Ridge chuckles quietly as he merges lanes.
“Okay, then. The first part of our date, we are going indoor rock climbing.”
I suck in a breath. “I love rock climbing.”
“I know,” he says as a cocky smirk covers his face.
“How did you know?”
“Babe, I’ve heard you talk about it for years.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Based on things he’s said in the past, I knew he paid attention. I knew he knew more about me than I did him, but I guess I underestimated exactly how much he knew.
“I know it’s not the most conventional date, but I knew you would like it.” He shrugs as if it’s not a big deal.
“No, this is awesome, but do you like rock climbing? Have you ever been?” I ask.
“I actually picked it up years ago after listening to you go on and on about it. I fell in love with it and do it every chance I can now.”
“Have you climbed outside yet?” I ask, turning toward him.
He nods. “I have a couple of times. Nothing too challenging, though. There’s a place I want to check out that’s here in Colorado.”
“Oh, is it the one over in Serenity Valley? I keep wanting to go out there and do that, then hit up the hot springs.”
“It is.”
“We should go,” I say without thinking.
Ridge smiles. “We will have to wait until this spring or summer, but I’ll book it tonight. We can make a weekend of it.”
“I’d love that,” I tell him quietly.
We are making plans for the future. In the past, that would have scared me, but it only makes me excited with him.
“I’ll make it happen.” He reaches over and squeezes my knee. “Have you looked at rock climbing outside of Colorado? There are some pretty sick places. Some not that far from us.”
My mind is still on the heat of his hand on my knee as I answer.
“Like Yosemite?”
He hums. “That’s one.”
“It’s on my list, but I haven’t had time,” I admit.
“We will have to check it out,” he tells me. “There is also one I’ve been eyeing, a place in Greece. It’s supposed to be one of the best in the world.”
My heart races at the possibilities. “I’ve never thought about traveling outside of the States to do it.”
“Think about it. If you want to do it, we could make it happen. It shouldn’t be too hard to plan.”
I swallow hard. “I’d like that.”
He slows down and turns on his blinker as he pulls into the parking lot for the rock climbing gym.
After he parks and shuts off the truck, he turns toward me.
“Now, are you ready to go kick my ass?” he asks.