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I couldn't help my gasp of amazement at the sight before me. The water sparkled in the sunlight, creating a rainbow of colors that danced across the surface. The mist from the waterfall sprayed onto my face, cooling me down from the exertion of the hike. This was definitely worth a thousand hikes.
"It's beautiful," I said in awe, turning to look at Hunter. He was grinning from ear to ear, clearly pleased with himself for showing me such a magnificent sight.
"It's worth it, no?" he asked, placing a hand on my back as we stood there together, taking in the stunning scenery.
"Damn well worth it. I wish I could see it again for the first time. How did you find it?" I asked.
"Walking up here with Mark, he likes the outdoors."
"I can't think of anyone he might have gotten that from," I teased, laughing. Hunter gave me a little kiss on my head, his lips pressing softly against me. I felt my heart speed up, heat washing over my face and then over my body. This would be the best time to tell him about the baby, here together, just the both of us and nature on all sides.
For a few minutes, we just stood there, admiring the natural wonder before us. And in that moment, I felt a deep appreciation for the beauty of the world around us, and for the person standing beside me who had brought this wonder to me. My heart swelled with emotion. The beauty of the natural world around us paled in comparison to the warmth and affection I felt for Hunter. I knew then that I was falling in love with him, despite my reservations and fears.
I tried to push the feeling aside, telling myself that it was too soon and that I needed to guard my heart. But as we walked back down the trail, my thoughts kept returning to Hunter and the way he made me feel.
Falling in love with Hunter so soon would be a damned mistake. He hadn't said anything to hint at the fact that he even liked me, and I was already thinking of love. I laughed softly.
"What's that?" Hunter asked beside me.
"Just thinking of love and lovers,” I said softly.
"You're a strange woman and you're limping too," he said. I was limping a bit. He bent over and offered his back. I hesitated, staring down at him strangely. "Get on, what are you waiting for?"
Jesus, I would be in love with him soon. I was falling right over the edge, and I wasn't certain if I wanted to stop.
Facing Fears
Becca's POV
I woke up to the sound of Hunter thrashing in bed next to me. There was the sound of his muffled cries, and I could feel him trembling next to me. At first, I thought he was just having a bad dream, but then I realized it was a full-blown nightmare. His face was contorted in pain, and he was sweating profusely. I reached out to touch his arm, hoping to wake him up, but he didn't respond.
His body was quivering on the bed as he fought something off, his arms flailing. I watched him for a moment, feeling helpless. I knew that had been struggling, his nightmares had gone away for some time, but it seemed they had returned with a vengeance, this one was the worst one yet.
I gently shook him, whispering his name. "Hunter, wake up. It's just a dream."
I heard him mumble something about "the war" and I winced. Hunter had been drafted into the army at a pretty young age and he must've seen some things no child should see. I gently shook his shoulder and called out his name, hoping to bring him back to reality.
He jolted on the bed, but his eyes stayed closed and his body kept juddering violently on the bed, I thought about shaking him and decided against it, it wouldn't do to wake him so suddenly. My heart was beating fast, a feeling of inadequacy filling my veins as I thought of how to help him.
"Hunter, wake up," I whispered, gently shaking him. So gently that his body barely moved. Maybe my voice would reach him, maybe it would snap him out of his pain. I leaned forward and crooned softly to him, like a mother with a teething baby. Hunter was my baby after all, and it wasn't his fault that his trauma caused him such pain.
He jerked, and the sound of his cries filled the room. He was thrashing beside me, his face in agony. I could feel his body trembling with fear, his sweat soaking the sheets.
"Hunter, wake up," I whispered, shaking him again. "It's okay, you're safe."
He startled and bolted awake, gasping for air, his eyes darting around the room as if he was still trapped in a war zone. It took him a moment to realize where he was and when he did, he sat up and looked at me, his frenzied gaze breaking my already beating heart.
"Hunter, what's wrong?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing at my eyes. I could feel tears biting at them.
Hunter was panting and sweating profusely, his eyes wide open and full of fear. "It's nothing," he muttered, trying to shrug it off.
I knew that wasn't true. I had seen this before - Hunter was prone to nightmares, especially when he was stressed or anxious. I scooted closer to him and put my hand on his chest, trying to calm him down.
"Talk to me, Hunter," I urged. "What did you dream about?" "Oh baby," I said, shifting closer to him on the bed. He moved away from me, his eyes distant, his rejection hurting. But his eyes were still wild and panicked, so I tried not to hold it against him. He was going through more than he could bear.
I sat beside him, my eyes on his face, trying to not intrude till he was ready to let me in, he breathes in and out in large panting gasps till he slowly relaxed, then I moved closer again and wrapped my arms around him. He turned his face into my body, and I lay back down, his chest against me.
I held him close, feeling his rapid heartbeat against my chest, and stroked his hair as he gradually calmed down.
