19. Dawson

Walking away from Olivia was never easy. The only thing propelling his steps forward was the promise of spending the next few days with her.

And nights.

It didn't matter that he hadn't had a full night's sleep all week. As soon as Lucas called and said camping, Dawson kicked up dust on his way out to Silver Falls.

He wouldn't be alone with Olivia, but spending time in the wilderness hit differently. It also helped that there were cabins on the ridge, and he wouldn't have to sleep right outside her tent to ward off critters.

Okay, camping was a loose term. Really, the Bensons needed help renovating the cabins on the mountain, so they'd called in reinforcements.

Work a little, play a little. A winning combination.

And deep down, Dawson was a chicken. Not the cute birds Olivia adored. He was scared of rejection, and admitting it stung his pride.

For once, he couldn't read Olivia's mind. He'd been so close to laying it all on the line earlier, but something in her expression held him back.

He could see it now.

"I'm in love with you. Pretty much obsessed. Please be my queen, and I'll adore you forever."

Yeah, he couldn't see her mirroring those feelings back. If she did, they would have moved past the friends stage by now.

Walking into her kitchen, he went straight for the pantry. Protein bars, granola, oatmeal. He gathered a few of each and set them on the counter.

Now, where did she hide the good stuff? He opened cabinets two at a time until he found a stash of potato chips, Skittles, and Oreos.

Bingo.

With the potato chips tucked under his arm, he settled on the couch to wait for Olivia to pack. The book on the end table caught his eye, and he opened to the first page. He read through the prologue, shoving chips into his mouth like he was on a timer.

Olivia stepped into the living room and tossed a backpack onto the floor. "What are you doing?"

"Getting sucked in. Now I need to know if Liz and Ian are going to get back together."

Olivia tipped her chin. "Toss that in my bag. I'll grab a cooler."

"No need. Drinks are provided," Dawson said as he tucked the book into the outer pocket of her backpack.

"So, I think it's safe to say this isn't a road trip. Are these the snacks you want?" Olivia shouted from the kitchen.

Dawson was right behind her, stuck in her orbit like a satellite. "You want anything else?"

"Nope. Looks good to me. I'll get a bag. Grab me a soda, please."

Dawson pulled on the handle of the refrigerator, but it bent where the screws were loose, only opening the door as an afterthought. Squatting to grab a screwdriver from where he'd seen it in his snack search earlier, he tightened the handle.

"You need new appliances," Dawson said over his shoulder.

Olivia strode back into the kitchen and started tossing snacks into a bag. "Stop saying mean things about my refrigerator. This is the longest loyal relationship I've ever had."

Dawson rounded on her. "That's not true! Does my devotion mean nothing to you?"

She crossed her arms over her gray sweater and grinned up at him. That almost imperceptible move of her lips made him want to brush his own against them.

He swallowed hard and tore his attention from her curving lips. Her eyes narrowed, silently teasing that she'd noticed his stare.

And she liked it. That much, he could tell.

Peas and carrots, it was going to be hard to resist her on this trip.

She'd redone her hair into a high ponytail, but she hadn't put on any makeup. For some reason, her natural self made his love burn even hotter. It was like she was giving him a peek at a side of her she didn't show to the world–like she was his to admire in private places.

Nope. No private places with Olivia. Way too tempting.

She took a step toward him and tilted her head, looking up at him with a confidence that said she knew exactly what she was doing to him.

If she didn't cut it out, they'd be spending the rest of the evening in the kitchen instead of camping with friends.

Witnesses. They definitely needed witnesses.

"Thank you for fixing the handle. I've been meaning to do that for a while," she said.

What was she talking about? He must have looked like a lost ball in high weeds because she pointed to the refrigerator.

"Oh. No problem."

She let her arms fall to her sides, revealing the brown chicken on her sweater. "Did you get my soda?"

"Soda? Oh, I'll do that." He turned and grabbed a can before handing it to her.

Smooth move. Now, pay attention!

Betsy trotted up to Olivia, and she lifted the little shaggy-haired pup into her arms. "Can Betsy come?"

Dawson reached out and brushed his big hand over the dog's tiny head. "Sure. We'll need to bring some food for her. And make sure she doesn't get eaten by wolves."

Olivia's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened. "Where exactly are we going?"

Shaking his head, he reached for Betsy. "It's a surprise. At least until we get in the truck and you can't back out."

"But–"

"You take care of the food, and I'll catch up with my friend." Dawson lifted Betsy a little as she squirmed and rapidly licked his chin.

Olivia let out a contented sigh. "I can't believe she loves you."

Dawson gasped. "Is it so hard to believe that a female would love me? I'll have you know I am super lovable."

Giggling, Olivia swatted his arm. "No. I can't believe she trusts you so soon." Her smile faded as she watched the dog love on Dawson. "She was abused, so she was really timid when I got her."

Man, he couldn't imagine hurting a dog, but he came face-to-face with those people on a regular basis. "She knows she's safe with us."

Olivia looked up at him, and her smile returned. "I'll get her food."

Dawson found Betsy's leash by the door and let her lead him outside. She stayed within a few feet of the porch until Olivia stepped outside carrying a backpack, the snack bag, and another small bag of dog food.

Hurrying to Olivia's side, Dawson took the bags and handed over Betsy's leash. "I think she's ready to ride."

"Come on, girl," Olivia said in the high-pitched voice she reserved for Betsy. "Dawson is taking us to some undisclosed location, but we are hoping it's not because he wants to kill us and hide the bodies."

Dawson tossed her bags into the backseat and scoffed. "You have never been safer than when you're with me, my queen."

Olivia and Betsy settled into the passenger seat, and the truck was quiet until he turned left at the end of her road, leading farther from town.

"I'm not worried or anything, but can you tell me where we're going now?" Olivia asked.

"The Bensons have some cabins out on the ridge they want fixed up. Some of us volunteered to spend a weekend out here doing some renovation."

"So, you tricked me into working on my weekend off. I see how it is," Olivia said.

"Actually, I believe I said you wouldn't have to do anything. I know at least a couple of women are coming. It's not like you'll be alone."

"Wait, you said no beds," Olivia reminded him.

"Well, there are two cabins, but the mattresses are old and have to be tossed. Beau is bringing the new ones tomorrow when he gets off work. So, tonight, we're on the floor."

Olivia looked over her shoulder at the road falling away behind them. "Bye warm bed!"

"Come on, it'll be fun."

She sighed, letting him know she was resigned to her fate for the next few days. "Who's coming?"

Dawson listed off the people he knew were waiting at the campsite. Olivia spent the rest of the ride to Silver Falls Ranch telling Betsy everything she knew about their friends–introducing each one as if Betsy needed all the details before meeting anyone.

In between hurried words, she poured Skittles into her hand, occasionally offering him a few without missing a beat.

What more could a man want? Olivia was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on, she spent all of her free time helping others, she was nurturing a formerly abused dog, she'd agreed to go on this crazy ride with him before even knowing where they were going, and she shared her snacks with him.

Yeah, Olivia was the perfect woman. Hands down.

Turning into the maintenance entrance on the eastern side of the ranch, they made their way around a pasture that spanned a dozen acres. When the fence line took a sharp turn to the left, Dawson kept to the washed-out path leading up the mountain.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Olivia asked, sitting on the edge of her seat.

"Promise. I was out here earlier today. Almost there."

Soon, the dense forest cleared, and three trucks came into view. Olivia sat straight and tall in the seat beside him with Betsy clutched to her chest. Her gaze scanned the woods with an excited glint in her eyes.

Dawson parked behind the other trucks and killed the engine. "Are you ready for this?" he asked.

Olivia jumped out of the vehicle before he got the last word out. "Let's go, slow poke!"

Dawson let the laughter bubbling in his chest out in the cold night. Olivia might act reserved sometimes, but she was just as wild as the wind.