the visit was a surprise...

and it would be short.

Any leave from the war was hard to get approved.
Even for him.

She trusted him completely, so when he smiled and
ordered, "Close your eyes", she did not hesitate to
smile back and obey.

He held her hand and kissed it while he drove.
His touch was warm. She let his voice surround her,
memorizing every note and inflection to be remembered
in his letters. No thought of where they were, only of him,
there with her.

He stopped the car and turned it off.

Only quiet sounds of a breeze rustling leaves, a distant
bird or two and... was that running water?

He helped her out of the car, her eyes still closed, took both
her hands in his. Both laughing now, he walked backwards
as he led her carefully along a cushioned path.

Speckled sunlight tried to tease her eyes open, but she
successfully resisted. She concentrated hard instead on the
sounds and smells that might proffer clues to their destination.

His boot-steps were firm and evenly paced.
Confident and pleased.
When he stopped, he led her two steps forward closer to him.
He released her hands and drew her face to his.

Wrapping her arms around his back, feeling the contours
of his shoulders, she returned his breathless kiss.

Sighing, he said, "Now you can look."
She saw his face first, his eyes crinkled in a smile.
With a light laugh he said, "Not me, silly. Look there!"

Her eyes followed his nod. Deja-vu made her gasp,
"Oh my! How did you find it?"

"As soon as you told me about your dream," he said,
"I knew exactly where it was. I came here once, alone,
before I ever knew you."

His arm around her shoulders, they leaned against the metal
railing. The view was magnificent; a large, sparkling creek
below burbling over rocks. Lush, heavy boughs close above
keeping the two of them in cooling shade.

His duffle was keeping the wine cool beside the spot where
they would make love.