“Trust me, I won’t let that happen.”

  I crouched until the water was up to my chin and slid my arms through the water. “Let’s do a lazy lap to the end and back.”

  “All right.”

  We pushed off the edge and navigated our way through clusters of our classmates. We narrowly missed having someone belly flop right on top of us. Finally, we reached the other side. Both of us clung to the cement lip of the pool, slowly moving our legs back and forth.

  “This would be fun without everyone else here,” she said.

  “Uh-huh.” I wanted to kiss her in the worst way. Under the water, I grabbed her waist with my free hand and pulled her closer.

  “Hands above deck, Mr. Hawkins!” someone shouted. The principal? I wasn’t sure and didn’t bother to look. Juliet drifted out of my grasp and I raised my arms in the air like I was being held at gunpoint.

  “Whoopsie!” Juliet whispered. She slapped her hand over her mouth to contain her laughter.

  She pushed off the wall, slowly paddling toward the shallow end. I followed behind her.

  In the middle of the pool, Vienna hooked her arm around Juliet’s shoulders and whispered in her ear.

  “Listen up!” one of the teachers shouted. It took a few more tries for the noise to die down so she could be heard. “We’ll be starting group tours down to Ladder Falls in about an hour. It’s an easy hike but you’ll need sneakers or hiking boots.”

  She droned on and on with more information and a list of rules. Most people seemed to tune out after the initial announcement.

  “Let’s grab lunch,” Vienna said. She turned and splash-ran through the water to the steps.

  I stayed as close to Juliet as humanly possible. Our skin sliding and bodies bumping against each other under the water. Juliet slipped on the first step out of the pool. I was close enough to grab and steady her, keeping my hands on her hips all the way out of the water. For safety purposes, of course.

  One of our classmates, a kid named Toby, pushed between us, getting in my face. “Look at you, panting after her like a dog.”

  “Get out of my way,” I warned.

  He chest-bumped me, looking like a wild turkey trying to establish himself in the pecking order. I stared him down and raised an eyebrow. “You sure you wanna go there, bro?”

  He flinched. Hesitated. Glanced over his shoulder, looking for backup. His buddies looked away, pretending to see nothing.

  “Hope she puts out,” he muttered, stepping away.

  My fist curled at my side. But he wasn’t worth the trouble I’d get into if I threw a punch.

  “Hey, Roman.” A girl I recognized brushed her arm up against my wet chest.

  I couldn’t remember her name. “Hey.”

  Toby blocked me again. “All the chicks wanna bang you, dumbfuck. And you’re wasting your time on the stuck-up nerd girl?”

  “Who asked you, dick?” I pushed him out of my way and kept walking.

  Juliet handed me my towel when I reached our chairs. “What was that all about?”

  “Who knows.” I shrugged and roughed the terrycloth over my damp skin.

  “Romannnn,” Vienna sang. “Who knew you were so ripped?” She nodded at my stomach.

  “Looks like you skipped a few leg days, though, bro,” Stubby added.

  “Jesus Christ.” I finished drying off and slipped my T-shirt over my head. “You’re a bunch of fuckin’ creeps.”

  Juliet stretched out on her chair and pulled her bag into her lap. A few seconds later she passed a thick, foil square to me.

  “I like your legs,” she whispered.

  My lips twitched. “Yours are better.”

  “It’s chicken salad.” She nodded at the sandwich in my hands.

  I peeled open the cool foil, revealing a dark, nutty-looking, whole-grain bread stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, and overflowing with chicken salad. My stomach rumbled.

  “I made it last night,” she said. “The chicken salad, I mean.”

  “Looks great.” I realized I was starving and made quick work of it, almost eating the foil in my rush.

  Juliet handed me half of her sandwich. “I can’t eat the whole thing.”

  “You sure?”

  She gestured for me to eat up.

  Vienna passed bags of M&Ms, Twizzlers, and loads of other candy out and pretty soon, a good portion of our class was clustered around our chairs. I reached over and wrapped my hand around the leg of Juliet’s lounger and dragged it closer to mine.

  “Hey, you.” She bent her knee and shifted closer, dragging her toe along my calf.

  “Careful, we’ll get yelled at again,” I warned, my gaze fixated on her red-painted toenails.

  “Worth it.”

  After lunch, guys from the baseball team started picking up girls and tossing them in the pool. Doug approached our group and I stood up in front of Juliet’s chair, blocking his path. Like hell was he putting his hands on Juliet. “Keep moving.”

  He smirked and swaggered past us.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Stubby guarding Vienna and chuckled.

  “Want to go on the hike?” Juliet asked.

  “Definitely.” I bent over and grabbed my scruffy sneakers.

  Juliet wiggled into her shorts and I almost lost my damn mind. I helped her pack most of her stuff and we left the bag on her chair. Just in case, I grabbed one of the towels and slung it around my neck.

  “Are you coming?” Juliet asked Vienna.

  Vienna lazily tipped her sunglasses up and squinted at us. “Nah, I’m sleepy. Going to take a nap in the sun. Maybe later.”

  I curled my hand around Juliet’s and we made our way toward the gate where one of the teachers was taking a head count.

  “Stay together!” the teacher shouted to our group.

  There were maybe twenty of us and we formed a loose line. Juliet and I deliberately drifted toward the back of the herd, where we ran into Chloe and Jameson.

  Jameson lifted his chin and nodded with a knowing smirk stretched across his face.

  Juliet squeezed my hand as we started our trek across the grassy field. I studied the signs and landmarks we passed, trying to orient myself. Eventually, we reached a flat expanse of rock. A short post-and-rail fence marked the edge of the cliff.

  “Damn, not much to keep someone from going over,” I muttered.

  “Search and rescue gets called up here a couple times a year,” Jameson confirmed. “Someone gets drunk and misjudges the distance to the edge.”

  Juliet shivered.

  I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “It’s not always drunks,” Chloe said. “Remember that old man who got lost on the trail? They didn’t find his body until the following year.”

  “I guess the takeaway is, stay away from the edge of the cliff?” I whispered to Juliet.

  The tension melted from her expression. “I guess so.”

  “Everyone stay to the right!” the teacher shouted.

  Like good little lambs, we held onto the wooden railing and trooped down a narrow set of stone steps. I leaned over to get a glimpse of what was below us and just saw rocks and trees.

  The stone steps led to another flat surface where the teacher stopped to explain some geological history of the area. Then we continued down a set of narrower wooden stairs. Our group stopped on a wide ledge. A waterfall shot out from the rocks above and to our left. Another narrow wooden railing ran along a narrow path carved into the mountain. More stairs lay in front of us.

  Jameson nudged my shoulder and jerked his head. The ledge ran behind where we were standing to another waterfall. Another set of wooden steps appeared to be past the water.

  “Okay, let’s continue.” The teacher waved her hands in the air.

  Jameson grabbed Chloe’s hand. They ducked and ran in the opposite direction of our class.

  Juliet grinned up at me. “Let’s go.”

  The staircase we’d just come down provided cover. We skirted around it and caught up with Jameson and Chloe.

  “There’s a cave behind that waterfall.” Chloe pointed ahead.

  I was game for whatever, as long as we didn’t get caught.

  Juliet

  My heart hammered as we jogged after Jameson and Chloe. I’d never ditched a group activity before. A cool mist splashed my cheeks and forehead as we approached the waterfall. Jameson expertly ducked behind the water, moving over the slippery rocks like he’d done it dozens of times. Maybe he had.

  I hesitated.

  My gaze locked on the falling water rushing to a rocky pool hundreds of feet below. Maybe not that far. I wasn’t a good judge of heights. I just knew I didn’t want to slip and go for a ride. I glanced behind us but our class was already out of sight.

  “Are you okay?” Roman asked.

  “I don’t want to fall.”

  “I won’t let you.” He grabbed onto a rock and flattened himself against the wall. Firmly gripping my hand, he followed the same steps Jameson had taken and pulled us behind the curtain of water.

  The rocks opened into a large, wet cave. Water dripped from above. Light filtered in from the outside. Enough to see a few feet in front of us. Then, it was only inky darkness cut by the rough silhouettes of rocks.

  Chloe shrieked from somewhere deeper inside the cave. Her laughter echoed and bounced around us.

  “I guess they’re okay,” I said.

  “Let’s pray they don’t scare any bats out of hiding,” he grumbled.

  “Bats! Are you kidding?” I ducked and glanced up at the ceiling.

  Roman chuckled and wrapped his arms around me. “Sorry. I was just kidding.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I won’t let anything get you.”

  The protective way he cocooned me against his body made me believe every promise.

  I tipped my head and caught his lips. He inhaled a sharp breath, then groaned. His body pressed against mine until my back bumped against the uneven wall.

  “Roman,” I gasped, and blinked up at him.

  “Keep kissing me.” He brushed his lips against my forehead, my cheek, the tip of my nose, and finally my lips. He slipped a finger under the strap of my bikini top, sliding it back and forth. “You look so sexy today.”

  “Really?” I ran my hands down my sides. “I’m not all tall and skinny like Vienna—”

  He drew back so sharply my words dried in my throat.

  “Juliet, I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off you all day. And I couldn’t even remember what color Vienna is wearing if you offered me a million dollars.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” He stared down and squeezed my hips, his thumbs rubbing against my stomach. “I’m obsessed with your belly button. It’s so damn adorable.”

  “What?” I burst into laughter.

  “Uh-huh.” He knelt in front of me and kissed my stomach, stopping to trace his tongue around my navel.

  Laughter died on my lips. The ticklish sensation exploded into a streak of tingling warmth shooting to my center.

  “Roman.” My voice shook.

  He lifted his gaze to meet mine and ran his fingers from my knee to the hem of my shorts. “Want to kiss you here.” He pressed his lips to my inner thigh.

  My whole body trembled.

  He slid his hand between my legs, gently cupping me. I inched my feet apart to give him room.

  “I want to kiss you here, too.”

  I didn’t know what to say. My bottom lip quivered. I felt hot and tight where his hand touched me. Why were there shorts and bikini bottoms blocking him?

  He turned toward the curtain of water protecting the entrance to the cave. Daylight filtered through. Anyone could pop inside, just the way we had.

  He slid his hand to the button of my shorts, toying with it for a second before standing again.

  A distinctive moaning and slapping sound echoed from the back of the cave.

  Roman scowled.

  We both turned and stared into the darkness. I caught the faint glow of a flashlight but nothing else, thank goodness.

  “We can hear you!” Roman shouted.

  Jameson added some grunting noises to the rhythmic thumping.

  Roman rolled his eyes and returned his attention to me.

  “That’s quite a soundtrack.” I smiled up at him and wrapped my arms around his neck, drawing him closer. “Forget about them.”

  He slid his hands to my hips, then my legs, urging me up. Using the rock behind me for leverage, I hooked my legs around his waist, crossing my ankles to tether myself.

  “That’s better,” he whispered against my lips.

  He leaned into me, his hardness pressing into my center in exactly the right spot. I moaned into his mouth and tightened my arms around his neck. His body froze and he eased back.

  “Nooo.” I tightened my legs around him.

  He ran his hand over one of my legs and it took me a second to realize he wanted to set me down. Shaking so hard I thought I’d fall, I touched my toes to the ground.

  Roman kissed me deeper, his tongue diving past my lips. I opened for him, stroking my tongue against his. He groaned and slid his palm over my stomach, quickly working the button of my shorts loose and sliding his hand underneath.

  My body froze.

  His movements stopped.

  He broke our kiss. “I…I won’t go under your suit.”

  “Okay,” I whispered. My heart pounded harder than the water falling outside.

  He pressed two fingers against me and slid them lower.

  “Oh!” I gasped and slapped my hand over my mouth.

  “Here?” Roman pressed harder and gently rubbed his fingers back and forth.

  Sparks fired behind my eyelids. Dizziness swirled around me.

  “Or like this?” He dragged his lips from my cheek to my neck, while down below he changed direction, rubbing his fingers in a slow circle.

  “Oh my God!”

  “Mmm.” He smiled against my skin. “Like that.”

  “Roman?” I whispered, desperate for something I didn’t know how to name. This was different from the day in the photography lab. More intentional, less accidental.

  He kept tracing circles against me, gradually increasing the speed and pressure. My body squirmed and rocked in time with his movements. Everything in my world narrowed to where he touched me. We stayed like that for the sweetest eternity.

  “Ah.” My body jerked.

  The fire he’d lit inside me exploded.

  “That’s it,” he encouraged.

  All of a sudden, his touch was too much and I pressed my palms to his chest.

  “Stop?” he asked.

  “Yes…I can’t. Too much.”

  He withdrew his hand and quickly buttoned my shorts. “Was that…okay?”

  I slowly opened my eyes. My lips curled into a goofy smile. “Oh, yeah.”

  Feeling brave or maybe drunk on whatever feel-good chemicals he’d released in my body, I tugged on his shorts. I tried to shove my hand between the elastic of his waistband and his hard stomach. “I want to make you feel good too.”

  He sucked in a breath as my fingers grazed his rigid flesh.

  I tried to lower myself to the ground like he had earlier.

  “No.” He grabbed my elbow. “Absolutely not.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “Not here. Anyone could find us and…I don’t want that for you.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “And your hand down my pants was better?”

  He frowned. “Than you on your knees? Yeah. Much better. No one would be able to tell what I was doing.”

  Protecting me. Always. I reached up and kissed him.

  “Give me a minute.” He squeezed his eyes shut.

  I withdrew my hand and leaned against the wall, watching him take several deep breaths.

  “Let’s go explore the park,” he finally suggested.

  The noises from the back of the cave had died down. Embarrassed they might have overheard us, I was eager to leave.

  “We can go to the overlook.”

  “Guys!” Roman yelled. “We’re heading to the overlook.”

  “Okay,” Chloe answered. “We’ll catch up later.”

  Roman grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the waterfall. We studied the cascading water and the rocks to the right—opposite of where we’d come into the cave. This path looked easier. Roman went first, carefully testing the rocks. When he touched dry ground, he held out his hand.

  “Watch yourself. It’s slippery in the middle,” he warned.

  I gripped him hard with one hand and braced my other against the wall. Maybe my steps were too cautious.

  On the second rock, I slipped.

  Terror burned through my limbs. An image of plunging to the jagged rocks below flashed through my mind. I yelped and flailed my arms in the air.

  Roman grabbed my elbows and yanked me into the safety of his arms. “You’re okay. I got you,” he breathed out. “I got you,” he repeated several more times.

  He hugged me tight to his body and rested his back against the side of the mountain.

  Below us, shrill threads of screams and laughter pierced the air. We carefully walked to the edge of the trail and peered over the railing. Looking like a line of marching ants, our classmates traveled the trail below us.

  We quickly pulled back.

  “I hope no one saw us,” I said.

  He shrugged. “What are they going to do about it?”

  I nodded toward the wooden staircase about a hundred feet in front of us. “Let’s get up on flat ground. I’m not cut out for extreme hiking.”

  “I wouldn’t call it extreme, but yeah, let’s get off this cliff.”

  “Whatever.”

  Even though I wanted to break into a sprint, we kept close to the wall. I breathed a sigh of relief when we reached the stairs. I sprinted to the first landing and groaned. There had to be a hundred more steps to reach the top.

  My legs were on fire by the time we made it.

  “Why didn’t it seem like that many stairs on the way down?” I huffed.

  “We were moving at a snail’s pace with twenty other kids?” Roman grinned at me. “Which way are we going?”