Chapter 12

Lord, she was beautiful. Never had Z met a woman who experienced so much pleasure from a simple drive. These two days may prove to be more dangerous than he had anticipated.

She handled the two-hour hike like a seasoned pro, as he described the beauty around them. She scented a Jeffery pine and reveled in its strong maple aroma. Odd seeing one this far north. The last time he experienced the hearty tree was in Oregon. He didn’t think they grew in this region.

The trail he chose was flat and easy, but the destination was the real reason for taking it.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, stopping short and closing her eyes. “There is a lake out there.”

“How do you know that?”

“The air carries its scent, and the sound ripples off the surface. By the echo, I’d say we were in some kind of a canyon—a rather large canyon that opens at the far end.” She pointed to where the canyon widened, lending a magnificent view of a distant mountain.

“Yes, you have just accurately described Perseverance Lake. At t