A Texas Soldier's Family. Cathy Gillen Thacker

ask?”

      “I thought you were going to say something.”

      For the life of him, he couldn’t remember one word. “Nothing. You look amazing.”

      She slowly looked him up and down. “So do you.”

      It’s going to be a long day. He closed the locker and reached for her hand. “We’d better get going.”

      At the base of the fall, a vendor asked if they wanted their picture taken.

      “Yes. Take two.” He wanted a memory of this trip with her. The photographer took the pictures of them together, then one of them separately.

      “You can view the pictures on your way out and buy if you like,” the man said.

      Once they started the climb, Damian took a picture of Karen using the waterproof camera she’d brought along. Instead of linking hands and climbing with the others, they chose to leisurely climb to the top, stopping to linger in some of the pools along the way. Unable to resist, Damian came up behind Karen, wrapped his arm around her and trailed kisses along the smooth flesh of her neck and shoulders. She moaned softly. Turning her in his arms, he transferred his kisses to her jaw and nibbled on her lush bottom lip until her lips parted. He kissed her hungrily. Her hands came up and circled his neck.

      “I can’t get enough of kissing you,” he managed to say huskily against her lips before kissing her again.

      “Damian,” she whispered, her body trembling.

      He pressed his lips to her temple, squeezed his eyes shut and tried to slow his galloping heart. Damian had never been so tempted by a woman in his life and certainly hadn’t ever lost control this way. He opened his eyes, eased back and released her. Giving her one last kiss, he took her hand and gestured her forward. “Come on, baby. Let’s keep going.”

      * * *

      Karen didn’t know how he expected her to climb anything after kissing her senseless. Her legs felt like rubber, her heart raced and her mind was a jumbled mess. She took a moment to collect herself before climbing the next step. They moved at a good pace for a while, and she stopped along the way to take a few pictures to show her students. After taking the last shot, she turned and lost her footing.

      Damian tightened his grip on her waist. “Careful, sweetheart.”

      The low timbre of his voice in her ear and the heat of his touch wreaked havoc on her nerves. She sucked in a shaky breath. “I’m good.” She glanced up. “We’re almost at the top.”

      Once they reached the top, she turned and looked down with her arms spread. “That was great. I can’t wait to get back and see the pictures.”

      He nodded. “I’m glad you allowed me to tag along. How about we get changed, stop and pick up the pictures, then get back to the van? It’ll be leaving shortly for lunch.”

      “Okay.” They retrieved their belongings from the locker and headed to the changing facilities.

      “I’ll wait for you over by the lockers,” Damian said.

      She nodded and watched his sexy stroll until he disappeared. “Mmm, mmm, mmm.”

      Inside, Karen stripped off her soaked bathing suit, dried off and dressed in shorts and a tank top. She combed out her wet hair and secured it back into a ponytail. She met Damian, and they returned the water shoes, paid for the pictures and boarded the van taking them to the restaurant.

      “You didn’t have to pay for the pictures, Damian,” she said once the van pulled off.

      “Think of it as my way of saying thank you. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much. I’ll never forget it,” he said, holding her eyes with an intensity that made her insides tremble.

      “Neither will I.” She stared down at the picture of them in her hands. At least she would have something to remember him by when the cruise ended. But for some reason, the thought of never seeing him again caused a churning in her stomach.