Chapter 21: Their Incomprehensible "This"
As the energy of their magnetic kisses dissipated, Elizabeth returned to words. "I didn't expect those promises to lead to this," she joked, referring to the moment earlier when they both committed to bring up anything that might be bothering them.
This, Nathan thought. Just a single word that, in context of their relationship, said so much.
He'd started out so hopeful about their date that morning, anticipating the gradual unfolding of his extensive planning. But then, on what was intended to be a romantic ride to their first stop, he endured a needed, though drawn-out, conversation about Lucas, only to be devastated by Elizabeth's request to go home after she spiraled in anger following a slip while climbing—a fall he'd expertly anticipated and enduringly supported. And he had the rope burn to prove his attentive devotion.
So, coming from that wreck of a second date, even just a matter of hours later now, he, too, had never considered how all of that would've led to this.
All of their conversations since—playful and serious—and their moments of shared intimacy lifted Nathan to a place of reflective awe as they were nearing their farewell to these memorable hot springs. What Nathan had come to appreciate most about their long dates was the way each hour seemed to stretch into weeks, exponentially deepening the bond between them. As single parents, they knew how precious their time alone was—and they certainly made the most of it.
Cherishing the warmth of Elizabeth on his lap, Nathan wrapped her up even more fully, loving how often she seemed to find her way into this intimate, comforting position. "You know, 'Lizbeth," he began, tenderly shifting the silence. "One of the things I admire about you most is that you're a quick study. It shouldn't surprise me, being a teacher and all. But in life, it's hard to change what's already so ingrained in each of us. Somehow, though, whenever you're the one involved, you earn a gold star every time, and at record speed, I might add, once the opportunity is there."
"I do, do I?" Elizabeth countered quickly, her tone light, though it didn't quite match the depth and sincerity of Nathan's compliment. While she was deeply touched by his words, she couldn't help but feel a little shy and flustered, unsure of how best to respond.
But Nathan wasn't about to let Elizabeth retreat into frivolity. Instead, he led them even further into the deliciously thick meat of substance. "Yes, you do," he insisted, the love in his voice increasingly evident. "Even today, just hours now after your first climb, I can hardly believe I was asking you then to not just be there for my big moments, but for my little moments, too." With heartfelt gratitude, he explained. "Because you've done that and more every second since."
"I just want to be my best for you," Elizabeth said warmly, her words flowing from the heart, grounded now in a depth she so naturally found with Nathan.
Nathan's gaze softened as their eyes met, and in that quiet exchange, everything unspoken seemed to pass between them. Yet, he felt there was so much more that still needed to be said, to the woman who'd so completely filled him, that there was even an abundance of love overflowing beyond just the two of them—extending now to their children, to their friends, and to their community as a whole.
"You're more than I could've ever hoped for, 'Lizbeth," he whispered.
Completely overcome by the "this" Elizabeth had mentioned earlier, Nathan was left to wonder. How could he possibly describe what he was feeling in his heart? That he could feel it physically squeezing in his chest, stretching to fill the expansive love that kept growing between them by the minute.
Nathan hesitated, trying to gather his thoughts into words, focusing on the extent of what he was feeling, rather than getting lost in the phrasing—thinking of it all almost as if he were writing freely in his journal, immune to outside influence.
To the slow rhythm of his loving strokes along Elizabeth's back, Nathan began to speak, intent to narrow the expanse of all they'd shared, even just within this day alone, into a few final words. "Being there for me with my father was one thing, back when he showed up in town without warning. You and I hadn't been through much yet, just trying to get Allie settled is all. And I know I said this earlier, but the way you showed up at the inquiry—despite the baggage of that week, without even being asked—convinced me that I didn't just need someone, 'Lizbeth. I needed you. After that, it could never have been anyone else."
Caught up in the emotion, Nathan brushed an especially tender kiss to Elizabeth's lips, unable to resist the pull between them. Though their lips gradually separated, Nathan remained close, adding a new intimacy to the delivery of words alone.
"Bill mattered, yes," Nathan continued, speaking about the investigation, his heart tightening more as each word carried the increasing weight of his emotions. "So did Allie, of course. But once she said 'impeccable,' I didn't think or feel anything else but you, 'Lizabeth."
Nathan's voice broke, overcome by the memory of how much her support had meant, especially since all he'd known that week otherwise was her riding away. After swallowing hard, he shook his head lightly, lost in the love of his sweetheart's eyes. "And after Allie's hug, I really did feel as if I got to hold you in my arms, even if just for a moment."
Nathan breathed out between parted lips, trying to stabilize the rising emotion that threatened to overtake him. All the gratitude, admiration, love, and awe he'd ever felt between them filled his heart to overflowing. He needed her. He didn't know how else to say it. He needed her to breathe, to feel, to love, to exist. And as a once solo climber, the fact that he now ached to be tethered to Elizabeth by a fixed, tightly knotted rope for time and all eternity was a testament to the depth and breadth of their love.
"I'm lucky to have you," Nathan murmured, barely able to get the words out.
Elizabeth shifted slightly, intent on speaking to Nathan's heart through the portal of his eyes.
"No, no," she quickly countered, her eyes misting over. "Let's be clear about one thing Nathan Grant, I'm the one who's lucky to have you!"
Her lips earnestly found Nathan's, her need for him just as strong as his for her. She withdrew slightly, her breath warm against his lips as she spoke one final thought.
"And I think we still have a lot of holding to do, to make up for all the time we lost."
Nathan grinned, his lips lopsided and distractingly lovable. "I think so, too. For every single second we missed." With the strength of his arms, he pulled Elizabeth close—gentle but tight—and pressed a fierce, affectionate kiss to her hair, just as she'd once seen him do with Allie.
The fierce protector. The devoted father. The steadfast friend. The passionate lover. She saw all these facets in Nathan, and with every one, she found herself loving the man he was—impeccable in his striving and unwavering in his heart.
As he, too, felt the pull of Elizabeth's love, it anchored him like the roots of a tree. Nathan humbly realized how differently the rest of their time at the hot springs could've gone, from intimacy to catastrophe if the words from his journal hadn't landed in the right light. Yet, they did, better than he could've hoped, even.
Elizabeth understood his journal entry for what he'd meant it to be—an expression of the journey they were on together, of who they'd already become and could still be as one. Breathing in her outdoorsy, adventuring scent, mixed with her usual hint of floral, Nathan felt a profound relief, an awe that left him speechless, and a quiet gratitude for what they had—their this. Now, it felt as if they were leaping forward, not just from a broken past, but into the future as a couple bound by the eternities, destined to share in the greatest love humanly possible. And yet, in the small town of Hope Valley, as just a Mountie and a teacher, he couldn't feel more blessed.
Beyond words, Nathan leaned in for a light kiss. As his lips lingered, drowning in Elizabeth's love, he felt driven to express so much more, right here and now for the woman who'd filled his heart to overflowing. Instead, the man beneath the serge released the deepest sigh he'd ever breathed. With a groan, he voiced how torn he felt. "I don't want to leave this place, my love. But we'd better, if we're going to make it to our last stop."
Elizabeth inhaled, slow and heavy. "I know the feeling," she replied, sighing through her entire sentence.
Resigned, but wonderfully at peace, Nathan stood, extending his hand to help Elizabeth to her feet. He quickly folded their cherished blue blanket, and draped it over his arm, grabbing the brown paper bag with the rest of the cookies for the trail.
"Maybe I should take those," Elizabeth knowingly remarked, holding out her hand.
"That's probably for the best," Nathan acknowledged reluctantly, handing them over. "Before I eat them all myself." A guilty but accepting smile stretched across his handsome face.
As he turned and led Elizabeth by the hand toward the horses, she looked back, as if reliving their moments in the hot springs and the intimate love they shared while wrapped together within Nathan's towel. Suddenly, a hint of worry pressed at her mind that she knew she couldn't keep quiet. "Nathan?" she said, softly squeezing his hand, silently asking him to stay.
"What is it?" he asked, moving in close once he saw the look of concern in her eyes.
"I'm sorry if this was too much today." In further explanation, Elizabeth's hand moved to his chest. "Your swimsuit," is all she added.
Nathan grinned at the memory of how swiftly Elizabeth had fixed his embarrassingly trendy neckline. "I'm not sorry at all," he reassured her.
Understanding his own struggle to manage the pull between passion and propriety, he announced where he'd finally settled on the topic. "The only rule book I'm following is ours, 'Lizbeth."
To reinforce their growing intimacy, he lifted her other hand, still holding the cookies, and gently placed it on his shirt beside her other hand resting in its favorite place—across Nathan's third and fourth buttons.
"Well, that's good to hear," Elizabeth said, sighing with relief. She looked up at him under her long lashes, a smile playing at her lips as a few of her fingers still managed to fiddle with those alluring buttons, all the while clutching the small brown bag of cookies.
Nathan stepped closer, happily covering every inch of remaining distance between them, holding Elizabeth close with his hands lovingly interlaced at her back.
"What can I say?" he shrugged, a telling smile teasing at one corner of his lips. "We march to our drum, don't we?"
Comfortable in their gray, Nathan and Elizabeth melted again into their passion, reliving all the intimate moments they'd experienced earlier in swimsuits alone. In this remote location, away from peeking eyes and interruptions, they kissed to their heart's desire.
Even Newton kept quiet, assuming Nathan's orders remained in place throughout the day.
Yet, while Elizabeth felt pulled to stay, Nathan felt increasingly drawn to their last stop, knowing Elizabeth would feel the same, too, if she'd realized he saved the best for last.
As unwilling as Nathan was to ever distance himself from his sweetheart, he slowed their kisses until he pressed his most loving one of all on top of Elizabeth's soft curls, before gently resting his chin on her head. They held each other closely, no longer concerned with where their hands naturally settled, long free of any constraint, having dropped at some point both the blanket and bag of cookies.
"This will be a place we'll always remember," Nathan said softly, reverenced by the remote mountain scenery, in awe of the emerald pools and the memory of their moments lost to one another, immersed in the surrounding mist.
"And one we'll visit again," Elizabeth insisted, referring to their earlier deal. Pulling back slightly to make their arrangement official, her eyes grew serious. "You promised, Nathan."
"Oh, we'll come back," he told her, reaffirming their agreement, wishing they could rendezvous here as early as tomorrow.
"When?" she pressed, her voice soft yet determined, her eyes locked onto his with a depth of longing that made his chest tighten. Her fingers traced the solid planes of his shoulders, settling at the curve of his biceps, as if mapping every inch of him.
Nathan's breath caught, the simple brush of her hands sending a rush of warmth through his veins. He tried to focus on her words, but her touch—gentle, lingering—made his mind spin.
"Soon," he murmured, his voice low, almost a whisper, as though the promise between them was as much about the moment as it was about the future. His half-smile danced at the corner of his lips, slow and deliberate, only adding to the ache he saw mirrored in Elizabeth's gaze.
But not soon enough, Elizabeth thought.
Nathan reluctantly loosened his hold but kept their fingers intertwined, refusing to let go of the bond they shared. Sensing that the moment to leave had truly arrived, they both lowered to pick up their momentarily abandoned "to go" items—the blanket and the bag of cookies. Then, with a soft tug, he guided Elizabeth toward the horses, the steady pull of her hand anchoring him as he took the lead, the path to their last location feeling both purposeful and intimate.
Glancing back one more time, Elizabeth studied all she could to hold the memory close—their changing stations, the heart fluttering moment they first saw one another in swimsuits, the warmth of the hot springs and the humidity of the mist, their deep conversations, and the way her hand slid across Nathan's wet skin, imprinting metaphorical medals across his chest.
Then there were the kisses—numerous and inviting. She hadn't known that the heat would follow them from the hot springs. But, wrapped against Nathan's warmth in one single towel, she'd never forget how perfectly they fit or the intensity of what they shared.
Now, beside Sargeant, Elizabeth sighed, her eyes searching Nathan's. "I don't want to leave," she sighed, settling into her adorable pout, her full lower lip puckered out.
Still, she obligingly placed her foot in the stirrup, grabbed hold of Sergeant's saddlehorn, and gracefully swung her long leg across his broad back.
Nathan watched every second of the dance until Elizabeth was settled, and then mounted Newton. Directing with the reins, he maneuvered the well-trained horse until he and Elizabeth were side-by-side.
Unable to resist, Nathan stretched broadly across the width of their bags, attached to each horse, gripped the back of Elizabeth's saddle for stability and leaned in for a loving kiss that bookmarked this special place perfectly, soon to be revisited.
As Sergeant started to shift, Nathan was forced to leave Elizabeth's lips behind. So, he tucked in his own lips for a moment to savor Elizabeth's kiss.
"Look at you!" Elizabeth gushed, impressed by Nathan's acrobatic feat.
He grinned at her praise and offered up a modest bow. Then, after reaching for her hand, a much easier stretch, he gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"I know it's hard to leave," he said, his voice soft and wistful. "But, you'll love where we're going," Nathan promised, hopeful that was true.
Author's Notes:
What a day these two have had, right? But, now they're on to their last stop as dusk nears. All that we love about Nathan and Elizabeth awaits. In the final hours of this adventuring date, they'll eat dinner, enjoy a sunset, and discuss the last bit of homework Nathan assigned in his letter inviting Elizabeth along on this date. I hope you're enjoying this story! Only a few chapters left!