Iris


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    I wake to the feeling of being watched. When I crack my eyes open, Arthur is propped up on one elbow beside me, staring directly at me with a smirk tugging at


    his lips.


    "Were you watching me sleep?" I mumble. "That''s creepy, you know."


    His smile widens. "I can''t help it. You''re beautiful when you sleep."


    I roll my eyes and pull the sheet up to cover my naked chest, suddenly aware of my tangled hair and morning breath. "I''m sure I


    look like a hot mess."


    "Emphasis on hot," he chuckles, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead. "Sleep well?"


    "Mmm," I nod, stretching like a cat. My muscles protest from yesterday''s horseback riding andst night''s... activities, but it''s a


    pleasant kind of protest. "You?"


    "Best sleep I''ve had in years."


    "Where''s Miles?" I ask, suddenly realizing that the house is suspiciously quiet. Usually our son is up at the crack of dawn,


    bouncing on our bed and demanding breakfast.


    "With the ranch hand''s family," Arthur says, looking quite pleased with himself. "Turns out he has three kids around Miles'' age. They invited him for a day at their ce-they''ve got chickens, goats, horses, the works. Miles practically dragged me out of bed


    at sunrise to take him over there."


    I sit up, clutching the sheet to my chest. "And you just... let a stranger take our son?"


    Arthur chuckles. "Rx, Iris. I met the whole family. They''re good people, and you can literally see their house from here. Plus, I did a background check on everyone who works here before I bought the ce."


    Of course he did. The man is nothing if not thorough.


    "So," I say, taking a deep breath, "does this mean we have the whole day to


    ourselves?"


    "The whole day," he confirms, his eyes darkening slightly as they drop to where the sheet is barely covering my breasts. "Any ideas on how to spend it?"


    I bite my lip, considering. As tempting as it is to spend the entire day in bed with him, we''re in one of the most beautiful ces in the world, it''s gorgeous and sunny outside, and I want to take advantage of it.


    "I was thinking about that waterfall,” I suggest. "The one we used to hike to, remember?"


    Arthur''s expression softens. "Silver Falls. Of course I remember."


    Silver Falls was our special ce during our vacations here years ago. A secluded waterfall tucked away in the forest, essible


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    only by a hidden trail that most tourists never discovered. We used to spend countless hours there, swimming in the crystal-clear pool, making love on the smooth rocks, Arthur lounging in the dappled sunshine while I sketched the scenery... and him.


    "That''s what I want to do today," I decide. "Hike to Silver Falls."


    "Done," Arthur says, already getting out of bed. He doesn''t bother with modesty, giving me a full view of his naked glory as he stretches. Even after all this time, the sight of him still makes my breath catch. "I''ll pack us a lunch."


    An hourter, we''re on the trail, the morning sun filtering through the canopy of trees above us. The path is narrower than I


    remember, less defined after years without our footsteps wearing it down.


    Arthur leads the way, asionally reaching back to help me over a fallen log or up a steep incline. We don''t talk much as we hike,


    both of us content to listen to the sounds of the forest-birds calling, leaves rustling, the distant sound of running water growing


    louder as we approach our destination.


    The familiarity of it all hits me suddenly. How many times had we walked this exact path together? How many secrets had we


    shared, dreams we''d whispered, promises we''d made under these same trees?


    And now here we are again, five years and a lifetime of experiencester, finding our way back to a ce that once meant


    everything to us. It''s surreal.


    "Almost there," Arthur says over his shoulder as the path begins to steepen. "It''s just through those trees."


    The sound of rushing water grows louder, and then suddenly the forest opens up, revealing the waterfall in all its glory. Silver


    Falls cascades down a moss-covered cliff, sshing into a crystal-clear pool surrounded by smooth rocks and lush greenery.


    It''s exactly as I remember it-a hidden paradise, our own private piece of heaven.


    "Wow," I breathe, taking it all in. "It hasn''t changed at all."


    Arthur sets down our backpack on a t rock andes to stand beside me. "Some things don''t."


    We stand there for a moment, just soaking in the view and the memories it brings. Thest time we were here was just a few


    months before our breakup, although neither of us knew it then. We''d made love on those rocks over there,ughed as we jumped


    from that small cliff into the pool, shared a pic on this very spot.


    I close my eyes, letting the sounds and smells of this ce wash over me. The


    crash of the waterfall, the earthy scent of moss and


    wet stone, the cool mist in the air. Something stirs inside me, a strange feeling I can''t quite ce-a restlessness, a yearning, a


    pulling toward... something.