The sun was just setting as the truck came into view. The '72 Ford had seen better days but after the four hour ride it looked like a stretch limo with all the amenities. They laughed and dismounted. Cracking jokes all day had almost been more fun than fishing...almost.
"Hey, Matt, you want to feed and load the horses while I load the gear?"
"No Problem."
He was just about to load the first horse in the trailer when he heard her trying to start the truck. The engine was trying to turn over for the third time when it quit with a terrible noise. He laughed when he heard a loud "shit" come from somewhere near the cab.
"Everything okay up there?"
He heard the hood pop followed by more cursing. He walked to the front of the pick-up and chuckled when he saw her feet dangling over the ground and her upper body lost somewhere by the motor.
She hopped back to the ground, "she threw a belt." She walked around to the bed of the pick up and opened the job box. Out of it she grabbed a tool kit and a flashlight.
"Do you need some help?"
She shrugged her shoulders and went to work. After twenty minutes of cursing, banging, thumping and more cursing, " I can't see a damn thing. We are going to have to wait until morning. You don't mind camping out, do you?"
"Nah, it will be like that time your brother and mine stole your dad's horse and ran away."
"Oh my god! I thought he was going to kill them both!"
"You think their hides are still tan after all these years?"
"Probably."
They exchanged more childhood memories and grown-up stories as they gathered stones and dry wood for a fire.
She pointed towards the truck, "there are matches in the glove box."
Matt went to grab the matches, while in the truck he grabbed the water bottles that had been rolling around on the floorboards during the drive up. He also grabbed the blanket he knew she kept behind the bench seat.
It was fully dark before they had a decent fire going and had finished up the remnants of their lunch from earlier in the day.
"I'm always shocked how quickly it cools off in the mountains," she said as she carried over a couple horse blankets.
He admired her grace in the dancing firelight as she sat down next to him.
"You know, if it gets any colder, we are going to have to huddle together for warmth."
He laughed when she wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively, "only if you promise to take advantage of me." She laughed and snuggled up under his arm.
"I had fun today. I'm glad we were able to get away from our families and do this today."
She nodded against his chest, "me too." She looked up into his face, "you were pretty determined to get me out here today. Why?"
He searched her eyes for a couple seconds before focusing his attention on her full lips and leaning in. When he could taste her breath he stopped and waited. He didn't have to wait long before she tentatively brushed her lips against his. He smiled and kissed her again. When she parted her lips and he was able to stroke her tongue with his own she sighed and melted against him. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back while they kissed.
For a long time they just kissed and touched. He pulled away for a moment, "I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that."
She giggled and laid back on the blanket, gently pulling him down with her. He kissed her again, more passionately than before, 'are you sure?"