“I’m thrilled to see you, full stop, but the yoga pants are a bonus, I’m not going to lie.”

He leaned down to kiss her, just as she slid her hands into his hair and pulled him to her. He kissed her hard, like he’d been dreaming about doing all week. She kissed him back just as hard, he hoped for the same reason. They stood there for a while, kissing, touching, not saying anything, but he felt—he hoped—they communicated a lot all the same.

“If you still want to go on that hike, we should probably go at some point,” she said in his ear. “Though, if you’d rather go on a nice, civilized, I don’t know, winery tour or something, I’d be happy to be spontaneous for once.”

He laughed and pulled away.

“If you really don’t want to go on a hike, we can totally change our plans,” he said. “But I did get that cheese you liked so much last week.”

She walked ahead of him into his kitchen.

“Then, by all means, let’s hike.”

He picked up the backpack full of food, water, and ice packs, and gestured toward the door.

“All ready,” he said. “And I can’t wait to admire that new car of yours. Do you want to take it, instead of mine?” He didn’t say this to her, but he had a feeling a few local reporters recognized his car, and the last thing he wanted was to get photographed while out with her.

She slung her backpack over one shoulder.

“Sure, but can you drive? I’m getting used to the car, and I think I even like it, but driving in hilly areas and places where I don’t know where I’m going stresses me out. And I know it’ll make me even more stressed if you’re there in the car, judging my driving.”

“I won’t be judging your driving!” he said with a laugh.

She unlocked the car and got into the passenger side.

“I’m sure you’re telling the truth, but I would still feel like you were judging me, no matter what.”

He tossed his backpack in the back seat and got in the driver’s side. After a comically long amount of time, they figured out how to adjust the driver’s seat for his longer legs, and he drove them in the direction of Griffith Observatory.

When they got there, they pulled into the back corner of the almost full parking lot.

“I guess this whole ‘hiking’ thing is very popular here in L.A.,” Olivia said.

He strapped his backpack on and adjusted his hat so it shaded—and mostly covered—his face.

“It just means that if you faint from exposure, there will be plenty of people around to carry you to safety.”

She glared at him.

“Is that your idea of a joke?”