pouring over the stone to fall down into where it formed a small pond in the ravine below. The frog they had heard before gave another croak, as if to congratulate them.
They stopped and looked at each other.
“I think we’ve made it!” Steven said. He was grinning; he didn’t even know why he was so excited. He had no idea what Cleo’s Grandma might have hidden for her.
But they’d had an adventure together, and that was reason enough. A day spent exploring secrets in the wilderness with his mate was all the treasure he could want.
But she doesn’t even know about mates. Would she still want to go treasure hunting with me if she knew…?
“Come on, let’s go down!” Cleo pulled at his hand, openly laughing now.
Her cheeks were reddened from the wind and the exertion. Her eyes were gleaming with delight, and strands of her hair kept falling into her face.
She was stunningly beautiful, and Steven’s heart ached again as he looked at her. How would he be able to leave this behind? She made him laugh. She made him happy. He’d always been content enough with his own company—but then, he hadn’t known that it could feel like this . Her smile was enough to cause warmth to spread inside his chest. And her touch…
He quickly had to focus his attention on the small waterfall again when he felt the first stirrings of desire.
Not now, he told himself. Later …
Carefully, they made their way down towards the pond. They had to take a little detour, but eventually found a spot where the ravine widened. Here, the steep stone walls turned into a gentler incline. Some storm had felled a few trees years ago, and now there were bare trunks and withered branches to hold on to as they slowly descended.
The frog was still sitting on a stone at the back of the pond when they finally made their way back. It stared at them and croaked in consternation.
"If this were a fairy tale, it would give us a hint," Cleo said and narrowed her eyes at the animal.
The frog croaked again, sounding almost offended. The next moment, it was gone, plopping into the water with a splash.
Steven grinned. "He said to be less lazy and do our own research.”
Cleo gave him a disbelieving look. "You speak frog?"
"Sure," Steven said easily.
"Any other talents I don't know about?" Cleo's raised brows showed only too clearly that she didn't believe a single word.
"I think you've already seen the most important ones," Steven murmured.
Cleo flushed in answer, then laughed.
"I think I did last night, yes," she said and grinned at him. "Still, to be certain maybe I'll need another demonstration once we've made it back?"
Steven felt desire return at the memory of the past night. "Of my knowledge of frog language?"
Cleo giggled and lightly boxed his arm. "Don't tease! You know exactly what I mean!"
"I think I do," he said with a little growl, eyes lingering on the way her curves pressed enticingly against her shirt.
They were close now to where the X was marked on the map. Soon they'd find whatever her Grandma had hidden away for Cleo—maybe some childhood memento?
From what Cleo had told him, he didn't think they'd find a box full of gold. But their little treasure hunt had made Cleo laugh. And for a grandmother, there was probably no greater treasure than a grandchild's happiness.
"There, look! The frog!" Cleo gasped and pointed at where the small animal had now resurfaced.
It crawled onto a stony ledge as they watched, right where the water came falling down from above. And then—then the frog simply hopped behind the waterfall. It didn't return, even as they waited.
"I think there's a cave behind the waterfall!" Cleo's voice was breathless with excitement. "It's just like a movie. That must be where the treasure is hidden!"
Steven eyed the pond. The ledge ran along the wall the ravine had formed. There were a few large rocks in the way, but when he curiously moved closer, he saw that the rocks led right up to where the ledge
They stopped and looked at each other.
“I think we’ve made it!” Steven said. He was grinning; he didn’t even know why he was so excited. He had no idea what Cleo’s Grandma might have hidden for her.
But they’d had an adventure together, and that was reason enough. A day spent exploring secrets in the wilderness with his mate was all the treasure he could want.
But she doesn’t even know about mates. Would she still want to go treasure hunting with me if she knew…?
“Come on, let’s go down!” Cleo pulled at his hand, openly laughing now.
Her cheeks were reddened from the wind and the exertion. Her eyes were gleaming with delight, and strands of her hair kept falling into her face.
She was stunningly beautiful, and Steven’s heart ached again as he looked at her. How would he be able to leave this behind? She made him laugh. She made him happy. He’d always been content enough with his own company—but then, he hadn’t known that it could feel like this . Her smile was enough to cause warmth to spread inside his chest. And her touch…
He quickly had to focus his attention on the small waterfall again when he felt the first stirrings of desire.
Not now, he told himself. Later …
Carefully, they made their way down towards the pond. They had to take a little detour, but eventually found a spot where the ravine widened. Here, the steep stone walls turned into a gentler incline. Some storm had felled a few trees years ago, and now there were bare trunks and withered branches to hold on to as they slowly descended.
The frog was still sitting on a stone at the back of the pond when they finally made their way back. It stared at them and croaked in consternation.
"If this were a fairy tale, it would give us a hint," Cleo said and narrowed her eyes at the animal.
The frog croaked again, sounding almost offended. The next moment, it was gone, plopping into the water with a splash.
Steven grinned. "He said to be less lazy and do our own research.”
Cleo gave him a disbelieving look. "You speak frog?"
"Sure," Steven said easily.
"Any other talents I don't know about?" Cleo's raised brows showed only too clearly that she didn't believe a single word.
"I think you've already seen the most important ones," Steven murmured.
Cleo flushed in answer, then laughed.
"I think I did last night, yes," she said and grinned at him. "Still, to be certain maybe I'll need another demonstration once we've made it back?"
Steven felt desire return at the memory of the past night. "Of my knowledge of frog language?"
Cleo giggled and lightly boxed his arm. "Don't tease! You know exactly what I mean!"
"I think I do," he said with a little growl, eyes lingering on the way her curves pressed enticingly against her shirt.
They were close now to where the X was marked on the map. Soon they'd find whatever her Grandma had hidden away for Cleo—maybe some childhood memento?
From what Cleo had told him, he didn't think they'd find a box full of gold. But their little treasure hunt had made Cleo laugh. And for a grandmother, there was probably no greater treasure than a grandchild's happiness.
"There, look! The frog!" Cleo gasped and pointed at where the small animal had now resurfaced.
It crawled onto a stony ledge as they watched, right where the water came falling down from above. And then—then the frog simply hopped behind the waterfall. It didn't return, even as they waited.
"I think there's a cave behind the waterfall!" Cleo's voice was breathless with excitement. "It's just like a movie. That must be where the treasure is hidden!"
Steven eyed the pond. The ledge ran along the wall the ravine had formed. There were a few large rocks in the way, but when he curiously moved closer, he saw that the rocks led right up to where the ledge
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