i was at mason bridge in less than five minutes. by the time i pulled off the side of the road just before the bridge, the nerves i'd been keeping at bay reared their ugly head. sitting behind the steering wheel, i swiped my hands down my shorts in an attempt to remove the moisture that had collected on my palms. i could do this. opening my car door, i forced myself to get out before i could chicken out and go home. the cool breeze blowing through the branches of the aged oak trees that lined the banks of the river below made me shiver slightly. i warily eyed the bridge in front of me. it was now or never. i stripped off my sweatshirt despite the chill and tossed it on the passenger seat next to the towel i had brought along. closing the door with determination, i left my car behind, heading for the bridge.

my knees shook more and more the closer i got to the middle of the bridge, and my breath came out in labored puffs like i'd just sprinted a mile. peering over the railing, i took in the slow-moving river below. from this height, the water looked darker and more menacing than i thought it would. i felt lightheaded and slightly squeamish at the idea of being in water with god knows what lurking around me. in florida, it was common knowledge that any body of water could have snakes or even gators. indecision filled me as i gripped the railing with white knuckles. i clamped my eyes tightly closed to ward off the dizziness and gave myself a stern talking. i had to do it today. it was obvious by the chill in the air that time was limited. pretty soon it would be too cold to jump.

with my mind made up, i kept my eyes closed as i attempted to climb over the railing that i was still gripping with both hands. maneuvering was awkward with the death grip i had, but after a few false starts, i was standing on the other side of the rail. finally opening my eyes, i slowly released one hand so i could twist around to face the water below. with the railing against my back, i faced my biggest fear. my breath wheezed past my lips as i fought back my panic. "this is the worst part," i told myself. if i could get past this, the actual fall would last only seconds. stiffening my back, i finally released the railing and moved to the edge of the bridge. the desire to slam my eyes shut again pulled at me, but i fought it back. there was no cheating this situation. with one last look of yearning at the railing behind me, i stepped off the bridge and screamed, and screamed and then screamed some more.

my screams filled the air around me as i plunged toward the dark water below. it took less than a moment, and even though i was still scared, my screams were suddenly more exhilarated. i felt alive as my stomach dropped from the free fall. for the first time, i totally understood why skydivers claimed it was a rush like no other to jump out of a plane. i found i was actually disappointed when i hit the water feet first and sank down into the icy water. i wanted more. i wanted to feel the freedom of the fall all over again.

chapter 6: trying to be the hero

nathan

i was three miles into my run on sunday, contemplating my next move with ashton, when i came across her car on the side of the road near mason bridge. before i could register why it was there, a piercing scream rang through the air. sprinting toward the location of the screams, i made it to the railing of the bridge just in time to see the splash of someone's body hitting the water below. without giving it a thought, i hurled over the railing and jumped off the side of the bridge.

the water hit me like needles of ice as i was completely submerged. years of scuba diving had me instinctively kicking my feet as i used my arms to propel me back to the surface. i swiped my hands frantically across my face, clearing away the water to look for her. relief filled me as i saw a head bobbing in the water a few yards from me.

"what the hell? you scared the shit out of me!" ashton yelled. "i thought the bridge was falling on me or something.

"well, i thought you were being murdered by the way you were screaming," i countered, my own anger rising. "what the fuck are you doing?"

"i was conquering my fear of heights, quickly followed by my fear of a bridge falling on top of me," she sniped back, turning toward the shore. i watched for a moment as she used practiced strokes to propel herself toward the shore. shaking my head in bewilderment, i followed behind, quickly catching up to her. we trudged the rest of the way to the shore once we could stand. neither of us talked as the last of the adrenaline left us and our bodies began to shake from the cold. the tension between us dissipated when i reached out to steady her when she tripped over a hidden root beneath the water.

"thanks," she said, dropping my hand once we stumbled ashore.

"no problem. it's not every day i get to save a lady that didn't need saving," i joked.

"i'm sure it's the thought that counts," she teased as we made our way up the embankment. our steps squished as the leftover water seeped out over the tops of our shoes.

"tell that to my ruined running shoes," i said, holding my muddy shoe up so she could see it.

"how about i give you a ride to make up for it? although, i want the record to show i didn't ask you to go all stalker-hero and jump in after me," she teased between chattering lips.

"fair enough, but next time you decide to do an adrenaline job, screaming less might be helpful."

"point well taken," she agreed, pulling the passenger door open. "here, you can have the towel since i have my sweatshirt," she added, tossing a folded up towel at me.

"you should have taken off your wet shirt before you put that on," i pointed out, raising my eyebrows suggestively as she pulled the sweatshirt on over her wet t-shirt.

"i'm not that easy. you have to actually save me in order to get a boob shot," she quipped, climbing into the driver seat.

startled laughter bubbled up inside me. it had been awhile since i'd been with someone so sassy. she was different than the refined, boring girls i normally dated. she was more open, with a sharper tongue that made me think about other things i'd like that tongue to do.

"is that an invitation?" i asked, folding myself into the passenger seat.

"i'm not sure i have any more high-risk activities planned that will require your services."

"maybe we can work out a side deal," i said, resting my arm on the back of the seat so my fingers were close to the back of her neck without actually touching her. i bit back a smile when i saw a shudder of awareness ripple through her frame.

"what do you have in mind?" she asked, flipping the heat on as she whipped a u-turn in the middle of the road.

"why don't you let me take you out to dinner and we can work out the particulars?" i answered, trailing my finger along the fine hair on her neck that had escaped the cute ponytail she wore on top of her head.

"there's not a whole lot of dining choices in woodfalls unless you don't mind the diner. the better restaurants are in the next town, like twenty-five minutes away," she said, leaning back against my hand that was now cupping her neck. i went instantly hard from the sigh of pleasure that escaped her mouth as i gently massaged her neck.

"let me worry about dinner," i murmured, dipping my finger down the neckline of her shirt as she pulled her car into the parking lot of my motel. she switched off the car, but neither of us moved.

"this is crazy. we don't even know each other," she finally said hoarsely, cluing me in that she was as turned on as i was. although, judging by her death grip on the steering wheel, she was trying to fight it.

"go out with me and we'll get to know each other," i coaxed, sliding my hand farther down the back of her shirt. i watched as she gnawed on her bottom lip indecisively. i was more jealous of a set of teeth than i could have ever imagined possible. i wanted it to be my teeth that gently nipped on her lip. "are you still worried i want to stick my trunk in your head," i teased softly, trying to lighten the tension radiating off her.

"i'm not looking for a serious relationship," she mumbled.

"let me get this straight. you're fine going out with me, but you just don't want me to get attached?" i asked, laughing at the irony of the situation. "sweetheart, i have a strict rule about attachments, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun getting to know each other. besides, i'll only be here a week or so."

"you won't fall in love with me?" she asked earnestly. had the situation been different, i would have busted a gut at her question.

"i promise i won't fall in love with you," i said solemnly since she seemed so serious.

"how about if i promise i only plan to use you for sex?" i joked.

"that would help," she said, nodding her head in total agreement.

"you know this conversation is kind of messed up," i teased, trailing my hand a little farther down.

"i'm pretty sure everything we've done up to this point is messed up," she said, finally relaxing. "we might as well stay consistent."

"so, let me get this straight since i tend to look at things a bit analytically. it's okay if we date, but even better if i decide i want to ravish your body to my heart's content, and then walk away when i'm done?" i questioned.

"exactly," she said, shivering slightly as my hand continued exploring.

"i'll pick you up at seven," i said, pulling her toward me. i settled my lips against hers for a moment, devouring the sigh of surprise that left her mouth. i pulled the lip that had been enticing me into my mouth and gave it a soft nip with my teeth. it tasted faintly like a combination of cherry lip gloss and minty mouthwash, but it was the heat that beckoned me. i could have made a feast of her lips and mouth. i wanted to explore every inch of them. after a moment, i forced myself to pull away and open my car door.

her eyes looked at me questionably as i stood outside her car. "sorry, you're bottom lip was driving me nuts. i had to see if it tasted as good as it looks," i explained.

"well?" she asked exasperated as i started to close the door.

"sweetheart, it tasted better than my wildest fantasies could have ever conjured up," i said, closing the door to her astonished face.

chapter 7: the face plant

ashton

i drove home in a fog after the earth-shattering kiss nathan planted on me. "earth-shattering" was so cliche, but this kiss was that and more. never has a kiss affected me in so many different ways. the clumsy kisses i'd shared with a few boys in high school and college paled in comparison. it was the difference between ordering an aged steak at a five-star restaurant and the chopped meat patties they used to serve in the school cafeteria. his parting words, though, affected me the most. with just a few words, he made me feel desirable and cherished all at the same time.

pulling in front of my cottage, i managed to clear the fog in my head long enough to go inside. along the way, the cold air made its way through my wet clothes, chilling me to the bone and effectively putting out the rest of the fire he'd ignited inside me. my trembling fingers fumbled with my key until i was finally able to slide it into the lock. closing the front door behind me, i began to strip down, leaving a trail of wet clothes behind me on the way to my bathroom. it took all the hot water the small water heater could muster to fight away the chills that had gripped me. only when the water started to cool did i switch it off.

i stepped from the shower, quickly wrapping my body with a towel, and another turban-style around my head.

i was in the midst of pulling skinny jeans and a cable-knit sweater on when i heard my tv click on in the main room of the cottage.

"want to hang out?" tressa greeted me around a mouthful of gooey cheese pizza. "i figured we could watch a couple movies and gossip."

the tantalizing smell of the pizza reminded me that i had skipped breakfast. "sure," i replied, grabbing a piece of pizza as i rounded up my wet clothes from the floor. still munching along the way, i carried them to the utility room that had been built onto the back of the cottage. i shivered at the quickly dropping temperature outside, and heaved the clothes into the basket so i could rush back inside.

"man, it's crazy how quick the weather changes," i commented, heading back through the kitchen.

"welcome to northern living. what i wouldn't give for warm weather all year around."

"trust me. it's not as glamorous as it sounds. no seasons to speak of and scorching summers take the fun out of warm weather states. did you bring chocolate too?" i asked, changing the subject as i sat down next to her.

"chocolate fudge brownie ice cream," she answered, hitting the button on my bluray player.

"yum. what movies did you get in from netflix?" i asked, grabbing another slice of pizza.

"this week it was comedies."

"sounds good," i said, settling back against the cushions on my couch.

"so, are you going to tell me how your jump went, or am i supposed to brush up on my mind-reading skills?"

i took a moment to finish my second slice of pizza before answering her, unsure of how much information i wanted to divulge. "what makes you think i went through with it?"

"uh, maybe because you left wet clothes strewn across your living room. duh. i can't believe you were dumb enough to go by yourself."

i looked at her questionably.

"brittni texted me about her strep to warn me, i'll probably get it next since the bitch took a swig of my beer the other night. so, spill it."

"i jumped off the bridge today," i said evasively.

"so help me, i will hit you upside the head with this remote if you don't answer my question," she threatened, holding up my remote like a weapon.

"okay, psycho. i jumped, and it was scary, amazing and exhilarating all wrapped up into one. i'd do it again if i didn't freeze my ass off afterward, well that, and if i wasn't afraid the bridge was falling on top of me."

"what?"

"it would seem someone with a superhero complex was under the impression that i fell in and needed to be saved."

"omg, please tell me it was mr. hot and sexy who jumped in to save you," tressa asked, bouncing on the couch with excitement.

"how did you know he was still in town?" i asked, surprised that was the natural conclusion she would reach.

"hello. you do know this is woodfalls, right? i could tell you who took a shit yesterday and who was constipated. the whole town is buzzing about the mysterious journalist who's decided to stick around in the boonies for a while. according to a very reliable source, he's super private and won't even let the maid service come in to clean his room. he has them drop off clean towels and sheets in the morning and leaves the dirty ones outside the door of his room," she said in an excited rush. "so, was he your knight in shining armor?"