Page 44 of A Touch of Murder (Touched #1)
"Too much for you?" Adam turned to wait for Barret who was a few steps behind him as they hiked up the trail to Two Drops Falls. Sweat beaded both of their foreheads as Adam straightened the backpack on his shoulder.
"No, it feels great to be out here." Barret still had his arm in a sling, but he was doing much better after two weeks of healing. "The falls are just around the corner. I can hear them from here."
Adam heard them as well. "We'll find a quiet spot for lunch once we're there.
" Adam turned and started walking again.
It was so nice to actually be out on a date with someone.
To spend time with someone who he didn't have to worry about offending if they touched.
Someone who didn't think of him as a freak because of what he could do.
They'd come so far in just a few weeks since they'd met.
On day one, he couldn't have imagined the two of them being friends, but now, he couldn't imagine his life without Barret in it.
They'd been taking things slowly and hadn't done more than share a few kisses and hold hands, but Adam knew the time would come when they'd test touching each other even more intimately.
He had no idea how it would go, but he wasn't going to worry about it.
He was enjoying his time with Barret too much to let fears about the future ruin things.
"I don't know how you do it in running pants and those long gloves. I'm sweating to death." Barret wiped his brow.
"I'm used to it. Besides, if I wore shorts, I'd spend the afternoon telling you the history of every rock we stopped to sit on. You'd get bored very quickly.
"I don't think anything you'd say could bore me."
Adam laughed. "Let's not test that, okay?
" He came around the bend and stopped. The view of the waterfall was breathtaking.
Mist from the water filled the air around them.
"This is amazing." He'd been up several of the trails before, but never up this one.
It was why they'd picked it for their hike today. "I'm not going to want to go back."
"Over here." Barret pointed to a small clearing. "We can put the blanket down and eat over here."
Adam followed. He paused to open the backpack and pull the blanket out. Once he had it in place, he sat down beside Barret. "Wonder what Becky sent with us?" She'd handed him several bags of food, telling them she'd been happy to cater their date for them.
"She better have included an apple fritter."
"And a cinnamon roll." Adam started to open the bags.
He handed Barret a bottle of water, twisting the cap open for him.
Then he set out the deli sandwiches she'd made them.
A glance into the bag showed him that Becky had indeed sent their favorite desserts.
"Your sister is amazing. If I wasn't falling for her brother, I might have asked her out. "
"God, don't start. Half the police station is in love with her because of her baking skills. It's a shock she's still single with how many love her food."
"Maybe that's the issue. She needs someone to see her for her and not what she bakes.
Kind of like me. I just needed someone to look past what I do and see the real me.
Someone not afraid to let me see the real them.
" He leaned in and gave Barret a kiss. He still got flashes every time they touched each other, but he was getting better at ignoring them and staying focused on the here and now.
They ate in comfortable silence and Adam didn't want the day to end. When they'd finished and Barret relaxed back, resting his head on Adam's thighs, he smiled down at him. "Thanks for taking a chance with me."
"Thanks for letting me." Barret closed his eyes. "I thought you were crazy when we first met. Now I know you must be, because you're dating me."
Adam laughed. "Shut up. I would have been crazy to let you walk out of my life.
I don't know what our future holds, but for now, I can't think of anyone I'd rather be sharing it with.
" He caressed Barret's hair back from his face and hoped this date was just the first of many.
Barret didn't fear him or his touch, and that was something Adam had never known from anyone else. It meant everything to him.