The forest's scent quickly enveloped her under the shade of the pines and fir trees. Like the other seasons, Autumn carried its distinctive scent, enticing Eve more than once to pause, take a deep breath, and listen to her heartbeat.

Dying leaves and damp earth, mixed with the nuances of conifers and spicy mushrooms, swirled by a cool wind.

It was a time of change. Something old ended only to bring forth something new after some time of rest. Something fresh and strong.

It was exactly what she needed.

Except that she didn't feel strong or fresh at that moment.

How could she have been so stupid as to embark on this spontaneous hike?

The small flame of motivation quickly extinguished when she realized the Chucks she had put on for the hike were anything but suitable. While Ryker's boots had no problems with the uneven game trail, it was a completely different story for her shoes with their stupid and far too-thin soles. Crap. After the first hour, she would have preferred not to take another step, as every stupid stone seemed to drill straight into the soles of her feet. Soon, it hurt with every step - but she didn't want to complain.

Firstly, it was because of Ray, but above all, it was because of Liam, who was having a great time on this outing. The little rascal hopped over fallen tree trunks, climbed over large boulders, and ran ahead on the path with Chief - who obviously shared the little man's joy - to "spy" on him.

"We can take a break," Ray said, and Eve wasn't sure whether to take the smile on his lips as sympathetic or insulting. "Look, there's a bench up ahead."

She smiled wryly. She didn't have the breath for an answer.

'Pull yourself together. You won't get fitter just standing in the kitchen baking cupcakes. Liam wants to see the cave, so you'll make sure he sees it,' the young mother encouraged herself. She felt a little boost of motivation, at least for a short while—at least for the next few meters, until it went uphill to the bench Ray was talking about.

She was incredibly embarrassed that Ray and Liam had to slow down because of her. But she couldn't keep up with the former soldier and the young bouncer in the long run, both of whom had stamina for ten, unlike her.

"Liam! We're taking a break here! Don't run so far!" she called after her boy, who was roaming through the undergrowth with Chief. Shortly afterward, he announced with a loud squeak that he had discovered a small pond.

"He'll be completely exhausted later," Ryker commented, and Eve could only laugh briefly. Beneath her fingers, she scratched the rough bark of the fallen oak tree in their path, most of the branches of which had long since broken off. No one bothered to clear the tree away - what was the point when these tiny footpaths were rarely used anyway? With a low groan, Eve heaved herself onto the trunk and swung her legs over it.

"Come on, I'll help you," Ryker offered from the other side, stretching his arms out to her as if to catch the chubby little Rapunzel in case she fell off the wooden tower.

Sighing inwardly, Eve held out her hands and slid down to Ray. As she held onto his shoulders, his strong arms caught her safely, and Eve wondered if this trip and her weight wouldn't aggravate his injury. Then again, he was working pretty hard at the cottage ...

"What are you thinking about? You seem so absent," it suddenly murmured close to her ear. A hot shiver ran down her spine, and only now did Eve realize that Ryker hadn't let go of her but was still holding her in his arms.

"Oh! Sorry!" she stammered, feeling her face grow hot despite the cool autumn air. Embarrassed, she wiggled her feet slightly but couldn't even touch the ground with the tips of her shoes. 'Ray put me down,' she pleaded, her brow furrowing with rising concern.

'Eve ... can you please go down? You're really heavy...' the dark voice of the past murmured inside her. 'Maybe you should try this new diet.'

Her heart stumbled over the stones inside her as Eve swallowed a little harder and immediately felt twenty kilos heavier. Inevitably, the image of a pitiful bug under a large boulder, crushed underneath in agony, came to her mind.

She could see the interplay of emotions in Ray's eyes: mischief, astonishment, and, for a brief moment, a darker haze settling over the craftsman's bright eyes—only to brighten again breathtakingly as his lips curled into a good-natured smirk.

"You're not too heavy. I've dragged men through the dirt who've weighed more than you," Ray said, shifting his weight back a little to balance himself. Eve noticed that he was putting considerably less weight on one leg. "Our equipment sometimes weighed more than 50 kilos," he added, laughing softly.

His laugh was a pleasant, deep, and masculine sound that she liked far too much.

'Stop that! You mustn't fall in love with the far too hot craftsman!' her inner voice hissed admonishingly, but her reason had been dying for a long time. She knew full well that she was lying to herself if she tried to deny that she already felt decidedly too much for Ray. It would end in a terrible drama. She suspected it—no—she was sure of it!

And yet she couldn't stop staring at him and ... enjoying the butterflies in her stomach despite everything. How long had it been since she had felt like this?

"You always worry too much."

Slowly, Ray let her slide down his body. The whole man was one seductive mass of muscle and heat—a strange mixture, if you like—like a roast with chocolate sauce. It was hard to believe that something like that could actually melt in your mouth, but it was the same for her.

Ray reminded her of a rock bathed in summer sunlight. It looked hard and felt unyielding, but when you got out of the cold water, exhausted and frozen, nothing was better than lying down on one of these warmed, hard rocks. It radiated a protective hardness but was soft at the right moment.

As if attracted by a magnet, her eyes glided over his features, which seemed softer here and now. Maybe she was imagining it... Nevertheless, she couldn't help but linger on the curve of his lips between the dark beard. His arms were still around her waist, holding her so close that she could feel the warmth seeping through his shirt.

"You have to let go of me..." she whispered more softly, realizing how rough her voice suddenly sounded. The heat seemed to pour from her chest into her veins like sparks from a fire that the wind had fanned too quickly.

"Really? Do I have to?" he murmured, and Eve could feel the thoughtful humming beneath her fingers on his chest as he leaned forward a little further, inevitably pulling her closer into his arms.

Her gaze wandered restlessly upwards again and met Ray's eyes, which seemed so blue at that moment that she could have sunk into them. They weren't cold or made of ice, as she had first thought. Instead, they were like a raging sea, pulling her into a storm that swirled everything inside her and took her breath away. Suddenly, the cool autumn air seemed to sink into the crackling between them and took Eve's breath away.

She opened her mouth, closed it again, and instinctively ran her tongue over her lips, which were suddenly as dry as the Sahara. This man was the water, so close yet far too far away.

Ray's body tilted a little further forward as if he had read her thoughts, and he let the distance melt as quickly as her clear thoughts. An ice cube in the desert must feel like she did in this man's arms: melting.

The tip of his tongue barely touched her lips, and yet her body reacted to this man with such overwhelming force that she felt dizzy. Immediately, all the touches, all the kisses, and moments of the night flashed through her mind, and her body felt like it was on fire.

As if in a dance, her lips opened for him, as if of their own accord, and offered his tongue entrance as his mouth descended more firmly on hers. Eve's world seemed to be spinning in a frenzy. But this time, she abruptly released one foot from the merry-go-round as she pressed herself against his chest, suddenly breaking the kiss.

"R-Ray, wait!" How could she sound so breathless when she hadn't moved a meter? Heavens!

"Did I do something wrong?"

Oh God. Ray looked at her like Chief would if she'd just snatched his favorite toy out of his mouth. Groaning softly, she wiped one of the red strands from her face with one hand and felt her chest tighten.

"No, it's not that," she stammered quickly, feeling like a teenager. How could she be in her mid-twenties and still feel awkward at times like this?

Shit.