CHAPTER 14
“JACK,” LILY CALLED OUT, head still tilted up, still trying to see.
“Yeah?” he asked from behind her.
She gestured up. “I’m going to climb it.”
Jack eyed the rock wall and the outcropping that was cut out and so overgrown with bushes that they couldn’t see above it. “Where?”
“Here.” Lily began to climb the rock using questionable foot-and handholds.
“Lily, I don’t think Michelle could have…”
She didn’t waste the breath to respond, and a minute later heard him scrambling behind her to keep up, his breath rasping in and out of his lungs.
“This is all my fault,” he said, panting. “I was so frustrated that she really believed I loved her for her daddy’s money. I kept taking that out on her. God, I’ve been such an ass.”
“It’s not all your fault.” Lily glanced up, but could still see nothing. “Michelle! Michelle, can you hear me?”
She wanted to lay her eyes on Jared, too, right now, right this minute. Honestly, what had he been thinking, going off to play hero?
Finally, she got to the top and crawled over. Normally the view would take her breath. She could see everything in a captivating, panoramic circle: the sharp jagged mountains lined with blankets and blankets of green, the dips and valleys of rock, the myriads of small alpine lakes like ribbons of blue.
It was staggeringly gorgeous.
Then she saw something even more gorgeous. Jared stepping out from behind a tree, hair tousled, jaw streaked with dirt, shirt torn, a knee bleeding…
Yeah. Staggeringly gorgeous.
And her heart simply turned over and exposed its belly. Oh, God. No. No, not this man. She was not going to fall for this man.
Too late, whispered a little voice inside her head. Far too late.
It had already been a monumentally bad morning, the worst, and after being on the edge for close to an hour, and now teetering on a different edge altogether, she didn’t feel steady, so when he lifted his hand, in which he held his PDA, with a sheepish smile on his face, she nearly lost it right then, but somehow she kept it together.
Then Jack was there beside her yelling, “Michelle! Michelle, where are you?”
“Here.” Michelle came out from behind a second tree, a spot of bright yellow in her jacket, her hair loose and tumbling around her shoulders, a cut along her jaw, but otherwise whole and healthy.
Jack rushed to her and hauled her in for a tight hug, fisting his hands at her back as if he was never going to let her go. “What was that? Where were you going? What were you doing?”
“Just trying to get a good view,” she said, sounding shaken. “I wanted to do something for myself, and prove I could. So I got up here, and then I was afraid to go back down.”
“Oh, baby—”
“I’m so sorry, Jack, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He pulled back to stare at her. He let out a low laugh, then hauled her close again. “It’s okay. I love you, Michelle. Love you so damn much.”
Lily’s eyes had locked on Jared and didn’t let go as she moved toward him.
“She’s okay,” Jared said, gesturing to Michelle.
“Yes, but how about you?” It was hard to breathe, but that didn’t matter. “Looking a little worse for wear there, chief.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I’m fine.”
“You helped her get up here, to the top.”
“A little.”
A lot, she suspected.
“She wanted a taste of freedom,” he said. “Wanted to be in charge of her own destiny. Not because of her father, or because of her husband, but because of herself.”
A feeling Lily knew all too well. As, she suspected, did Jared. Being in charge of one’s destiny had to mean a lot to a man who hadn’t always gotten to be in charge of his. She’d meant to strangle him, possibly kill him, but now…but now she wanted something else entirely.
He smiled. “What?”
“What what?”
“You’re looking at me funny. Like…”
Like I want to spread you on a cracker? Because I do…
“Like maybe…” He stepped even closer, so that they were toe to toe and eye to eye. Or they would have been eye to eye if she’d been just over six feet tall as he was, instead she was more like nose to chest, but he dipped his head down a little so that their jaws nearly brushed. She could feel his warm breath on her temple, his gaze running over her face, and it was the oddest thing.
She felt naked in front of a crowd.
“You were worried about me,” he said softly, sounding a little surprised, even awed and a lot amused.
“Hell yeah, I was worried.”
He grinned, and the sight of it caused a flood of emotions: fear, relief—giddy relief—anger. “You think it’s funny?” she demanded. “That I was so worried I could barely breathe?”
“Are you kidding? I—”
But she didn’t want to hear it, and whirled away, leaving him talking to air.
He merely snagged her arm, bringing her back around to face him. At least he was wise enough to swipe the grin off his face. “It’s sweet,” he said. “I think you’re incredibly sweet.”
“You keep calling me that.”
“Yeah? So?”
“No one’s ever accused me of being sweet before.”
At that, he tipped back his head and laughed, and, oh yeah, that pissed her off, too, but he scrambled to tighten his hands on her before she tore free again. “Here’s the thing,” he said. “It’s not an insult.”
She glared at him, or wanted to, but her chest felt too big, and sort of restricted, and for some odd reason, her eyes and throat burned. “We’re behind schedule,” she managed. “Let’s go.”
Michelle and Jack were still kissing as if they intended to swallow each other’s tongues. She stalked past, tapping them on the shoulders as she went. “Reunion’s over. We’ve got a hike to finish.”
* * *
THEY MOVED EIGHT miles that day. By the time night came, and Lily got everyone fed and happy, she was feeling the effects of keeping a smile on her face.
Over a roaring fire, Rose suggested a game of Truth or Dare. Rock nixed that, probably with a healthy dose of fear of what Rose might ask him to do or say.
Jack, going through the supplies that had been dropped for them earlier, came up with a bottle of whiskey, which he used to liberally lace everyone’s hot chocolate.
They all sipped, then promptly choked in unison as the fiery stuff made its way to their bellies. Jack grinned and stood up. “Okay, here’s a game from the college drinking days. We go around the circle and tell something about ourselves. Either a truth or a lie… Everyone has to guess which. If you fool everyone, then they all have to drink. If you don’t, then the liar drinks.”
“We’ll be plastered in no time.” Rose clapped with glee. “I love it.”
Jack nodded. “Good.” He sat next to Michelle and poured a second, very healthy dose of whiskey into his own mug. “I’ll give you an example of how it works.” He looked at Michelle. “Truth or lie…me going out with you had nothing to do with your father being richer than God.”
“Lie,” Michelle whispered.
Jack, eyes never leaving hers, lifted his mug to his mouth and took a long swig.
Everyone at the campfire was silent as the implications of what Jack had said, and then admitted was a lie, sank in.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Okay, so now you get the game.”
Michelle stared morosely into her mug, silent.
Jack looked at her. “Now I’ll go again to be first,” he said. “Truth or lie… By the end of our first date, I didn’t give a shit about your father’s money.”
“Lie,” she whispered, head down, eyes on her drink.
“Truth,” Jack whispered, then pointed to everyone’s mug. “You all drink.”
They lifted their spiked hot chocolate to their lips and each took a healthy swallow, while Michelle just stared at Jack. “What? What did you just say?”
“By the end of our first date,” he repeated softly. “I didn’t give a shit about your father’s money.” He nudged her mug to her lips. “I haven’t given it a single thought since then.”
Michelle drank, then coughed, her eyes watering as she continued to stare at Jack. “Really?”
He sank next to her, and smiled a little shakily. “Really.”
“Oh, Jack.” She flung her arms around her husband, the action touching Lily more deeply than she’d expected. Or maybe it was the two deep sips of spiked hot chocolate she’d had. She glanced at Jared.
He was looking right at her.
Nope, not the alcohol getting to her head.
Him.
“Okay, now me.” Rose stood up, a little unsteady on her feet. “Truth or lie.” She cupped her own breasts. “I know my body’s fabulous, but it’s not quite all God-given.”
Rock let his gaze travel slowly up said body, from her toes to her roots and slowly back again. “No, ma’am,” he said. “That’s all you.”
“Fooled you.” Rose locked her gaze on his and pushed up her breasts. “Sometimes God needs a little help.”
They all drank, then Rock pulled her to the log and stood up. He looked down at Rose. “You’re far too much of a handful for me.”
Rose’s smile faded. “Truth.”
Rock paused, then smiled. “Gotcha. You drink.”
Rose laughed heartily, drank along with everyone else, then hauled Rock back down and laid her lips on his.
Lily looked into her drink. All around her…romance, love—
Jared turned to her. “Should I go next?”
“Sure,” she said as casually as she could, but still her heart began to race.
He stood, then looked down at her. “I’m having the time of my life.”
Lily found her lips curving. “Even with diving over cliffs and climbing other cliffs and—”
“Even with,” he said. “Maybe especially with.”
“Well, that’s just crazy enough to be the truth,” she said, and because he hadn’t fooled her, he took a long swig of his laced hot chocolate.
Lily drew a deep breath and stood up. “Okay, here goes. I’m adventurous on the outside—”
“Well, duh,” Michelle said with a smile. “You’re not fooling anyone, Lily.”
“—but on the inside,” she said, “on the inside, especially with my own heart, I’m far too careful.”
Jared tipped his head up and looked at her, his indescribable eyes clear and open on hers. “Things can change, Lily. People can change.”
“You’re supposed to say truth or lie,” she whispered.
Jared shook his head. “You know you can change it.”
“Jared.”
“Damn it, truth. Your truth.”
She lifted her mug and drank. Hell, everyone lifted their mugs and drank. People were starting to get some damn silly grins on their faces. Rose topped off her mug, drank it down, then staggered to her feet. Reaching a hand out to Rock, she tried to wink at him, but ended up just opening and shutting both eyes, which cracked her up. “Stick a fork in me, I’m done. Take me to bed, cowboy.”
Rock surged to his feet so fast, Lily’s head spun. Slipping an arm around Rose, he led her toward her tent, chuckling as she walked with the care of the very cautious, or the very inebriated.
Jack pulled Michelle to her feet then, too, and pushed her hair out of her eyes. “If I wasn’t drunk, I’d carry you to bed.”
Oh, Lily thought, watching Michelle smile, a real smile, they were going to work it out. They were going to get their happily-ever-after. It made her sigh with happiness for them.
“If I was drunker,” Michelle whispered to Jack. “I’d actually believe there was a bed in our tent.”
He smiled. “We don’t need a bed.”
She grinned dreamily, and hugged him. “Oh, Jack.”
Lily watched them go, an unnameable yearning welling within her. She’d never really longed for a husband. She’d liked being on her own, strong and independent.
But…but then she’d sort of lost her footing. She thought maybe she’d found it, or she was beginning to, and now…now she felt different. Not as strong on the outside, no doubt. But on the inside…maybe stronger. At least strong enough to admit that there was no denying she was longing for a partner, for someone to complement her life in the best possible way.
Jared took her hand. “How about it? Can I convince you I have a bed in my tent?”
She tried to laugh but it was hard with the odd lump in her throat.
Jared tipped up her chin, studying her face in that way he had of seeing all the way into her. But she felt just a little too raw, a little too exposed at that moment, so she turned away, and then to her surprise tripped over her own toes. “Whoops,” she said, and would have landed flat on her face if Jared hadn’t slipped an arm around her, catching her up against him.
“Whoa,” he said, and turned her in his arms to face him. “Hello.”
“I’m not drunk, I barely had any of the whiskey.”
“Then maybe you just like being against me.”
“Maybe I do,” she admitted. “Good thing you have fast reflexes.”
He ran his hands down her back. “I have a feeling fast reflexes are required with you.”
She smiled, then felt a lump in her throat as her eyes unexpectedly filled.
“Ah, Lily,” he said softly, and cupped her cheek. “What is it?”
“I need to put out the campfire.”
“Lily.”
“Truth?”
“Please.”
“We only have one night left.”
“Doesn’t have to be only one night left.”
She looked up into his eyes and saw so many things; lovely, terrifying things. “I don’t want you to get hurt,” she whispered.
“I’m a big boy. I can handle whatever comes.”
“And you have. I know.”
“So what’s the problem?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. What was the problem? Was it having such a warm, smart and sexy man want to be with her? Was she that big of an idiot?
“I want to spend time with you in the real world, Lily.”
She lifted her hands, gestured all around them. “This is the real world. My world.”
“Okay, let me clarify. I want to spend time with you in any world—yours, mine…doesn’t matter. Let’s go out.”
“On a date?”
“Yeah.”
“Define date.”
“I pick you up, we laugh and have fun, maybe make out…and then we do it all over again another night.”
“Sounds simple.”
“Sounds good.”
Oh, God, it did. “We’ve only known each other a few days.”
“Days. Years. Seconds. You can’t put a time line on these things, Lily.”
She stared at him. “If I keep guiding, I’ll be gone a lot. I won’t have time…”
“Then we see each other when you are around.”
“There might be weeks in between.”
“Yes, but see, there’s these newfangled contraptions called phones, email, text messaging—In fact, I know a guy who has everything you could ever need.” He grinned. “I’ll hook you up.”
He looked so earnest, so sincere, her breath caught. “Jared.”
He smiled. “Admit it. You like me.”
Yeah, she did. Way too much. “Look, here’s the truth.”
“Finally.”
“I’ve never been too successful at this dating thing. I don’t know why really, except I’ve never been too fond of ties. They…choke me.”
“Me, too. It’s why I don’t wear suits to the office anymore.”
“Jared.”
“Lily.”
She could only shake her head. “You’re not listening…”
“Yes, I am. You’re trying to dump me.”
“I’m trying to be honest with you. I’ve never had much time for doing the long-term dating thing, and I’m trying to tell you that while this has been nice—”
“Great,” he corrected. “It’s been great.”
She stared at him, then had to concede. “Okay, yeah. Great. While this has been great—” She broke off when he smiled, rather full of himself, and she had to laugh. “You’re awfully hard to dump.”
“I’m hoping to be. Look, not to rain on your parade here, but why are you doing this now?” He stepped close, so that she could see the mesmerizing mix of jade and chocolate in his eyes, so that she could smell him, that yummy soap, whatever it was, and him. “We have one more night,” he said, and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I mean, why not take advantage of me for that, and then dump me tomorrow?”
She eyed him warily. “You’re going to be okay with me dumping you tomorrow?”
“Hell, no. But maybe by then I’ll have thought of something to keep you indebted to me. Maybe I’ll help you save someone or something. Hell, maybe I’ll save you.”
He shot her a cocky-boy smile so filled with humor and affection, she couldn’t speak for a minute. “Save me from what?”
Still smiling, he just looked at her, all rugged and sexy, and just like that, another piece of her heart fell into place. “Damn it,” she whispered, and touched his mouth. “You turn me upside down.”
“Well, then, consider us even.”
She stared into his eyes. “I don’t know what I’m doing. Not even a little bit.”
“You’re complicating things, that’s why.”
“No. No, I’m not. I like things decidedly uncomplicated. Which is why I’m going to walk away right now.”
His smile faded. “Lily, don’t.”
Oh, God, she had to. It was what she did, walk away, rather than get attached. Right? “I’m sorry.” A tear escaped. Damn it. That was the last one. “Good night, Jared.”
She carefully put out the campfire, dousing the flames, covering the hot embers with sand until nothing smoked. She moved to her tent, then, feeling the pull of Jared’s gaze, turned to look at him over her shoulder.
One more night.
He was right, why would she walk away now?
He slid his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels, looking both sexy and adorably unsure.
And why did that float her boat? Why did she want to nibble that rough jaw and slide her hands beneath his loose T-shirt to find that warm, hard body beneath?
One more night…
Oh, yeah, she wanted that one more night, she really did, and without letting any more thoughts cloud her judgment, she held out her hand, her entire body coming to life when he started walking toward her.
One more night…
It would be enough. It would.
“I should tell you,” she said when he came close and took her hand. “I have a little problem admitting when I’m wrong.”
“Ah.” He nodded seriously, but a smile had come into his eyes. “So how are you going to play this?” He toyed with a strand of her hair. “Obviously, you’ve decided you want me for one more night.” He looked at her for a beat. “And yet you can’t say so because that would make you feel foolish, and we all know, looking foolish doesn’t suit you… Hmm, this is a tough one.”
She had to laugh at how he’d painted her—which was as accurate as could be. “Maybe I could…”
“Yes? I’m all ears.”
“I could show you,” she whispered, wondering how it was she felt like both laughing and crying. She pressed her body up to his. “Like this.”
“You know, that’s a good start.” He pretended to resist, but when she slid her hands down his back, he drew in a shuddery breath and sighed against her hair. “I think I’m going to like the whole showing-me thing.”
“I thought so.” Unzipping her tent, she pulled him inside.