Chapter 18. Kate

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Everything around me radiated beauty. The scene in front of me was breathtaking, it left me awestruck as I stared out over the cliff edge. The trees surrounding us and the tips of those that descended down the cliff shimmered with the colours of autumn, dusted by the moonlight they appeared to twinkle, fiery tones of red and gold. On the other side of the valley stood another cliff edge far in the distance, my eyes could just see the beautiful waterfall that glimmered as it cascaded down into the lush green landscape below. Mist danced around me, my hot breath escaping me and mixing with the vapor. I could see the clear divisions between the different farm lands and to the left a thick mass of undisturbed bushland.

I turned to Connor, to tell him how beautiful this view was, to thank him for bringing me here but I lost my words as I saw him, his beauty. His trimmed chocolate coloured hair gleamed in the moonlight, dipping down over his light blue eyes, the colour of fluffy clouds and the bluest sky mixing on an artist's pallet. His eyes seemed to twinkle as he looked at me, did he always look at me like that?

"This is so, I- thank you." Those words didn't seem enough to show my appreciation for the view, for him. I was surprised to feel the sensation of tears stinging at my eyes. No one, literally no one had ever put thought into the time they spent with me, I'd always agreed to plans to please others, attended events as a plus one that made me feel anxious and uncomfortable but this, out here, the wild wind whipping at my hair, this was a place I could thrive, be comfortable, not have to hide away in the corner of an overcrowded room.

"You're welcome." Connor grinned as he began to unpack a picnic basket I hadn't even realised he had been carrying. "I knew you would love it here. This place is special to me. I've wanted to bring you here for a while." He finished up, unfolding a red and black picnic rug and sat on it, patting the spot next to him. I joined him on the rug, not fighting against him when he pulled me close so that I was pressed up against his side.

Connor wrapped his arms over my lower back, his fingers brushed the bare skin at my side, where my t-shirt had risen. The pattern he was making with his fingers was stirring up the desire that I kept hidden deep within me. "Why is this place special to you?" I asked, hoping it would distract us both.

He pointed out over the cliff, towards the land in the valley. "You see the thicker bush land?" I nodded, following the trail his finger was leading. "That's the National Park, well the lowest part. It circles all of the way around the cliff edge, up high onto the hill. It's a beautiful view."

"I can only imagine." I breathed. I'd always wanted to hike through the park but they'd been closed to the public for years, I assumed to protect the native species.

"The land, just beside the park, that's my family's farm." He pointed towards the smallest of the farm lands, it was still a significant size, quite a few acres. "We sell eggs at the market and rent out the land to local cattle farmers."

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