“Yep,” I said. “This is just what I needed. Thank you so much.”
We got out of the car. Hunter got a blanket from the back seat and I carried my art supplies. We walked a few minutes until we were away from the car and got set up. Hunter spread the blanket out and plopped down. I unslung my bag of art supplies and did the same.
While he laid down and stared at the sky, I got my sketchbook out and began scanning our surroundings for the perfect subject.
Hunter propped himself up on his elbow and watched me as I made the first tentative lines of a horizon.
“Looks like you’re settled,” he said. “I’m gonna go look for another spot for you to sketch.”
I smiled up at him as he stood up and dusted himself off. “Okay.”
With a wave, he turned and headed off. I watched him go for a moment, then went back to my sketch.
Suddenly I had an idea. I looked up and watched Hunter as he scanned the woods looking for a way in. The way he was framed against a particularly large dune in the background under the cloud dotted sky was just perfect.
I tore out the page I was working on and began to quickly sketch the scene before he made it too far. The details could be fleshed out once I had the basics down, but I wanted to capture this moment as best I could.
The basics came together just as he seemed to spot an opening and charged up the hill into a forest of trees. Smiling to myself, I started work on the details.
I’d been working for around forty minutes when he came back into sight. By the time he got back to the blanket, I was just finishing up inking my sketch.
He looked over my shoulder. “Is that me?”
“Yep. I was watching you go when I realized I had the perfect subject.”
He grinned. “Well, I found you another one. There’s a really cool spot about fifteen minutes walk from here. You game?”
I put my drawing away carefully. “You bet,” I said happily.
It took us a few minutes to pack up, then we were off. We walked across the field and then took a turn up into the trees. After winding around a makeshift path through the trees, we came to a hill.
“The spot’s just up ahead,” he said.
I wanted to ask him how he had found this place but he was already walking up the hill. Hunter got to the top first and flexed his biceps with his chin in the air like he had just won a bodybuilding competition.
I reached him a minute later, a little sweaty.
“Hey, I didn’t realize we were raci—” I trailed off when I saw the view, my mouth dropping in awe.
Lake Michigan shimmered bright and blue beyond the small white sand beach. The calm blue waters stretched out farther than the eye could see. Thick green leaves framed the view from the row of trees that lined the hill. Other than the two of us, there was no one else in sight.
A fresh breeze blew my hair across my face, carrying with it the smell of grass and wildflowers, cooling the sweat on my brow.
I turned to Hunter and tiptoed up to kiss him on the cheek. “Wow. This is beautiful. How did you find this place?”
He grinned and spread out the blanket. “Good old-fashioned exploration. Come on, you get to it. I think it’s my turn for a nap.”
“Okay, let’s lay that under a tree, so at least we can lean on something.”
Hunter nodded and followed me as we walked along the crest of the hill until we found the perfect spot. He spread the blanket against a nice thick oak tree and sat down at the base. I took a spot next to him, gazing out across the lake.
After I had taken my supplies out of my bag, Hunter rested his head on my shoulder so he could nap. I started sketching the horizon where the lake met the sky but was distracted when Hunter kept nuzzling at my neck.
So much for napping. I ran my fingers through his hair while he left soft kisses on my skin. When I looked at him again his hair was sticking in a few different directions like a bale of hay. There were even some eraser shavings in his hair. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What are you laughing at?”
“You look silly. I don’t know if I can keep calling you Gunther Handsome with that hair.”
“Hey, you made it that way. Besides, true beauty comes from within.”
He nodded sagely.
“Wow,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’re so insightful.”
“I’ll show you insightful.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. I hesitated for a moment, then melted into him, overcome by my desire for the wetness of his mouth. The drawing pad fell to the side, but I didn’t care. Even though my aunt and uncle gave us our space, we hadn’t had a chance to kiss like this since our night at the carnival.
We finally broke apart, my chest heaving and breathless. Hunter was staring at me intently, a simmering heat in his eyes.
Our lips crashed together again, and a shiver of pleasure ran up my spine. He smelled liked spring and I could already feel the stirring of heat in my core. Hunter’s rough hands slid up the loose sundress I was wearing. When his thumb rubbed light circles on my thigh, my insides clenched.
I pulled his face to me, needily. I wanted to taste him right now. I reached towards his body, smiling into the kiss when my hands finally found what they were looking for. Hunter grinned too when I rubbed my fingers lightly up the smooth skin of his tight abs and up to his hard chest. He breathed deeply, his chest moving up and down.
“Look what I brought.” Hunter reached into his pocket and pulled out a condom.
I slapped him playfully on the chest. “What made you think you were going to get lucky today? Just because you took me to this great spot?”
“Yeah, I figured once I proved to you how good I am at finding just the right spot, there’s no way you’d turn me down.” He gave me a saucy wink before burying his face into the side of my neck and leaving a fiery kiss there.
My face heated, I checked around us to make sure the coast was still clear. I’d never done this with anyone somewhere so public. There didn’t seem to be anybody in sight, but I was still nervous.
“What if someone sees us?” I whispered.
Hunter stopped kissing my neck and looked around, “Well they’re gonna have to watch on the sidelines, I know you’re not interested in threesomes.”
“No! You know what I mean.”
“I’ve been walking around the whole area for the past hour and haven’t seen a soul. I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine.”
I pursed my lips. Maybe I was making too big a deal out of this. He was right. I hadn’t seen anyone out and about either.