Madge's POV. Post-war. Hotel in outer District 2.
"Watch out for the fallen branch up here." I called over my shoulder.
"Okay." Gale whispered in my ear. I jumped and fell over the branch I warned him about. My hands were scrapped up and my stomach scratched against the harsh bark.
"Give a girl some warning." My arms shook as I tried to push myself away from the branch.
"Sorry." Gale's arms entangled around me and helped me up with little effort. "Oh jeez." He exclaimed as I glared down at my hands.
"I have no words." I looked up and rolled my eyes.
"Only you..." He started to say. I cut him off.
"Yeah yeah. Good thing we brought that first aid kit."
"I was thinking about how good of an excuse this is to head back to the hotel room." I could feel the blush running up my neck.
"Right..." I said awkwardly.
"Come on. You're not a blushing bride." His voice dropped down to a whisper as he gathered me against his chest. "You know what I can do to you." My stomach dropped.
"Then..." My smile set in and I tumbled out of his grasp. "Tag you're it."
"Seriously?" Gale yelled but my feet were already pounding against the ground along with the burning desire starting at my core.
"Madge!" I ducked a branch and could see the hotel at the bottom of the path. The startling water behind it looked like glass and the mountains were hiding the sun behind their peaks. Just as I thought I was winning Gale brushed by me.
"No fair." I huffed and leaned over my knees waiting for my breath to return. Gale turned around always away from me.
"It's always better if you don't waste your breath." Gale said approaching me. "You always lose it... so quickly." I could tell he wasn't talking about running.
"Ahem." I smiled and looked back at the water.
"Come on." He said and came over to tug on my arm. "I don't have all day Mrs. Hawthorne." My stomach bubbled as I remember signing my name on the hotel papers.
"We have a week, Mr. Hawthorne." I sighed and stumbled after him.
"And I plan to spend every second with you." His hand dropped along my back and snuck around diving under the hem of my dark pink shorts. "Doing this." He whispered.
"Getting in my pants?" I challenged, walking ahead of him and he beamed, obviously enjoying himself.
"Why not, Mrs. Hawthorne? Aren't you up for it?" I rolled my eyes.
"We'll see." I bit my lip and looked up at him. "But if you don't hurry up..." I started to say. Gale met me and all at once I was thrown over his shoulder. I hadn't meant to kick him in the gut but he almost dropped me as he doubled over. I scrambled to grab at his shirt. "Put me down!" I squealed.
"Let me think about that... Uh... No." I squirmed. "Stop moving." He laughed. "I'll drop you."
"Good! Put me down." He carried me to the front of the hotel. The valet men starred but hardly commented. Gale put me down and fixed my hair.
"Let's go." I pressed my hurt hands to my rib cage and followed Gale into the elevator. We stumbled off on the 7th floor. I beat Gale to the door and swiped our key.
"Do your hands hurt?" I shook my head because it was silly that they did. I just went into the bathroom and washed my hands. I lifted my shirt to look at the raw skin. "Like I said only you." I smiled and looked over at him. He was leaning against the closet, watching.
"It's not that bad." I wandered over and wrapped my arms around his middle, reaching up to take his bottom lip between my teeth.
He let it go and pulled me by my belt loops towards the bed. He set me at the edge of the bed and relaxed over me as I sunk into the pillows.