Babies' Secret: My Ex Wants Me Back!
Chapter 61: Family Trip II

Chapter 61: Family Trip II

Chapter 61

The next morning, the air was crisp, filled with the scent of wet leaves and the after-scent of earth after rain. After having their breakfast, the family decided to hike up the trail, yet not too far from the campsite.

A soft breeze rustled through the leaves as the dew clung to the leaves, rolled down beautifully like a crystal. Birds chirped faintly in the distance as the twins’ heavy steps and rustling leaves filled the air.

"Is that not the sound—" Jasmine didn’t finish her statement before she pulled Hanith and ran toward the sloshing sound, Katherine calling after her to be careful while Jasmine laughed.

Katherine, who was walking faster after her child, paused on her feet when she saw Jasmine’s eyes widen and mouth part. Her hands were on her cheeks as she blinked.

"Woah, Mummy, this is beautiful," Jasmine squealed, turning to Katherine.

The river was white—blue? Did rivers have color? But the gentle flow of the river and how it glistened from the morning sun’s effect was beautiful, translucent.

"Yes," Katherine agreed, nodding her head.

Jasmine darted ahead with a competitive glint in her eyes. She picked up a small, flat stone, her smile mischievous. "Mine throw can go farther than yours," she chirped, teasing Hanith as she puffed her cheeks and stretched her hand back with an exaggerated position.

Hanith gave her a silent glance with a raised eyebrow—challenge accepted—with his lips pressed into a flat line, and he bent to pick a rock. "Ready?" he mumbled.

"Oh yeah!" Jasmine grinned and hurled her stone first. The pebble hit the water with a plop, making Jasmine turn to Hanith, who hadn’t thrown his yet.

"See?!" she jumped excitedly, grinning wide.

Aaron chuckled from behind, watching the kids compete about whose stone could plop further in the brook. He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets as he walked slowly beside Katherine, who hadn’t said much all morning nor glanced at him.

They were walking close, feeling each other’s body heat, yet their skin wasn’t touching. But close enough.

The event from last night still hung in the air—the almost kiss. Aaron cleared his throat, his breathing hitching as he remembered the way her voice trembled when she’d whispered, "Not yet."

She said "not yet"—that was a good green light, that it’d soon happen but not now.

Had it been she said "no" or "never," he would have known not to dream about enveloping her lips in a frenzied kiss.

Aaron felt sparks sizzle in his body as the ache of his cock being restrained in his briefs made him gulp.

Katherine walked beside him, her hands curled beside her as her thoughts were tumbling in her chest. She stole glances at him when he wasn’t looking, and her heart was still racing from the way his lips had hovered so near hers last night. Katherine didn’t understand why she pulled away—maybe she had yet to prepare herself, or she was still restraining herself.

Both of them hadn’t spoken about it—maybe it didn’t matter, and they shouldn’t. Maybe the silence was safer.

As they followed the river’s edge, the kids wandered farther ahead. Katherine slowed, her fingers toying with the cuff of her sleeve while Aaron said nothing, waiting for her to speak, but the silence kept stretching thin.

Then Katherine sighed and walked toward the water, her boots crunching softly over gravel and dirt. She bent down, trying to collect a smooth rock like the kids were doing—anything to keep her hands busy, her mind distracted from the twirling thoughts in her head.

The slope near the riverbank was muddy, slick from the morning dew and uneven from small slides, but she didn’t notice. Her thoughts were clouded and her only focus was on the stone she wanted to pick. Then—her foot shifted and slipped.

Katherine tried to balance herself, but it was impossible with her legs wobbly from the muddy edge. Her body tilted backward, and with a splash, she fell into the river.

Like nature doing her thing, the water was colder, shallower than it looked.

"Aaron!" she gasped, sputtering, her limbs kicking instinctively as the current dragged her sideways. Her hair whipped around her face, and her fingers scrambled for something—anything—to hold on to. The river was swallowing her like a sacrificial lamb.

"KATHERINE!" Aaron shouted. The voice rumbled like thunder out of his chest, yet with panic and fear.

Without a second thought, he darted into the river. His boots pounded against the ground heavily, and he didn’t care that he was fully clothed, didn’t care about the shoes on his feet. His heart roared like thunder in his ears, and in one swift motion, he dove in.

The cold water hit him in the chest. It was freezing, and the current’s pull was strong, but the adrenaline to save his woman was stronger. He swam through the current as his eyes locked on her flailing form in panic.

Aaron reached her in a few strokes, wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, and held her back to the surface.

Katherine coughed and gasped, her head barely above water until Aaron hauled her closer to the surface. Her hands clung to his jacket, nails digging into the fabric as she was shaking, drenched, terrified.

"I got you," he panted, his voice hoarse and breathless.

He dragged them both to the grassy bank and pulled her up onto the soft earth, collapsing beside her, soaked and gasping.

"Katherine!" he shouted again, shaking her shoulders gently.

She coughed again, water spilling from her lips, her eyes unfocused.

Aaron leaned over her, his body trembling, his chest beating profusely like it wanted to remove itself from his ribcage. "Don’t do this to me, babe," he rasped, voice cracking.

She coughed again, harder this time, her nose twitching as she sneezed. "I—I’m okay—" her voice cracked as she blinked, slightly dazed.

"You scared the hell out of me," he growled, cupping her face as his thumbs brushed over her wet cheeks. "What the hell were you thinking?"

She looked up at him, her lip quivering. "I didn’t mean to—" Another cough broke through her sentence.

Aaron pulled her tightly into his arms without caring about the water soaking through both their clothes. His hand pressed against her back, clutching tightly as his body trembled from the surge of fear that had gripped him.

The twins were crying in the background—Jasmine was already sobbing, calling for her mom, while Hanith stood frozen, eyes wide in shock.

"I thought I lost you," Aaron breathed out shakily, burying his face in the curve of her neck. "I just got you back, babe. You don’t get to leave me."

Katherine’s breath caught in her throat, but she didn’t pull away. "I’m okay," Katherine whispered eventually, her voice faint—yet her body wouldn’t stop shaking. Neither would his body against hers

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