7
—

"Put me down!" I yelled as Ciro sprinted through the forest with me slung over his shoulder.

First, I pounded on his back, but upon noticing how cringe that was, I pulled up his shirt and clawed at his back.

"Ahh!" He slowed into a jog. "What are you—Jude!"

He started skipping, causing my head to bounce painfully up and down until I gave up and let him run toward the waterfall and river. He slowed to a jog before coming to a halt. I craned my neck and saw the river come into view.

He took four paces back. God, I knew exactly what he was going to do.

"Ciro... Ciro! Ciro, no!" I clawed at his back again.

He was laughing now, a laugh choked in fear. "On your count, Jude."

"Put me down, Ciro! Now!" I made my voice gentle. "Please."

"Fine." I sighed. "On my count."

"Oh, God! Ciro, no!" I kicked my legs and ruffled his shirt.

"Quit it, Jude."

"You could go yourself! Just put me down."

"One."

"C, please!"

"Two."

"Oh, God! For how long, Ciro? How long?"

"Three." I braced myself, but nothing came. "Four." He groaned. "Five! Six..."

I relaxed. He was too scared to do it.

"Seven," I counted, along with a smile.

"Eight!" And with that, he sprinted for the water and plunged us both into the murky water.

The second my body ripped away from his, I started toward the riverbank, clawing at the surface just as he had yesterday. I crept onto the shore and panted, coughing up whatever little water entered my lungs on all fours.

I sat down and wiped my face to see Ciro had yet to emerge. I shot myself to my feet and shook with anticipation on the shore. Seconds streamed on, but a sharp pang thundered in my chest when it hit the minute mark.

I bit down on my nail as I took a few paces back before I dashed forward and dove into the water. I frantically went above and beneath the surface, whipping my head left to right and feeling through the water for him or for whatever had silently taken him away from me.

I was getting desperate, my heart pounding as my eyes stung from the water. I couldn't decide if I wanted to cry out of fear or the stinging in my eyes.

I swam to the surface and plunged back down, but not before I heard something. I flung myself to the surface to see him waving and calling at me from behind the waterfall.

Rage surged through my veins and propelled me to glide through the water toward him. I climbed up and ventured through to see him fan-girling over the way the river looked from this new angle.

I stomped toward him, feeling the urge to slap that stupid grin off his face. "You fucking scared me, shitass!"

He walked toward me and reached for my face. "I'm so sorry, my prince."

"No!" I slapped his hand away. His head inched back in confusion. "What the fuck?"

"Jude..." He clearly didn't understand my rage. "I'm sorry."

"You can't just fucking—"

He stepped closer, his proximity startling me into silence. "I said I was sorry."

I clenched my jaw. "I heard you." My voice came out hoarser than was acceptable.

He sighed. "Can we please calm down?"

I nodded, closing my eyes. "I just—I thought something got you."

"Did you open your eyes for a second under there?" His high energy was coming back, and it was a balm to my nerves. "Oh, my God," he breathed slowly. "It was amazing, my prince, truly spectacular."

"Yeah?"

"Yes." He nodded. "We have to go back."

I sat on a large rock, fixing my hair with my hands. "Not right now, okay?"

He nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah. That's okay. We can go when you're ready." He tugged at his clothes, lost in thought.

"So now your fears are just gone?"

His mind was elsewhere, but he still replied, "I'm still uncertain, of course, so there's that anxiety. But now my curiosity is stronger than that."

"Same," I muttered, and he smiled, but little did he know my curiosity ran to something different. As if he read my mind, he took off his shirt, revealing his toned physique.

He looked at me, expecting something for a moment, before saying, "Come on now. Take off your clothes."

I could have felt how red my face was becoming. "What?"

He took off his pants as he spoke. "Oh, you're not coming back in my jeep with your wet clothes." He flung his clothes over a higher rock to air dry. I sighed. "My seat was wet for a while after the last time. I was so scared that I would come out with wet pants."

I snickered, "'Haha, Ciro wet his pants.'"

Ciro chuckled as he turned to me, but my smile slipped as I made direct eye contact with the part of him that his boxers failed to properly conceal. I thought he caught me, but he was still thinking, eyes cast ahead.

He said, "We're gonna have to bundle up the clothes and toss 'em across the river."

I smiled. "And pray it doesn't fall in the water."

"I was a quarterback." He now pretended as if he were an old British monarch. "I can assure you, my prince, that I will safely escort your clothes across the river unharmed by the vicious water."

I chuckled an 'okay' and got up. I took off my clothes, feeling self-conscious as he shamelessly observed my body.

"You look good, Jude."

I awkwardly hung out the clothes and smiled. "Thanks"

I sat on the rock, and he sat beside me. I looked at him, and he grinned, scooting closer. He combed through my hair, saying, "Arred an amars al-genes moak saya leghaya." I furrowed my brows at him, so he explained, "It means that... I think you have pretty hair."

"Really?"

"Of course."

He smiled before returning his gaze to the waterfall before us, eyes trailing from where it began to where it joined the river. His breath was steady and admiration was vivid on his face. I always felt as if I was watching a cinematic masterpiece when I looked at him. His features would fit in so well with any background.

My heart clenched. Now was the perfect moment. I knew I shouldn't think and just act because if I think, I'd think myself out of it.

He was still blissfully unaware. I squinted, peeking as I leaned in. He turned to me suddenly—about to say something—and our lips grazed.

He chuckled, "Shit. Sorry."

"It's fine."

He tasted his lower lip in thought before asking, "Are you sure?"

I didn't reply. All I did was clear my throat and crash my lips against his.