Diving In

Chapter 1 Preston “Seriously. Oh, my God. Preston! Do you see this?” I shot Sawyer a look. He was practically bouncing in his seat. Holding back a chuckle, I nodded even as I patted his thigh. “Since I’m driving, I can say with absolutely certainty that yes, I do, in fact, see it.” Sawyer smacked my arm and scowled, but by the glint in his dark blue eyes, I knew he didn’t mean it. “Ha ha. Very funny.” He let out a contented sigh. “But just look at how gorgeous it is!” The surroundings were definitely pretty. And very much unlike the downtown condo we lived in. Albany was a great city, but it was big and congested. Lots of people, lots of traffic, and not nearly enough nature. So when we decided it was high time for a vacation, my husband wanted something as different as he could find. This place fit the bill perfectly. Nothing but trees and water for miles around. “Park already, would you?” Sawyer could barely contain himself, and he unbuckled as soon as I slowed to drive over the speed bump that separated the driveway from the parking lot. He placed his hands on the dash as he leaned forward. Then pointed to a spot. “There. Just pull in.” “I was trying to see if—” “Park!” Sawyer laughed. “Please, we can move the car if we need to later.” As soon as I pulled into a space, Sawyer popped open his door and jumped down. I took the SUV out of gear and followed a little more sedately. And then froze as I watched Sawyer. He tilted back his head so the sun illuminated his milky features and caught the blond strands in his light brown hair. He took a deep breath, then another, before a smile stretched across his face. I always thought he was beautiful, but in that moment, he was simply stunning. “Do you smell that?” he asked, his voice filled with awe. “Smell what?” My words came out as more of a croak. Five years married, and seven together, and he still made my breath catch. I was lucky that he’d given me the time of day all those years ago, and even luckier he loved me just as hard as I loved him. “The air! It’s so clean and fresh. No pollution. No car exhaust. Just trees and water and life.” I did laugh then, but the fondness I felt nearly had my heart exploding. Good God, but I loved him. “I think all this fresh air is making you giddy.” He nodded quickly, then jogged around the front of the car to join me. He took my hand, then again tipped back his head, this time to smile up at me. “Quite possibly. My body doesn’t know what to do with all this untainted oxygen.” “Well, you better get used to it. We’ll be here a month. Sawyer’s face practically split in two with the force of his grin. “I know!” I kissed his temple, then gave him a tug so he’d start walking. “Come on, let’s get checked in. I think that’s the office over there.” Though I’d had to get Sawyer moving, he was the one who all but dragged me to the rustic log-cabin style building at the edge of the parking lot. He hopped up the steps and pulled open the screen door, but I reached over his head to hold it open so he could enter first. He gave me a sweet grin as he slipped under my arm, brushing a hand across my stomach for good measure. “Mr. and Mr. Waters?” “That’s us,” Sawyer said with a happy little sigh, and he bounced farther into the room. My attention, which had started to wander around the small space, was instantly captured by the captivating creature behind the counter that bisected the room. He was wearing a polo shirt with the business logo on the breast, and…I blinked. A purple and silver crown. “Welcome to V Wilderness Adventures! We’re so happy to have you here. I’m Everett. Let’s get you checked in.” It took only a few minutes. Everett clicked at his keyboard and swiped our credit card, all the while chatting and gesturing animatedly. Relief flooded through me. Though Sawyer had done his research, and he was certain this place was LGBT+ friendly, it was comforting to see that in action. There was no mistaking Everett’s orientation. He wasn’t bothering to hide it. Sawyer elbowed me—no doubt because he could tell my mind was wandering—and I tuned back in to what Everett was saying. “The cabins are newly finished, and you’re our first guests to stay in them. Though we do have other reservations throughout the summer.” He grinned, handed me back our card, then reached for a stack of brochures he’d placed to the side. “Here’s all the information you’ll need about the area. Local places to visit if you want to, and places to eat. Okwaho Lake is an amazing little town. We even have a great cover band! You should check out Reine if you get a chance. They are fantastic!” “Thanks,” I said as I reached for the brochures. But Sawyer got there first, grabbing them and immediately starting to look through them. I nudged Sawyer with my hip and added pointedly, “We’ll be sure to check it all out once we’ve settled in.” Sawyer gave me an apologetic smile. Everett held out two key cards, grinning. “If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. One of us will always be around, and if you can’t find us, or don’t feel like looking, you can dial zero on the house phone and you’ll be connected to Jackson right away.” Everett clicked a few more buttons. “And, before I forget, we’re having a party on the fourth of July, here at the campgrounds, if you’d like to join us. Locals and guests alike. Barbeque and socializing. And there will be fireworks over the lake as well.” “Sounds awesome,” Sawyer said. “Thank you, Everett. I like your tiara.” Everett preened a little under Sawyer’s shining gaze. I fought the urge to pull Sawyer closer, although I didn’t need to worry. I trusted Sawyer completely, and besides, Everett knew we were married. “Thank you, Mr. Waters. It does complement me beautifully, doesn’t it?” Everett let out a ringing laugh as he posed with a jaunty head tilt. “The boys bet me I wouldn’t wear it every day for a week. Silly men. They really should know better.” “The boys?” I couldn’t help but ask. “My best friends. We all own the business together.” With a long finger, he tapped the top brochure in Sawyer’s hands. “Our story is in there, along with info about our place.” “I can’t wait to read it.” Sawyer flipped open the brochure, but I slung an arm around his shoulders and turned him toward the door. “Thank you, Everett. We’ll just get our bags and get settled in.” “You’re in Cabin Four. Would you like any help?” “No, thanks,” I said with a wave. “We’ve got this. Is where I parked okay?” I pointed out the window toward the SUV. Everett nodded. “Anywhere in the parking lot is fine.” “Thanks again. We’ll let you know if we need anything else.” “Please do! And again, welcome. We hope you enjoy your stay!” I steered Sawyer out of the office and into the sunshine before he could respond. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I was tired. Three hours of highway- and backroad-driving had taken its toll, and I was more than ready to get unpacked and relax. I needed some quality time chilling with Sawyer. After the last few months, we both deserved that. We had brought only two bags apiece, so it didn’t take long to retrieve them from the SUV and find our cabin. Sawyer’s head seemed like it was attached to a swivel. He kept glancing around and smiling hugely. With each step we took, some of the tension melted off him. Seeing him relax helped me to do the same. We’d both been nonstop busy since the beginning of the year. I’d been in charge of several big projects, and even though I did my work sitting in front of a computer, analyzing businesses and finding ways they could improve was mentally challenging sometimes. Sawyer, on the other hand, spent his days chasing after second-graders. He’d had a tough class this past year, and when school let out the week before, he’d been relieved. It was the first time the end of the year hadn’t made him sad, and I was grateful our vacation had already been booked. Sawyer bounded up the three steps onto the small porch of our cabin, then, so excited, it took him two tries to get the key in the lock. He gasped when he pushed the door open and laughed. “Preston, honey, you’ve got to see this!” The cabin was one large room with two doors that presumably led to the bathroom and bedroom. The rest was open, the small kitchenette blending seamlessly into a dining area and a comfortable-looking living room. “There’s a fireplace,” Sawyer breathed, dropping his bags. “I see that.” “I read that the nights can sometimes get chilly. Won’t it be great to sit here with a crackling fire?” “Yes. It will.” “Aren’t you excited?” Sawyer gave me a mock pout while he traced the thick wood mantel with one hand. I couldn’t help but stare at his fingers, then realized he was waiting for an answer and my momentary silence had started to make him worry. That little frown line had appeared between his brows. “Baby, I am thrilled. Four weeks. Nothing pressing. Just you and me and the great outdoors.” I set down my bags and crossed the floor to him. When I opened my arms, he immediately snuggled into my embrace. We fit perfectly together, and I loved the feel of his body against mine. He was sometimes a manic ball of energy, and I truly enjoyed having that pulsing into me. Sawyer kissed my neck, then nudged my collar out of the way so he could press his nose to the spot where my shoulder and neck met. He took several long, slow breaths and relaxed completely against me. He didn’t have to worry. He knew I would hold him up. “Admit it,” he whispered, his breath tickling my skin. “This was the best idea I’ve ever had.” “Well…second best.” He pulled back, confusion all over his pretty face. I smiled at him, then kissed him. It was short and sweet, but we’d have plenty of time for the other kind of kisses later. “First best was asking me to marry you.” Sawyer threw back his head and laughed, and the sound made me grin. He was so happy, it was as though the past few months hadn’t happened. I loved him like this, and I vowed right then and there to do whatever I had to in order to keep him this way. “Okay, point,” he conceded, laughter still in his voice. “Second best. But holy crap, Preston, this is going to be amazing.” “Yeah, baby. It is.” I kissed him again, gave his ass a pat, then pushed him away. “Why don’t we get unpacked?” He really did pout then. “Do we have to? I want to explore.” “Yes, we have to. I’m not living out of suitcases for a month.” His grin turned wicked. “Then you unpack. I don’t have a problem living out of a suitcase.” I hummed as I headed for my bags. “Ah, but you packed the lube in your bag. So really…” He raced for his suitcase and duffle, scooped them up, and nearly dropped them. “What are you waiting for? We need to unpack!” He jogged toward the bedroom, and I followed more leisurely. There was no need to rush. We had all the time in the world. It was going to be an awesome four weeks. Just my man and this beautiful place, us relaxing and enjoying the scenery and each other. What more could a guy ask for?