I watch Ana’s ass as she walks away, my cock hardening in my pants. The way each cheek clenches as she takes a step, trying to look angry as she stomps on the cold ground, is both cute and arousing, and next to me, Rex whimpers.

She left me high and dry yesterday. Not this time. I’m not going to stand here, my cock aching in my jeans and words on the tip of my tongue as she leaves me. Not this time.

“Rex . . . get her,” I say with a snap of my fingers, and Rex is off like a shot. To him, this is all a game. I’ve spent a lot of time training him.

Ana doesn’t know that though, and as Rex barks, she lets out a yell that echoes off the mountains before taking off, trying to get to her cabin before Rex closes in on her. She never has a chance. It’s too far, but that doesn’t stop her from trying.

Rex plays the game, though, bounding around in front of her and steering her away, sending her curving this way and that like he’s herding her. Suddenly, she trips over the mess of her feet and Rex’s and tumbles to the ground. Rex is on her in an instant, standing over her and probably ready to lick her face off. He might look dangerous, but he’s the furthest thing from it.

“Fuck! Help!” she screams as he stands over her, waiting for my command.

“Rex . . . kiss,” I say as I walk up. Rex leans down and licks Ana’s face, the screams continuing but changing into peals of laughter as Rex gets her face good. “Okay, off!”

Rex gets off, trotting happily as he comes back to my side. Ana wipes at her face, anger, laughter, and more burning in her eyes. “What the fuck was that for?”

“What’d you expect me to do, run you down?” I ask. “Let’s talk.”

Ana goes to get up, but when I look at Rex, she stops, staying on her butt. She looks up at me, sass filling her tone. “Fine, talk. What about? The weather? Sports? Politics?”

I shake my head, holding out my hand to help her to her feet. She looks at it like it’s a snake, so I’m surprised when she actually takes it. Pulling her up is easy. She’s as light as a feather, and as she gets up, her chest brushes against my body briefly. My cock jumps in my jeans as I feel the soft smoosh of her breasts against me, and she freezes, feeling it too.

Slowly, so as not to scare her or more likely piss her off any more, I move to brush off some dirt that got on her sweatshirt. As I do, a desire, powerful and deep, pulls inside me, and Ana’s face darkens as she pulls away. “There . . . cleaner now.”

“Don’t sic your dog on me and I’ll stay clean,” she replies, but I can see it in her eyes . . . she wants to be dirty but she’s fighting it. Her face is flaming that pink shade I always adored, and her eyes are big and dilated. She wants me as badly as I want her. “That was a dick move, sending your dog after me.”

I shrug, wanting to touch her skin again but knowing this isn’t the right time yet. “What can I say? You told me not to strain my ankle, and Rex likes to play.”

“But I don’t,” Ana replies, stepping back another step and dusting off her butt. “And I would appreciate if you left me out of the games.”

I step closer. “And I would appreciate if you’d stop trying to shut me out. We need to talk.”

Ana snorts, looking at me out of the side of her eyes. “About what? The brochure said no refunds.” She’s fighting valiantly to stay off-topic, ignore the elephant in the room, but I can’t let her.

I shake my head, taking another half-step forward and looking into those eyes it broke my heart to leave. “Us.”

Ana swallows, trying to hang onto the remnants of her anger as she looks up at me, but her voice is soft, vulnerable. “Aubrey, there is no us. Hasn’t been for a long time.”

I reach out for her hand, but she pulls back slightly so I lower my hand. “I want to explain.”

It’s Ana’s turn to shake her head, her eyes glistening with bad memories. “There’s nothing to explain. It was years ago, and it’s over and done with. You left me high and dry and it hurt. It broke my heart, but I’m over it now.”

She tries to say it with conviction, and it almost sounds like something she’s said before, maybe more than once. There’s no anger in her voice, just sadness and the raw vulnerability that I’m seeing now, and I know she isn’t over it. Her actions have all but said otherwise.

I scratch my cheek, wishing I’d trimmed my beard a bit, and search for the words to get her to listen, just for a moment. “I know I fucked up, but I really need for you to know why. I’m just not good at this and don’t know how to tell it.”

Ana stops, crossing her arms and nodding. “Okay, sure. Go ahead and get it off your chest so you feel better. Why the hell not?” Her voice is dripping in sarcasm, which tells me how much pain she’s in because Ana is sweet . . . always. She couldn’t have changed that much. But she’s on a roll now, even as her voice loses the harsh tilt in favor of a sadder tone. “Why’d you shatter me in front of everyone and leave me looking like a damn fool, my heart in a million pieces? Why’d you haunt my dreams for years afterward? Why’d you have to poison every other relationship I’ve ever had since then? Trust me, there’s not a thing you can say that’ll explain that.”

Holy fuck. Talk about a bomb dropping on my head. She’s been underneath this crushing burden that I laid on her shoulders, and I’m just now seeing it.

I open my mouth, but my tongue’s tied. How can I tell her what happened so that it will make sense to her? If I tell her the truth, it might sound like bullshit. I realize now that it’s going to take some time to help her understand. Time she may not give me.

But I’m still going to try. “It’s complicated. I can’t just say it in a few sentences.”

Ana snorts derisively. “Complicated?” she parrots disbelievingly.

I nod, keeping my face calm. “We should have a seat and I’ll try to explain.”

Ana studies my face for a minute, searching for something, then sighs. “Fine. Where?”

I turn, gesturing with my hand. “My cabin.”

Ana glances over, her face blushing. I can tell what she’s thinking. She’d be in my space, alone . . . in close quarters. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

I step closer until our bodies are just a few inches apart, pulled toward her like a magnet. This close, I can see that she’s barefaced and so beautiful, her natural color making her glow in the morning light. “I think it’s a great idea. You and I can finally come to an . . . understanding.”

Ana says nothing, but her breathing quickens. Taking a risk, I reach out, pulling her close and letting her feel the hard thickness of my cock against her warm body. She whimpers softly, and I take that as a good sign. I lower my head, bringing my lips close to hers. “Come with me, Sweet Ana.”

I’m on the verge of kissing her when she pulls away, her eyes flashing with genuine anger. “Sweet Ana. That’s what you used to call me. In fact, those were the last words you ever said to me before you disappeared. So don’t ever think you’re going to just give me some Sweet Ana this and Sweet Ana that and suddenly, I’ll forgive and forget. Just leave me alone.”

She takes a step back, raising a hand warningly when I go to reach for her before turning and running away. Next to me, Rex jumps to his feet, wondering if the game’s ready to start again, but I shake my head. “Down, boy.”

If only my cock would behave as well as he does.

It’s okay. I saw her eyes and heard what she said. Forgive and forget? No, my Sweet Ana. I know that’s impossible. But forgive and move on? Maybe there’s a chance. I’m making progress, even if it’s two baby steps forward and a big leap backward.