Page 50 of Marry Me Tomorrow
Not wanting to disturb Trent’s sleep, I carefully lift my leg from his, placing it back on the bed with deliberate slowness. The weight of his arm around me shifts, his breath warm against my skin. I can feel the slow, steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath his chest. I don’t think I can take this much longer. Being this close to him and knowing it’s only causing more pain is too much.
A soft “mmm” escapes from him, and he buries his face in my hair and neck. The sound and movement send a flash of warmth through me, igniting something deep inside. As much as I want to pull away, there’s something comforting about being held like this, so close and protected.
“Good morning,” he mumbles, his voice husky from sleep. His arms curl instinctively around my waist. “I like waking up next to you,” he says. His body adjusts to hold me tighter, pulling me closer to his chest.
“Good morning,” I reply, my voice quiet. I want to stay in his warm strong arms, but I can’t give in to the emotions. Emotions were not part of the plan. This cannot continue or else I’ll lose my heart to him. “If you don’t mind, could I . . . ?” I gesture to his limbs entangled with mine.
“What?” Trent says, sounding confused.
“I need to get out of this bed.”
“Oh, sorry,” Trent says, slowly untangling himself from me, his gaze distant. His fingertips brush against my skin as he moves, sending a shiver down my spine. “I guess I thought . . . well, I don’t know what I thought.”
“No worries,” I say as I slide out of bed, my heart still racing at his nearness. I close the bathroom door behind me and lean back against it. My skin feels flushed. My mind replays the warmth of his embrace, the way his arms held me protectively, naturally. Oh my gosh, it felt so good to be held in his arms. It felt like I belonged there, like it was something meant to be. But it’s not. We aren’t meant to be together. Our time is counting down.
After showering, I feel like I can face Trent without blushing. I head out of the bathroom. Trent is already in the small kitchen, fixing coffee and breakfast. The aroma of eggs and sausage fills the room.
“What’s on the agenda today?” I say, trying to keep things light and wanting to skip any awkward conversation about getting out of bed this morning.
“Well, I was thinking we could drive through Cades Cove and have a picnic before we try out the trail Sheryl told us about,” Trent says, his voice calm and easy. No awkwardness lingers between us.
“That sounds nice,” I agree, taking a coffee from him as he finishes cooking. “Thank you for making breakfast.”
“My pleasure. What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t take care of my wife on our honeymoon?” Trent’s eyes sparkle, and he flashes an easy smile that always seems to catch me off guard. Ugh, why does he have to be so perfect? Jenny you’re going to have to keep your walls up today.
Chapter 21
Trent
The winding, eleven-mile loop of Cades Coves brings us to several historic homesteads and churches. And the trails we hike are breathtaking. The trees are tall, their green canopy creating a lush, almost magical feeling. But though the views are gorgeous, something is off with Jenny. She’s much quieter than usual, barely talking. And she seems rigid, as if she’s trying not to brush up against me or set her hand too close to mine.
At lunchtime, it’s not much better. We stop at a quiet picnic area beside a stream, Jenny and I sit across from each other, sharing a sandwich on a small picnic bench. Still she barely looks at me, and she leaves more than several inches between us on the bench. Hours ago, we were nearly intertwined, and today she’s distancing herself from me. What happened between then and now?
Finishing our lunches, we dispose of our trash in the bear-proof trash cans.
Once we return to the cabin, we head around to the woods out back and find the trail Sheryl had mentioned. The air is cool and heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth. The dense forest feels tranquil and untouched, as if we’re the only ones here. The path is narrow, winding between towering oaks and tangled rhododendrons. The trees seem to stretch upward, their branches forming a natural canopy above us.
We hike on for a good thirty minutes, taking in the sounds and sights of nature. I tap Jenny on the arm, offering her a water bottle from my backpack. She takes it, her fingers brushing against mine before she quickly pulls away.
“Thank you,” she says, drinking from the bottle and then flipping her head upside down to put her hair up. She uses a hair band to pull her hair into a messy bun. The simple gesture leaves me momentarily transfixed. There’s something mesmerizing about the way the tendrils of her hair fall away from her neck, the flush on her cheeks from the hike adding to her beauty.
“Sorry,” she says, glancing at me as she smooths her hair. “I know I look a mess, but I was getting hot with my hair down and had to throw it up.”
I nod mutely, unable to form words. How did I get so lucky? This beautiful woman is my wife. What alternate reality did I fall into?
“Trent, you okay?” Jenny asks, tilting her head as we continue walking.
I clear my throat, taking another sip of water. “Yeah, just thinking. I wonder how much further until we reach the waterfall. We don’t want to be out when the sun starts to set.”
“Oh, good point,” she says, glancing at her watch. “We’ve gone almost two miles. How about we go one more, and if we don’t see the waterfall, at least it was a beautiful hike.”
“Sounds good to me.”
As we walk, my mind races. How am I supposed to share a bed with someone I’m insanely attracted to? There’s no other choice, so I’ll have to rein it in and deal with it.
Just before we hit the three-mile mark, the dense canopy overhead suddenly gives way to a clearing. Jenny gasps and halts a few feet ahead of me. Before us, a waterfall cascades down a craggy outcrop, its crystal clear threads tumbling into a pristine lagoon below. The sunlight streams through the gap in the trees, scattering a rainbow of colors across the water’s surface. The lagoon, framed by moss-covered rocks and large ferns, shimmers in shades of blue and green. A cool breeze carries the soft roar of the waterfall and the faint calls of hidden birds. It seems a place meant for just us, serenity seemingly untouched by human hands.
“This is just . . . incredible,” Jenny breathes, her voice filled with awe.
