The Edge Walker by Patrick Councilor

Reaching the top of the path, they continued over to the stone steps that led down to the wooden floorboards of the view point at the edge of the top of the falls.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" Danielle asked as she let her head fall back to rest on his chest.

David stood behind her, with his arms wrapped around her. "Most definitely."

The surrounding snow and ice brought a majestic feeling to it.

"This is a year-round waterfall," he stated.

"It is?"

"Why yes, it gets its water source from underground springs."

"Well, it's completely incredible." They took it in. "I have a confession to make."

"You do?" he said as they admired the view.

"When I said that it was beautiful, I wasn't just talking about the view." She turned her head to look at him.

He smiled and kissed her lips.

They took pictures of each other with their cells and then started taking fun and crazy pictures. It was almost a competition of who could make the funniest face or pose.

They weren't ready to leave just yet. Wanting to make the moment last, they decided to fallow the stream further up the mountain where they could stay on the paths.

After making their way down, they stopped at the gift shop and got souvenirs and got hot chocolate.

"Let's go outside and drink our hot coco," she suggested.

"Wait a minute. Isn't the whole point of getting hot chocolate to warm ourselves up?"

"Oh, where is your sense of adventure? Everybody knows that hot coco is better in the cold."

"I suppose." He nodded. "We can if you'd like."

They went outside in the snow and savored their hot sweet liquid like it was their saving grace.

"I told you, right?" she asked with a smile.

"You're right."

"This is so beautiful. What was your favorite part?"

He spoke truthfully, "The kiss at the top."

She gave him a devilish smile. "You're so cute."

"That's why I spent so much time over at the shirts. I was looking for one that might have read, 'I Got Kissed At Multnomah Falls'."

Her smile grew. "That would have been awesome to get matching shirts."

"That, it would have."

"Come on, let's head for the car." She slid her arm through his as they headed out. "Running into Frank at the mall in Portland didn't bother you, did it?"

"Your ex-boyfriend? No, not at all."

"Alright… just asking." She laid her head on his shoulder as they walked along.

They drove back to their hotel in Portland. They took the elevator up to the fifth floor. He stopped her in the hallway and brushed lips with hers. He stared longingly into her eyes.

"You shouldn't look at me like that."

"Why not, it's the only look I have for you."

"Oh, you start looking at me like that and I get lost in your eyes and I'll close my eyes and your lips will take me to my favorite place. The butterflies will return to my stomach and I'll feel intoxicated by your breath on my neck. I'll start to get dizzy and you make me feel so wonderfully vulnerable."

"Well I know how that feels. And the dizzy part, well that's just how I felt when I first caught sight of you when we bumped into each other outside for Drip City Coffee."

"Stop looking at me that way, you know how you make me feel like we're taking flight."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Listen, you have your room and I have mine. You knew from the beginning that I'm an old-fashion girl." She gave him a kiss on the end of his nose. "Now you go get ready for dinner and I'll do just the same."

He regretfully let her hand pull away from his and she headed for the room next to his. He put his fingertips on his lips, where her lips had been just moments ago, as if to savor the kiss they had. "We've been dating for a year now."

She playfully smiled as she took her key-card out for her room. "And your point being?"

"Just one more kiss."

She shot him a devious smile. That look she shot him that he loved so much, yet he never was able to catch it on the camera on his phone. If he had, he would have had it printed, framed and put it up at his office at work.

"One kiss?" she repeated.

"One kiss… inside my room."

"David, no." She opened her door. "I love you, but don't be so cruel to tempt me like that."

She went into her room and for the next few minutes, he stood there staring at where she used to be. He stood there with his fingertips still touching his lips where her lips had just been.

He finally made it into his room and showered and got dressed when there was a wrap on the door. It was an unexpected knock and it sounded urgent. "What the…?" He splashed some Drakkar Noir into his hands and slapped it on his jaw and neck.

The knocking returned yet again and a third time. "Alright, I'm coming." He said as he took one last look into the mirror to straighten his tie. He took a hold of the door knob and turned it to find himself face to face with the girl of his dreams.

"Slurpee run!" she called out enthusiastically.

"Excuse me?"

"Slurpee run! When growing up with my cousins, someone would call out 'Slurpee run!' and we're all run and pile into the car and go get slurpees. Get your coat."

He smiled. It was her impulsive side and sense of adventure that he loved so. "Well… won't it ruin our appetites?"

"No, just get your jacket and off we'll go."

"Well, alright." He took up his outside jacket. "Just one more question. What is a Slurpee?"

They couldn't find a Slurpee distributor, so Danielle and David settled for smoothies. They strolled down the side walk drinking their drinks that seemed to bring more of a chill which made them huddle together all that more, which neither of them had minded at all.

"Danielle, look. Let's go dancing."

She looked at the place he was referring to. "Oh David, I'm not much of a dancer."

"Neither am I."

"But that's a country and western place."

"Yes?"

"Well, it doesn't give you much of a chance to be yourself."

"What?"

"It's all line dancing and such. We'd have to dance like everybody else. I don't know those dance moves."

"Then we go off in the corner and dance the way we want to. Come on, where is your sense of adventure."

Oh, those words got her going. Yet… "What about our drinks?"

David sucked the rest of his up through his straw and dropped the empty container into a nearby trash can. He went to take her by the hand, but… BRAIN FREEZE!

She tried not to laugh, but he was so darned cute. She held him while he recovered, then they paid for their admission and went to the back of the place. The music was jazzy, but they slow danced to their own tune in the shadows.