A soft, purple mist hangs low in the lost valley of Glencoe. Craggy peaks pierce the soft grey sky all around us, silhouetted against a hazy sun as we hike deeper into the valley. Over the past two years this has become one of my favorite spots on earth. It’s impossible not to feel awed by the majesty of nature, and strangely comforting to feel small and protected by the magnificence of ancient mountains.

Gus takes my hand, threads his fingers through mine. The path is narrow and steep here, but Gus is as surefooted as a mountain goat and I — well, I’ve got him and I know he won’t let me go. His hand is warm, his grip firm as we climb in companionable silence. 

It’s become a tradition to walk the West Highland Way on our anniversary. We’ll stop for lunch just around the next bend, just like we always do. There’s a large, flat rock that fits both of our butts perfectly as long as we squish together, which is a-okay with me..

Last year on this trip we were celebrating being done with being a semi-long distance nomadic couple. I could have dinged my trip once we got together and just stayed in Scotland with him, but in the end, we decided together that I shouldn’t miss out. I used Scotland as a base, returning every few weeks at the most, and because Gus’s job isn’t exactly 9-5 he came along whenever he could. 

We island hopped in Greece together, then I continued through northern Italy, and of course he had to join when I hit Switzerland. We hiked across the Alps, yes I sang a lot of songs from that musical and occasionally he even joined in. We spent a few days at Octoberfest in Munich, then he had to go home and I explored Berlin myself. 

I found a project management job I could do entirely remotely, so now I’m a full time digital nomad. We moved into our cosy little apartment in Glasgow last year, and we take off whenever we can. We spent a month on Skye last summer, then my Christmas present to him was few weeks in a minuscule cabin in 24 hour darkness on a Norwegian island close to the North Pole. During this walk, we’ve been debating our next trip. Thailand gets my vote, but he has always wanted to travel Central and South America.

‘You can fly from Ecuador to Bankok with just a stop in Amsterdam,’ Gus announces as though he can read my mind. ‘If I get that job writing for the Scottish tourism board, then I could work abroad too and we could go for three months and do both,’ he muses. ‘Calum will flat-sit.’

We’ve reached the rock and Gus helps me get my heavy backpack off before rummaging in his for our sandwiches. The sun breaks through the clouds, flooding the spectacular view at our feet and I take a deep breath, feeling pure joy that this is my life. I pour coffee from our thermos as he extracts sandwiches and trail mix with a triumphant grin that is so adorable I have to lean over and kiss him. 

I just meant for it to be a peck on the lips, but lust flutters through me at the feel of his lips, his three-day stubble, the heat of his tongue. I run my hands through his unruly hair as he reaches for me, pulls me onto his lap. The feel of him is so familiar yet thrilling as his strong hands guide my hips over his growing hardness.

‘I kinda like you,’ I murmur against his lips.

‘Ach you’re no’ so bad either,’ he grins back and I giggle. ‘Hey, you know what?’ he adds as I start to kiss my way down his neck, nuzzling his soft skin. ‘What do you reckon to making the American/Asian trip a honeymoon?’

‘Wait — what?’

He holds up my sandwich and I frown in confusion before noticing the sparkling ring nestling in the wrapper.