Stepping out, she breathed in the clean air. Lucas stood close beside her, and together, they made their way down the steps and headed toward the sand.

As they got to the softness beneath her feet, she quickly toed off her sneakers as Lucas did the same.

Holding them within her hand, she waited for him.

He held his, and he offered his other hand to her.

“Seeing as we’re both trying. Why don’t you give it a go?”

“You want to hold hands?”

“Why not? My parents do it all the time.”

“Mine do as well.” She looked at his hand, trying to see it as a friendly offering rather than the way she knew deep down he intended. They were destined to be mates. Any hand-holding could lead to something more.

Last night, the mating heat had been so strong. Even as she tried to run as far away from him as she could, she’d still been drawn to him. Finding him masturbating hadn’t been what she was expecting.

Lucas had a tendency to surprise her. She wasn’t sure she liked it.

She took his hand, and he locked their fingers together.

It was fine.

More than fine.

She could handle anything he had to offer.

Still, her body ignited beneath his touch. Deep breaths, Mabel. You can do this.

There was no room for talking to herself now. She had to be in control.

In and out.

“It’s beautiful weather,” he said.

She hummed her agreement. “I do love the sunshine.”

“You do?”

“Yes, is that a surprise to you?”

“Not a surprise. I seem to recall you smiling a lot when we had snow, and if my memory serves you well, you were the first one to throw a snowball.”

She opened her mouth and closed it. “How did you remember that? We were like fifteen.”

“And it had snowed nearly three feet and we were all struggling to walk around. Everyone was moaning, and you did no more than gather up some snow, roll it into a ball, and launch it screaming, ‘Snow fight.’”

She chuckled. “Wow, I haven’t thought about that day in a long time.” The school had been shut down and she’d ended up in the town square for whatever reason. She’d spent the entire morning falling down with how deep the snow had been. Seeing how miserable everyone was, she’d fought against it.

“I remember.”

“Anyway, I love the snow. I think sunshine and snow are the two best weathers.”

“Not a fan of storms?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Nope, hate them. They freak me out.”

“How?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I think with all the lightning and the rain, it’s too unsettled and too dangerous. Give me snow and sunshine any day.”

“Snow can be just as dangerous.”

“Yeah, so can heat,” she said.