Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Isabella's pov;

While he was driving the car, he seemed upset. What exactly did I just do? Is it possible that I disturbed him as a result of my fear? He was overjoyed in the morning that we were going out, but now his face is expressionless.

"Mr Martinez?"

"Yeah?" asked while he was driving the car.

"What is tubing?"

"It's similar to sledding, but you ride on the top of an inner tube."

"Will I be able to roll down the hill in tubing if it's like sledding?"

He smiled and replied, "No, you will not. The sled has a flat surface, so you can jump out of it, whereas tubing requires you to submerge half of your body into the tube, so you can avoid falling."

"Really? I can ride without rolling down the hill?"

"Yes."

"Take me there. I'd like to give it a shot."

"Okay."

We eventually got to tubing.

When I looked around, I noticed people in tubes rolling down the hill. Some were racing with others, while some were fighting with their mates on the tubes. It appeared odd and funny.

"Shall we go?"

I nodded and walked along with him.

Mr Martinez asked me to sit on a tube and instructed me to grasp the handles on either side of the tube.

"Hold on tight, you won't fall, and don't move too much, or you'll flip."

"Did you just say flippppp…."

Mr Martinez pushed my tube down the slope, causing me to scream since it was moving too quickly and eventually collided with the ground. Oh my God. I did not tumble out of the tube.

When I turned around, Mr Martinez was slipping down nicely. He landed next to me.

I rose up, took the tube, and said to him as we ascended, "Did you notice that, Mr. Martinez? This time I didn't roll down the hill."

"Finally, you did it," he rubbed my head.

"I believe I will be able to master tubing. Take a close look at me when I slide from up there."

We arrived at the top, and I sat in the tube's interior, asking Mr Martinez to push me.

I slid down easily after he pushed me, but then the tube hit something and flipped, and I rolled downhill.

Mr Martinez inquired, "Are you alright? Were you hurt in any way?"

"Yeah," I answered, nodding.

"Where did you get hurt?" he inquired, touching my face, shoulders, and hands.

"Here," I responded, pointing to my heart.

"What?"

"I'm humiliated." And curled up in Mr Martinez's embrace.

"Wh-what are you up to?"

"I'm charging."

I took the tube after a while and declared, "This time, I'm not going to let it go. Let's see who takes the prize. Either the mountain or I." And began climbing the slope.

I moved away from the bump and went easily down the hill without slipping. Mr Martinez followed me down and said, "Congratulations, honey." And kissed the top of my head.

"Let's build a snowman."

"Snowman?"

"Yes!"

I walked around collecting snow and depositing it in one location. Mr Martinez was motionless.

"What exactly are you doing? Gather snow to construct a snowman." And motioned him to collect the snow.

We eventually built a snowman up to my waist level.

"What should we do for the eyes?"

Mr Martinez handed me some wood sticks, which I inserted into the snowman's head to resemble eyes.

"Cool! Now I just need a scarf and a carrot to complete the picture."

"Do you really need a carrot in the middle of nowhere?"

I gave him a nod.

He sighed and turned to walk away.

"What are you going?"

"To obtain the carrot."

He eventually returned with a bag of carrots and handed it to me.

"I only need one."

I inserted the carrot into his nose and tied my scarf over the snowman's neck.

"Why are you taking off your scarf?"

"It's more important to Snowman than it is to me."

Mr Martinez took off his scarf and put it around my neck, saying, "What else does this person need?"

"He's packed up. Let's take pictures," I responded, laughing.

While we were taking shots, some kids came up and played with the snowman.

Mr Martinez repelled them.

"What made you do that?"

"What if they destroy your snowman?"

I smacked him on the shoulder and said, "They are kids. That's how they operate."

I called the kids and told them, "You can play with them."

"Can we borrow the snowman?"

"You may have the snowman."

One of the kids thanked me and kissed me on the cheek.

Mr Martinez asked, "You put in a lot of effort to create it. Look at how red your hands are from snow picking. Why did you give it to them so easily?"

"It's only snow. It will melt regardless of how long you hang on to it. So enjoying it while it lasts wasn't a bad idea. Um, Where are we going next?"

"Didn't you want to go to your place?"

"There's still time left for the day to end. Let's go somewhere and have fun for the day. After all, it is a date." And then I smiled to myself.

Mr Martinez hugged me quickly and added, "I don't know nearly as many places as you do. So please recommend one."

"I'm even worse than you. I only knew about nightclubs, cafes, and restaurants in Santa Rosa. Wait a minute, I know where we can go now."

"Where?"

"Burney falls. I've heard that it'll be great when it snows. Should we give it a shot?"

We both headed to the car after he nodded.

We drove for a while before heading inside the hill to see Burney Falls.

I said while we're walking up the hill, "We won't be fatigued after this because it's only a one-mile round trip. The hiking trails let you get to the falls quickly by taking you along the lake and into the creek."

Mr Martinez, "You appear to be a natural person."

"Huh?"

"You enjoy hiking, beaches, and other outdoor activities."

"I believe so."

When I saw the falls, I grabbed Mr Martinez's hand and told him, "We arrived at the falls. Look at how beautiful it is."

"Yes."

We sat on the falls' ledge and gazed at them.

"If it were summer, I'd be playing under that waterfall by now."

"Then we'll come again during the summer."

"Really? Will you take me here?"

"Of course, how can I deny my wife's request after all?" he patted my head.

"Stop using that phrase. It's strange."

"How strange?"

"It makes me feel incredibly ancient."

"How do you want me to call you then?" he joked.

"Isabella. That is sufficient for me. Except for you, no one calls me that, so I prefer it."

"Isabella?"

"Yeah."

"Marry me, Isabella," he said as he threw his arms around me and rested his head on my shoulder.

"Aren't you sick of me asking?" As I splashed water on his face, I replied.

"I'll keep going until you accept it."

"What happens if I don't?"

"I'll wait then."

I kissed him on the cheek.

"Did you just take my kiss?"

"So, how about you? You also stole a lot of kisses from me."

He gripped my face and kissed my lips and bit it.

"Ack! Are you a creature? Why did you bite my lips? My lips are bleeding."

"It wasn't on purpose."

He moved in closer to me.

"What are you trying to do now?" I stopped him.

"The bleeding has stopped," he muttered as he took my hand away, sucked my lips, and stepped away.

I moaned, "What am I going to do with these lips tomorrow? Everyone in the restaurant already believes we have steamy nights every day. They're going to tease me with these lips now."

He laughed and replied, "A hot night? What exactly do you mean?"

"You gave me those hickeys every night. They think it's because we had s*x the night before."

He laughed and flung his arms around me, exclaiming, "Aw! You're wonderful to hug in this cold weather."

"You changed the topic again. Argh! You're breaking my bones. Let go."

He kissed my neck and stood, forcing me to stand.

"Let's head to our last stop."

"Where?"

"Dinner by candlelight where every date comes to an end."

What?

"I'm not going there."

"Why?"

"I don't want this dating thing to come to an end."

"How come you're so adorable?" "Let's go," he replied, taking my hand in his.

"I'm not attending a candlelight supper."

"We won't go there."

"Where are we going then?"

"Can you tell me where I can buy a tape here?"

"Tape? Did you just imply that I'm a chatterbox?"

"No, I'm telling you straight up. You certainly have a lot to say. But I like it."