I reached my clothes and started looking for my underwear.
The recording was repeating itself, “… security team is on its way to this site. Please vacate the premises immediately.”
Dalton grabbed my clothes and bundled them in his arms along with his clothes. He’d slipped on his shoes, but not tied the laces. He nodded down at my shoes, for me to do the same.
“But I can’t get my pants on over my shoes!”
“No time,” he said. “Shoes, and then we run.”
“Shitfuckshitfuckshitballs!”
By some miracle, I got my wet, sandy feet into my sneakers, and then the two of us were off and running through the forest trail. Fucking naked.
“Faster,” he urged.
My boobs were flying everywhere, threatening to knock me out, so I clamped down on them with folded arms.
As we ran through the bushes, with evil whipping branches whacking me on all my sensitive areas, I continued my panicked refrain of every swear word I knew, mashed together.
Dalton interrupted, saying, “Just breathe. Swearing doesn’t make you run faster, but breathing does.”
I wanted to punch him in the face so bad.
Instead, I wheezed out, “Motion sensors? Why? How? Who? Why?”
“They’re probably bluffing. I bet there’s no security team coming, just—”
Over the sounds of our footfalls was another noise. A dog barking, and a man yelling excitedly. Then, what sounded like a gunshot.
I began swearing again, because contrary to what Dalton said, it did make me run faster.
“Shortcut,” he panted, and hauled me sharply to the side, off the very rough trail and onto what wasn’t even a trail at all.
Now the tree branches and bushes really started slapping my bare flesh. I guess some people are into that sort of thing, and it certainly was exhilarating, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I was moving fast, but soon my lungs were on fire, so that slowed me down.
“We’re almost there,” Dalton panted.
I stopped and leaned against a tree to catch my breath. “Go on. Save yourself. Leave me here. I’ll take the rap for both of us.”
“I could carry you?”
He was strong and probably could, but how far? The horror of him attempting to do that prompted me to get moving again, my arms still acting as the worst sports bra ever.
We trudged on, still f**king naked, the barking dog still behind us.
Was that a glint of metal up ahead?
Never before have I been so happy to see a car as when we emerged from the bushes and found the black car waiting for us.
We yanked the doors open and jumped into the seats, our naked, damp bodies making rude noises on the leather.
Dalton started the car and began doing a ten-point turn to get us headed in the right direction. Just as we took off down the trail again, he turned to me, his eyes wide, and started howling with laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
We bounced up and down as the car dove over bumps and ruts on the rough trail.
“Look at yourself,” he said.
I looked down at my body, surprised to find I wasn’t exactly as na**d as I’d thought. I had a smattering of green leaves and flower petals all down the front of me. Dalton wore the same decoration, all down his chest and on his arms and legs.
“We have matching tattoos,” he said.
“Very funny.” I reached down to the floor, to where he’d tossed the ball of our clothes, and fished out my sweatshirt. I had a short coughing fit, from all the phlegm brought up by the running, and when that calmed down, I pulled on the sweatshirt.
“That was so worth it,” he said. “Remember when the deer came to say hello?”
He was clearly amused with the whole adventure, but I was not. I just wanted to get dropped off at home, where I could shower off the leaves, then get dressed and never be na**d again.
We bumped along the rough trail in silence.
A few minutes later, he pulled the car out onto the access road, and it wasn’t long until we were outside the private property again.
I thought I’d be relieved, but I just felt more anxious.
When we got to the turn-off to head back into Beaverdale, he turned the car in the opposite direction.
“Next adventure,” he said.
“Seriously? No. How about you just take me home. I think we’ve had enough fun for one day.”
“You’re mad because I channelled Drake Cheshire for you.”
“No.”
“You’re mad because I made you go trespassing.”
“I’m not mad. Just tired.” We drove for a moment in silence, then I said, “I’m not really that out of shape. I go to the gym sometimes, and I walk absolutely everywhere, but I don’t do much cardio. Obviously.”
“Oh.” He nodded slowly, his gaze still on the road ahead.
“I’ve had a lot of fun with you, but I think I’ve reached my limit. It’s time for me to get back to my regular life.” I looked down at my na**d lower body. I was sitting in a car with no pants or underwear on. “This is so not my regular life.”
“Mine neither.” He reached over and squeezed my greenery-dotted bare leg right above my knee. “I think that’s why I feel happier than I’ve ever been. I’m alive, and it’s all because of you.”
I squirmed in my seat and turned to the window.
“Great, now you’re making me feel bad.”
He kept his hand on my leg.
“That wasn’t my intent,” he said. “Hey, have you ever noticed how much easier it is to tell secrets when you’re driving somewhere?”
“I guess.” I pinched my lips shut, unwilling to tell secrets.
After a moment, he said, “Why is that?”
I sighed. “I think the road makes you feel safe. The repeating pattern of movement. It’s like staring at a river, or a crackling fire.”
He pointed to a turnoff sign up ahead. “What’s that? Is it really a waterfall?”
“Dolphin Falls? It is a waterfall.”
“How about we go check it out? Two water features in one day? Like a double feature. Then I’ll take you home.”
“Sure.” I could feel myself falling under his spell again, willing to do anything Dalton Deangelo suggested. I didn’t want to fall, but even with my eyes wide open, it was unavoidable.
We turned off and drove along the access road until we got to the small parking lot. We were the only vehicle there, which didn’t surprise me, as it was around dinner time. The place was more popular at night, as a makeout spot.