Eventually we were ready to leave; Daniel was holding Mandi’s reins while he called out, “Hey, Cheyenne, Mandi asked me to tell you she’s ready to go.”
Rolling my eyes, I had no other choice but to walk over. Colt stopped me before I mounted.
“
You know we love to tease you. You come up with some pretty funny stuff.” He wrapped his arms around me.
“
Yeah,” I replied. “It’s my job to provide the entertainment around here. Good thing I take it so well. You know, I could be one of those girls who cry over everything.” I looked up into his mischievous eyes.
“
You could,” he paused as he kissed my head. “But you don’t, and that’s why we love you.”
Chapter 21
We were in no immediate hurry as we rode northwest towards the mountains, casually chatting and taking in the scenery. Dex rode alongside me and talked about the mountain ranges, pointing out specific formations. Wildlife was plentiful and the ground fertile. He said not many people traveled this far out; it was rare to see anyone pass through unless they were Timeless, thus giving me a little sense of security. Between the five of them, they thought it would be safe for me to be out and about.
Making it to the base of the mountain, we followed the river upstream to the waterfalls. I could hear it before I saw it. A musty damp odor combined with the scent of pine trees, wildflowers, and grasses filling the air. As we drew closer, the thunderous claps of water hitting the rocks below echoed in my ears. The volume was startling. At the tips of the falls, the green water splashed, running downward to three levels.
A sparkling rainbow rose up from the rainy mist. It danced in the wind, rising and falling, kissing the surrounding mountains and swallowing the sparrows as they dove in and out. The mist touched my cheeks and eyelids in the gentle breeze, caressing my face so delicately it seemed to memorize me, as it did the cliffs in its soft embrace.
As we rode closer, Colt reached out and touched my arm. I had no words to express what was flooding my mind; I could only mouth “thank you” and smile. He was absolutely right in thinking I would love it here—I did. He always knew what I needed and when. I sighed. He was so perfect for me, and he was mine. Why had I waited so long? It didn’t matter any longer. He loved me, and I loved him. With love, all things were possible. I wasn’t alone anymore.
We continued our ride and returned to the meadow we passed. We dismounted and removed the tack. We allowed the horses to roam freely. From past experiences, I knew they never ventured far away. Colt dug through one of the packs and tossed a pair of shorts at me. “You’ll want to change before we hike back to the falls.”
I nodded and changed. I had my swimsuit on so it wasn’t a big deal. As I turned around, all three of my protectors were waiting—shirtless. It was a distracting sight, all of them in their male glory. I glanced at Lilly, and she smiled.
“
Have fun! Dex and I will be in the meadow.”
Once again, I nodded and followed. Colt led us and thankfully, Daniel and Callon walked behind. I stumbled a couple of times, mostly because I couldn’t take my eyes off Colt. His broad shoulders and narrow waist, my eyes trailed down to his strong legs. I actually contemplated pinching his backside. I just wanted to see what his reaction would be. It would be my chance to catch him off guard, as he always seemed to do to me. If we had been alone I would have, I think. Well, probably not. I was a big chicken at heart.
We chatted lightly along the hike. I came to the conclusion that they were excited to show me the falls up close. We stopped at the base, and I could clearly see the three levels. Each level was about twenty-five feet high, dropping into the next until it ended at the bottom in a deep pool of water. The water seemed calmer at the bottom.
“
It’s not as calm as it looks,” Daniel said as he stood beside me. “It’s very deceiving. Get too close to the falls, and the pressure could suck you under. Even for the best of swimmers, it’s difficult to get out. When the water levels are higher, it’s even worse.”
I turned, smiling. “Guess I won’t be swimming there then, huh?”
“
Not there,” he replied.
Colt tugged my hand, and we began our hike up the first and second tier. The path was narrow and rocky, twisting and turning. The misty water made the rocks slick. Colt kept a firm grip on my hand. Callon also stuck close, and his hand skimmed my side a number of times to ensure I didn’t fall as my footing slipped. It was just enough to make my skin tingle. Stopping briefly, Colt pointed to the caverns carved out on the far cliff walls. The only way I was able to see them was because the season had been dry; the water levels were down considerably. We continued up the path, and made our final approach to the third level, stopping at a rock wall. Colt turned and smiled.
“
Uh, Colt?” I looked at him warily. “I’ve never been rock climbing before, and I’m not sure if this is the best time to take it up.” His fingers remained locked over mine.
“
We’re not going to let you fall. This will be an easy climb for you.”
“
How can it be an easy climb if I’ve never climbed before?” I asked nervously as I drew my hand away and stepped back. He didn’t move, and I stepped back again, tripping over my own foot. Callon caught me by my elbows before I fell on the narrow ledge.
“
Colt’s right, Cheyenne. All three of us are here. We’re not going to let you fall.”
Firmly I replied, “No.” They reached out. Colt took hold of one arm and Callon held the other and pulled me forward. Panic was quickly setting in.
“
No!” I said again. “I don’t think you understand me. I am not fond of heights, and this is an experience I would rather live without if you don’t mind.”
“
Cheyenne, it will be worth it,” Callon said, and they all joined in trying to convince me. I could see it didn’t matter what I said. I wasn’t going to win. They would eventually wear me down.
“
Just put your hands and feet where we tell you to. I’ll be on one side and Callon will be on the other,” Colt promised calmly.
“
Why can’t Daniel just jump me up there?” I shot out quickly in what I thought was a brilliant argument.
Colt moved closer, his fingers tightened around my elbow. “Because this is something you need to experience firsthand.” He placed my hand into a crevice of the rock and pulled me forward. Callon followed suit. “You need to know how to climb if you’re ever in a situation that requires it.”
“
I’m not liking any of you at the moment,” I said in a shaky voice. “Just thought you should know.”
“
Good to know,” Colt replied in a low chuckle.
“
Promise you won’t let me fall,” I begged.
“
I think you know us better than that,” Callon said in a reproving tone.
I reminded myself that I trusted them. “Ok,” I said shakily.
They hovered over me and slowly drove us upwards. My heart was beating as fast as a racehorse, and my palms were sweaty, which made me think I would slip and fall, which made my heart beat even faster. I hated heights, almost as bad as I hated spiders. They were fairly equal in my mind, both things I despised. I really wanted to rip the three men up and down to let them know my displeasure, but speaking the words aloud was too much of a distraction. Each time I slipped, someone’s hand would graze my back or waist. I knew they were just trying to ensure I didn’t fall, but it was sensory overload.
How they managed to climb next to me with one hand was a mystery. My heart went into overdrive as the rock footing passed under my boot, and I was unable to right myself. The sensation of falling almost overwhelmed me. I closed my eyes only briefly. Colt’s fingers locked into my belt loop as the palm of his hand spread out further on my back. It did nothing to calm my crazy pulse. It only worsened it. My breaths were erratic, and I narrowed my eyes as I stared at him, my cheek firmly planted on the rocks as I hugged the cliff wall.
“
You’re fine. I have you,” he said calmly, and that was even more frustrating.
Eventually, we neared the top. Colt thankfully pushed me up and over into a secure location. I rolled to my back, and closed my eyes, trying to put my heart back into my chest. Moments passed before I was able to speak.
“
You are in so much trouble,” I said in a low, deep voice. “All three of you. Just wait until I tell Lilly what you made me do.” I looked up. Colt was perched right next to me.
“
If we’re going to get into trouble with Lilly, then we should probably make it worth our while,” he said slyly.
Glaring, I wasn’t sure what he meant. A gorgeous smile flashed over his lips—it made me wary about what they had planned next. I shook my head, and he helped me to my feet. He had me stand with him closer to the edge. He stood behind while I made sure I remained pressed up against his chest.
The view of the valley from this elevation allowed me to see the stunning beauty unfold below. The majestic rolling hills, the river weaving in and out in the vale below—it was as if the grasses swayed to the music on the breeze. We stood silent, all four of us, for a long time, admiring the view and enjoying the moment.
Daniel smiled. I watched wide-eyed as he simply walked over the ledge and disappeared. I turned to Colt horror-stricken, and quickly saw the devious smile spread over his mouth. Jerking my head towards Callon, I saw the same thing. A second later it dawned on me how we were getting down!
“
No!” I said firmly as I side-stepped them and put my hand out. “No! I climbed the rock like you asked, but I am not jumping off it!” Without a word, they each took a step closer. “No!” I screamed out in panic and began backing up further. “I told you I was afraid of heights…I told you I never wanted to cliff dive! No!”
In the blink of an eye, Callon lunged. Half a second later, he was tossing me into Colt’s arms as he ran towards the edge. Colt spun me around so I was facing him, and I locked my arms around his neck in a death grip. I let out a scream and buried my head into his chest as we fell. Callon was laughing as he jumped next to us. Fifteen seconds later, we hit the water with enough force to knock the air from my lungs. I was latched on tightly, but still felt the pull of the current as Colt swam us to the surface. As I gasped and coughed for air, Colt turned me around and wrapped his arm around my waist as he began our swim to shore. Callon was smiling as he followed.
Colt deposited me on the shore, and I lay on the river rocks, attempting to catch my breath, eyes pinched closed.
“
Don’t ever, and I mean
ever
, do that to me again!” I said through my teeth. Colt’s hand touched me, and I immediately slapped it away. “Don’t touch me! You are in so much trouble!”
“
Awe, it wasn’t that bad.” Colt was chuckling. I knew I couldn’t admit that a small part of me had found it exhilarating or I would lose the edge of my anger at them.
I looked up, and all three were hovering above me. I produced the best possible glare I could manage. They knew I wasn’t really mad anymore and burst into a bellowing laugh, and soon I couldn’t help but laugh with them. I staggered to my feet and attempted to walk away. Each time I took a step, they would block my path. I pointed my still-shaking finger at them. “You just wait until I talk to Lilly!”
Colt raised a brow as he replied, “You have to get to her first.”
I flashed a cunning smile and faked to the right as I ran to the left, straight for the water. I took them by surprise and leaped up on a large boulder and I dove into the river. I swam downstream towards the meadow. Seconds later, the water was splashing behind me, and a few seconds more passed before Callon had a hold of my leg and was pulling me back. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled my back into his chest. He pulled us into a deeper, calmer part of the river and waded, though my feet didn’t touch the bottom.
“
Cheyenne,” Callon said in my ear, causing a chill to run down my spine. “You should know you can’t get away from me.” I attempted to pry his hands away without any success as his grip tightened. I glanced down and saw he was standing on a large boulder. Even if I wanted to stand on my own I couldn’t. The water would be over my head. I was stuck in his arms and couldn’t do anything about it. A small amount of panic rose. Would his closeness bother Colt? I glanced at Colt, but he didn’t seem upset.
“
You’re cheaters, you know,” I said with fake annoyance as Colt and Daniel grinned. Callon squeezed my waist lightly.
“
It’s only because you’re so much fun!”
“
No,” I shot back quickly. “It’s because I’m the only woman who has stayed around long enough…oh yeah, I remember why now…it’s because I’m not allowed to leave!”
Laughter broke out again. From the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of yellow and heard splashing followed by snorting. Callon turned us, and we saw Mandi swimming full speed. She was coming up fast and knocked Callon off his perch, which in turn caused him to release his hold on me. Surprise and panic swept over their faces, until they saw me latching on to her mane and climbing on her back. She swam quickly, and I glanced back, laughing as I left them stunned.
I reached out and hugged her neck. “Thank you, Mandi. You need to bite them when you get a chance. They’ve behaved badly today,” I said through the laughter. She snorted as if in agreement. She swam in the river instead of going ashore; it was as if she was enjoying herself. Looking back, the trio had made it to shore. Mandi and I eventually emerged from the river further downstream. We took our time walking back. We found all of them sitting in the grass waiting. I smiled as I dismounted and went straight for Lilly, sitting down beside her.