ones between them only trickling with water by comparison.
The lush greenery surrounding us combined with the distinct absence of people is awe-inducing. It feels like it’s our own private oasis, and it’s far more beautiful than in the video.
“Come on,” Rafael says, gently dropping my hand and reaching behind his head to pull off his shirt.
If I thought my mouth was hanging open before, it’s nothing compared to how I probably looknow.
“God, you’re beautiful,” I admit, wasting no time running my hands over his chiselled abs, outwardly staring at every inch of him. I think I could spend every minute of every day with him and still feel disarmed by his beauty.
His warm brown eyes meet mine, and that bowed mouth of his tilts in a lopsided grin as he loops his fingers in the waistband of my denim shorts, tugging them down my legs. He releases a frustrated growl when they get stuck over my ass, his deft fingersworking furiously to undo the button, slide down the zipper, and pull them the rest of the way as I use his shoulders for support.
“Come on, gorgeous girl, let’s go for a swim.”
In the next second, he has an arm cradling my back and the other hooked under my knees, carrying me toward the water.
He walks several feet into the glistening pool before sinking us down into it. My arms are wrapped around his neck, and when he releases his hold on me, I start to float with ease, my body bobbing to the surface of the cool water.
My brows crinkle as I let go of him, cupping handfuls of the water.
“I feel weightless,” I murmur, slicing my hand through the surface. “Aren’t waterfalls supposed to be fresh water?”
“The falls themselves are fresh, but they get their water supply from an entirely different stream than the pool they fall into. If we swim closer to the falls themselves, you’ll sink more easily as the water toward the rock walls is more brackish.” He takes my hand, guiding me toward the gurgling water.
Cool mist coats my skin, and just like he’d said, the weightless feeling dissipates the closer we get.
I stand with my arms out and my face toward the sky, soaking in the sun’s rays, which are much less harsh here compared to our walk from the car. The tops of the cliffs are sprawling with lush, green-topped trees creating a shaded hammock over this space. It’s not enough to make everything dark, but I don’t have to squint my eyes or cover them with a hand.
This place is truly otherworldly, unable to be adequately described with words alone.