Drew grinned. "Yeah."

"Good, good." He pulled out a sleek bike. "Perfect for you." He turned to Jay, studying her much like he'd done Drew. "Five-seven?"

Jay smiled. "Thanks for the extra half-inch."

But he frowned and shook his head. "I never miss. Must be the shoes." He walked down the row, bending to inspect two bikes before selecting one for Jay. "Here. Perfect for you." He pointed across the room. "Go. You'll need a jacket for the summit. And gloves, if you wish. It's cold at the top. Okana will help you. You'll get water bottles and a map once we're there."

"I think he's had too much caffeine," Jay teased as they headed to die jackets.

It was still completely dark when their van pulled to a stop near the summit. There were two vans with ten riders on each. Drew and Jay were the first ones off and they stood near the back, waiting for Okana to unload their bikes.

"Two water bottles, everyone," Gregory announced. "Once it is daylight, you can check your maps. There is a spring about halfway down. It is safe to drink. The locals come to get water there. You may fill your water bottles without worry. Don't drink the water anywhere else though, no matter how clear it looks. Our vans will meet you at the bottom. You have until noon to explore the mountain. And take your time. You'll be down the mountain in a flash." He looked them over in the low lights of the van. "Any questions?"

"How many miles is it?" someone asked.

"Thirty-five from here. All downhill. You will rarely even need to pedal. The summit is about three miles up ahead. Feel free to explore it. All uphill." He waited, but no one else asked any questions. "Great. After the sunrise, daylight comes quickly. Have fun, my friends. And be careful."

As soon as the red taillights of the vans disappeared, die group of bikers dispersed. Some already beginning the trek up to the summit, but most others staying to catch the sunrise. Drew led Jay away from the others, finding a flat rock to sit on. They leaned their bikes against a tree, then sat side by side, their gazes looking out over the ocean to the east, far below them.

"How high are we?" Jay asked quietly.

"I don't know. I think I read where the summit is around ten thousand feet, so I guess we're about eight or so."

Jay leaned closer. "Because it's cold."

"Yeah. Hard to imagine we'll be shedding these clothes before long."

Drew opened her coat and slipped an arm around Jay, pulling her nearer to her warmth. Jay didn't hesitate as she snuggled closer. She wasn't that cold. But damn, it felt good to be this close to her.

They sat quietly, the sky lightening now, hinting at the colors that would come. Jay tried to concentrate on the sunrise, tried to keep her mind in a sane place, but her body wanted to get closer, and she shivered, not from the cold, but from the heat of Drew's body.

"Still cold?"

"No. This is nice." Jay reached between them, taking Drew's hand. It was as cold as her own, but she was thankful they hadn't bothered with gloves. She ran her fingers across Drew's skin. Her hands were smooth, but her fingers hinted at calluses, evidence of her occupation. "I like your hands," Jay said.

"They're not very soft. Working hands."

"Yes. That's what I like."

They were quiet again, both staring at the sky, watching as the very tip of the sun broke the horizon. Drew squeezed her hand, both waiting for the explosion of color they knew would greet them. They didn't have to wait long. The dull red orb rose out of the water, the dullness changing to a brilliant shine as the color turned to burgundy before taking on a hint of orange. Colored light blasted out in every direction, shooting across the ocean in waves, turning the placid blue-green into a fiery cauldron as the colors raced to the shore.

"So beautiful," Jay murmured. "My God, so damn beautiful."

"Mmm."

Jay leaned closer, resting her head on Drew's shoulder as the sky came alive with colors. "I think I want to be on a date," she said.

Drew squeezed her hand. "Is that right?"

"Yeah. I feel... normal with you. Does that make sense? I'm more myself. I recognize me when I'm with you. I'm not just some foreign entity drifting about, trying to be something else. I'm just me."

Drew turned, brushing her lips across Jay's hair. "You can always be yourself with me. There's not anything you need to hide."

Jay smiled and moved away. "Yeah, right now I have to hide the fact that I want to kiss you. Kiss you a lot." She stood, her gaze traveling to the sun, the deep red colors being replaced with orange. Soon it would rise higher, the colors fading completely. And Gregory was right. Daylight came fast up here. The shadows had disappeared and so had some of the riders. There were only a handful of others still about, some discussing whether they wanted to climb to the summit, others looking at the map, deciding where to explore first.

She felt Drew walk up beside her and she turned, liking the contented look on Drew's face. She held up the map.

"The first waterfall trail is not too far from here," she said, showing Jay the map. "Interested?"

"Yes. Anything."

"Anything?"

Jay cocked her head. "Yeah, anything."

"Well, I'd really like to swim in one of the natural pools. Three of the waterfalls have them. What do you think?"

Jay laughed. "I swear. I give you an opening and you want to go swimming."

Drew wiggled her eyebrows. "Didn't I mention it would be nude swimming?"

"Not on your life." Jay tugged her arm. "Come on. Let's work some of this energy off."

Of course coasting downhill didn't really require much energy except riding the brake, which Jay was doing now as they sped around a curve, the cool wind blowing against them. The forest was a blur as Jay kept her eyes glued to the road... and Drew's backside.

"The trail's up ahead," Drew called over her shoulder.

Jay slowed, her hands squeezing hard on the brakes. She followed Drew, easing to a stop along the side of the road. A well-marked trail led into the forest. A muddy trail. Jay looked down at her blue and white Nikes.

"Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing," Drew said. "Maybe we should try the next waterfall."

And they did. Just a short while later coming to another trail, this time on the other side of the road. And this time a dry trail.

"Why was the other so wet?" Jay asked as she leaned her bike against a tree.

"They're on opposite sides. It's like a mountain range. The storms come from one direction, dropping moisture, but the peaks shield the other side. I guess here, the eastern side catches the rain and west does not."

"Then the waterfalls must be spring fed," Jay guessed.

"Which is why I'm dying to go swimming in them." Drew pulled off her jacket and stuffed it in her backpack, but left the wind pants on.

Jay unzipped her jacket, but kept it on, the morning wind still chilling her. "Will our bikes be okay here?"

Drew shrugged. "They didn't give us any chains or locks, so I imagine it's okay. Besides, I don't think anyone else is up here this early other than our tour group."

"Okay. Then lead the way."

"It's not too far," Drew said as they followed the trail into the forest.

"I'm fine. I enjoy hiking. But judging by this manicured trail,

I don't believe we can really call it hiking."

They both stopped a short time later when they heard the roar. Drew grabbed Jay's arm, her head tilted as she listened.

"It's almost as if the ground is vibrating."

"It's deafening."

They walked on, the trail literally dumping into a fenced overlook, the waterfall's roar blocking out all other sound. They were so close, they could feel the spray as it tumbled past them some four hundred feet down, forming one of the swimming pools Drew wanted to visit. There were no words to describe it and Jay didn't even try. She simply stared at the massive wall of water that plummeted by at lightning speed. She turned to Drew, their eyes meeting for a second before looking back to the waterfall.

And how long they stood there, Jay didn't know. She felt Drew's fingers entwine with hers, felt the gentle tug. She blinked, realizing she was almost in a trance. There were no thoughts running through her mind, no words, nothing. She merely stared, absorbing the sight.

She finally nodded, following Drew back the way they'd come. When the roar subsided, Drew turned, excitement still showing on her face.

"Can you believe that? We were right there. How cool was that?" she asked excitedly.

Jay laughed. "God, that was awesome. We were so close to it, we could almost touch it."

"Can you imagine swimming at the bottom of that thing?"

"No."

Drew grinned. "Yeah, neither can I." She motioned with her head. "Come on. Let's see what else we can find."

And they did, finding four more falls on their way down, each matching the beauty of the one before. But none could match the intensity of the first one. By the time they'd hit their third, they both had shed their wind pants and were riding in shorts and T-shirts, cruising down the mountain at breakneck speed, turning into each curve like they'd done it hundreds of times before. At die fourth waterfall, Drew found her swimming hole.

The view of the falls was from down below, and they lifted their heads, looking high above them where it fell off the mountain.

"I'm ready for that swim now, if you are," Jay said, pulling the T-shirt away from her neck to let air in.