I did say I wanted to go with them to the volcano, so I needed to try and shake off the sleep and get moving.
I lifted my head to see Elin hopping from foot to foot, so ready to go he could hardly stand it. I started laughing and lifted my hands in surrender.
“All right, I’m up. Do me a favor and make some coffee,” I pleaded as I rose to my feet.
Cade’s hands came to my arms. He bent and dropped a sweet kiss on my nose and said, “Sure thing, darlin’.” Then they left me alone to get ready.
Not really knowing what a hike to a volcano entailed, I dressed in a tank top and running shorts, with running shoes. Then I threw my hair up into a ponytail, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and called it good.
I walked into the kitchen five minutes later and stopped when I noticed all the stuff on the counter.
“What’s all this?” I asked, taking in the bottles of water, Cliff bars, ponchos, hats, bug spray, sunscreen, and drawstring backpacks.
“Stuff for the hike,” Cade replied.
My eyes widened and I asked, “How long will we be gone?”
“Well, with the drive there and back, the hike itself, and any little shit that might set us back, I’m guessing five to six.”
“Hours?”
“Yeah, babe, hours,” Cade replied with a chuckle.
“And we have to carry all that?” I asked, my hand sweeping out over the cluttered counter.
“Yup.”
“What’re the ponchos for?”
“The rain forest?”
“Rain forest? I thought we were going to see a volcano.”
“Mom, didn’t you read the pamphlet I gave you?” Elin asked, his tone showing his growing frustration. “Can we go now?”
“Yeah, buddy,” Cade said as he started divvying up the items in the drawstring bags.
He slung one over his shoulder, handed another to Elin, who eagerly put it on, then handed me mine, along with a travel mug.
I took a minute to wave at Lena and Pops, who were already on the beach ready to surf, then ran to catch up with Cade and Elin, who were loading into the 4Runner. I placed my bag at my feet, then slunk down in the passenger seat and decided to try and catch a cat nap before the hiking began.
I woke up to Cade’s lips on my neck, and practically purred in response. Then I opened my eyes and remembered where we were, and that Elin was in the car, and bolted awake.
“We’re here!” Elin shouted before bounding out of the car.
Once we were all out with our backpacks on, Cade went to the back of the car and pulled out some hats. He put one on Elin’s head, then handed one to me, before flipping the last one backward and placing it on his own.
His hair was down and currently extremely long, with the tips lightened by the sun. He looked amazingly hot with his backwards hat, tank top, and board shorts, and I found myself thinking again, how much I liked Cade in Hawaii. He was like
a super chill version of himself.
“Ready?” he asked, and all I could do was nod. But Cade wasn’t fooled. His lids lowered and he stepped closer to me, then bent until his lips were a breath away from mine and whispered, “Be good.”
Then he stepped back, without even giving me a kiss, and followed after Elin.
I gathered my wits and told my libido to calm the fuck down, then turned to meet them at the entrance to the trail.
The sign read Kilauea lki Trail.