I help her reach the end of the path, and when she gets to the clearing up ahead, tears pool in her eyes. She’s shaking like a leaf. What do I do? I don’t normally get handsy with my customers, but I can’t exactly leave her to fend for herself.

  “Sit down,” I tell her before letting her rest her head on my shoulders.

  “I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you I’m not an experienced hiker.”

  “Don’t. Anyone could’ve slipped. That part of the trail is dangerous whether you’ve got experience or not.”

  She uses her palm to wipe away her tears. “I’m so sorry,” she says again, her lip trembling. “That slip scared the hell out of me.”

  “Let me check you out before we move on.”

  With careful hands, I check her head for any bruises. I let my hand travel to her shoulders and arms. “Ouch. Your elbow is bleeding. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

  I grab a first-aid kit from my backpack and clean her wound. “There, all set.”

  “Don’t I get a Band-Aid?” she asks jokingly.

  “If you insist,” I laugh.

  Thank goodness she’s able to smile again. I place a Band-Aid on her wound and plant my lips on it.

  Her gaze lingers on my lips, and I wonder what she’s thinking. Hopefully, I didn’t cross a line by kissing her elbow. “There, now you’re truly ready to heal.”

  “Thanks so much. Only... when we return, do we have to cross that gap again?”

  “No. We can take another route, but it’ll add a few hours to our hike. Are you sure you’re up for that?”

  “Uh-huh. Anything is better than risking my life again. Thank you so much for saving me.”

  “It’s all included in the price, babe.” I grin in an attempt to lighten the mood, and by the looks of it, I’ve succeeded.

  “Babe?” she asks. At least she’s laughing again.

  “What? That’s what you are. A sexy babe.”

  She bites her lip and locks eyes with me. For a moment, I think she’s about to kiss me, but she doesn’t move.

  “We better get going. We’ve got quite a few hours ahead of us.”

  Harper gets up and wipes the dirt from her legs. “Okay, let’s go.”

  Chapter Three

  Harper

  My mouth is dry, and every bone in my body hurts, but I’m not giving up. Knox is leading the way, not even a drop of sweat on him. I, on the other hand, am a mess. My face is red, my perfectly constructed ponytail is sagging against my shoulders, and I’m sure there’s no spot on my body that isn’t covered in sweat. If I wanted to look sexy on this hike, I one hundred percent failed.

  The hike is lovely, apart from the near-death scenario where I almost fell into a gap. Just thinking about it makes me weak in the knees again. Thank goodness Knox saved me from falling to my death. He was so sweet, treating my wound and giving me a Band-Aid and a kiss afterward.

  I never thought we’d connect like this, especially after he’s been giving me the cold shoulder for the past year. Our conversations today have all been short but pleasant, with no awkward moments whatsoever. Does he talk with all his female clients like this? From the sound of Chelsea’s stories, he sure made an impression. Still, picturing him being this friendly to other women makes my green-eyed monster roar. I don’t like feeling this jealous, especially as there’s nothing I can do about it. He’s a single guy. He can flirt with whomever he wants.

  Knox turns, jerking me from my thoughts. “Point Red is right up ahead. Shouldn’t be long now before I can pitch our tents.”

  Fuck, yeah. I can’t wait to rest my blistered feet, lay flat on an inflatable mattress, and sit by the campfire. I don’t care what plans he has for tonight, as long as it doesn’t entail walking.

  It only takes us another five minutes to reach a big clearing surrounded by tall trees. I drop my backpack to the ground and groan. I went way over my limits today.

  “I’m going to set up camp. You can freshen up in the river if you want,” he says, pointing to a stream running east of the clearing.

  “Great, thanks. And, um... what about the bathroom?”

  He laughs and grabs a roll of toilet paper from his backpack. “Behind one of those tall trees is the best I can offer you.”

  I take the roll from him and do my thing, snickering at myself. Yesterday I was frosting cupcakes, and now I’m emptying my bladder behind a tall pine tree. Talk about a change of scenery.

  I stroll over to the stream and sit down. God, the cold water feels amazing against my feet. I hope I can still walk tomorrow. Today was brutal, physically, but Chelsea and Keira were right. Hiking did clear a lot of fog in my mind. I’ve come up with a couple of ideas that might be just the thing my business needs to flourish.

  I turn a bit to spy on Knox from the water's edge. With expert moves, he sets up two tents and inflates two mattresses. Then, he disappears into the woods. Ten long minutes later, he reemerges, arms full of broken branches and twigs. He places them in a stone circle on the ground, humming to himself. Gosh, I could look at him working like this all day long. If anything, the hike was more than worth the view right now.

  I dry off my feet with my travel-sized towel and put my socks back on. By the time I return to the tents, he’s got a fire going.

  “You hungry?” he asks.

  “Famished.”

  He gets a pot out of his backpack and fills it with water. “I hope you like instant mac and cheese.”

  “I’d eat anything right now. Well, not anything. You know what I mean,” I say with a laugh.

  While he’s cooking, I decide now is as good as any time to ask him about his negative feelings toward me. “Sawyer, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Why don’t you like me?”

  He frowns. “What gave you that idea?”

  “For starters, you never say hello to me. You never smile at me when we pass each other on the street. I mean, you’re friendly now, but you have to be since I’m a paying client.”

  He runs a hand through his hair. “That’s not true. I’m being friendly now because I want to, not because you paid me.”

  “And all the other times?”

  His silence drives me crazy. Why doesn’t he answer? Is it that bad?

  He sighs and pins me with his gaze. “You’re insanely hot, Harper. I guess I’m afraid of getting to know you and falling for you. That’s why I’ve been avoiding you since you moved to Trout Creek.”

  Wow. Of all the answers I imagined, I never expected this one. “You think I’m hot? That’s crazy.”

  His deep laugh echoes in the air. “Crazy? Come on. I’m sure you have to swat guys away left and right.”

  Now it’s my turn to burst out laughing. He couldn’t be further from the truth. “Not exactly. Guys normally don’t take an interest in me, except when I’m serving cake. I’m relieved to hear you don’t hate me, though. I was worried I did something wrong.”

  “Nah, you didn’t. Silence isn’t always a sign of dislike.”

  I smile at him, feeling like a new person now we’ve cleared the air.

  “Shit,” he says, smoke billowing from his pot. He winces as he stirs the contents and assesses the damage. “How do you feel about half-burned mac and cheese?”

  I grin. “Like I said, I’d eat anything right now.”

  We try to salvage what’s left and divide the food into two bowls. It feels oddly comfortable to eat dinner with him by the fire. It’s like we’ve known each other forever.

  “Now it’s my turn to ask you a question,” he says in a deep voice. “Why did you book this hike? And why did you lie about it being one of your favorite hobbies? I can’t figure out what you’ve got to gain by lying.”

  Damn. I hoped he’d forgotten about that. He has every right to ask, of course. I did lie to him. “I needed to clear my head. Plus, these two girls hiked with you over the weekend and couldn’t stop boasting about you. Guess I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.”

  “And did I live up to your expectations?”

  I swallow. “Absolutely. I love it here. You clearly know your way around these mountain woods, and you’re easy to talk to. You’re a great guide.”

  He winks. “And you’re a great client.”

  I laugh. “As if there are bad ones.”

  “Oh, babe, you wouldn’t believe the people I have to deal with sometimes. Scaring the wildlife, leaving trash all over these woods... It’s horrible how some people act. You’d think hikers would respect nature, but unfortunately, a small percentage of them don’t give a fuck.”

  “How do you cope with that?”

  “I go on solo hikes. It clears my head.” He scoots closer, his voice low. “Why did you have to clear your head, by the way?”

  “Oh, I’m just so stressed out. When I moved here last year, I thought my cupcake shop would flourish immediately. Don’t get me wrong, I’m making a decent income, but if I want to save up for a down payment for a house, I’ll have to sell way more cupcakes than I’m currently selling. I got some great ideas while we were walking today, so I think things will turn out fine after all.”

  “I’m happy to hear that,” he says, still closing the distance between us.

  God, he’s so close to me, I can smell him. Tones of honey and smoke circle around him like he’s sex on a stick. His gaze sends shivers down to my center. How could it not? He looks at me like no man has ever looked at me. Full of desire. Of burning need.

  “Harper, this is going to sound crazy, but I want your lips on mine.”

  “Uh, okay.”

  I’m so not prepared for this. My hair is sticky from sweating, and I taste like burnt mac and cheese. It doesn’t deter him one bit, though. He cups my face and presses his mouth against mine, his beard scratching my chin. His tongue opens my lips, exploring every inch with an urgency I’ve never experienced before.

  When we come up panting for air, he says: “I’ve been wanting to do that since I first laid eyes on you.”

  “Is that so?”

  “I swear. You were putting cupcakes in one of your window displays and looked so happy. The way you moved and smiled told me you’re in your element when you bake.”

  I grin at him. “Not just when I bake, but also when getting kissed by a hot guy.”

  Chapter Four

  Knox

  Her lips taste even better than I imagined. I no longer care about anything other than her mouth on mine, our tongues connecting and exploring. She kisses me back with a mixture of desire and tenderness, a combination I never knew existed.

  She gasps as I bite her lip, and her hands fly to my hair. The tugging and pulling of her fingers make me fucking hard. I want this—her—so bad. I put a hand on the small of her back. She responds with a soft moan, and I pull her closer, wanting to feel every part of her against my body.

  My mouth is lit on fire by hers, shooting sparks to every nerve ending. Hunger runs through my veins, and I’m ready to devour Harper here and now. But then images of my fiancée’s betrayal cloud my vision. What if I go through with this and things turn out like before?

  I break our kiss. It physically hurts me, but I need a breather. If I get my heart broken one more time, there will be nothing left but a gaping black hole. Who knows how far I’d tumble into another depression? It’s too much of a risk.

  “Is everything okay?” Harper asks.

  The push and pull of wanting her and fearing she’s going to be the end of me are too much to bear. I need to be alone for a while and gather my thoughts.

  “It is, but it’s getting dark. I’ll need to wash the dishes before the sun disappears behind the trees. If we leave any food out, it might attract bears. I don’t know about you, but I want to leave this place in one piece tomorrow.”

  It’s a lame excuse, but she doesn’t seem to question my explanation.

  Her eyes dart around our campsite. “There are bears here? How many? Do they attack people?”

  Great, now I’ve frightened her. “It’s okay. We’re safe so long as we’re being smart and that means not leaving out any food.” I look deep into her eyes so she knows I’m being serious. “I won’t let anything happen to you, okay?”

  She nods, even though she doesn’t look convinced.

  “I’ll be a while. Getting the burnt cheese out of this pot isn’t going to be easy.”

  “I can help,” she says, but I quickly counter her generous offer.

  “That’s sweet, but I’ll manage. Why don’t you crawl into your sleeping bag? We have an early start tomorrow, and once night falls, it’ll be freezing out here. Better to be safe and warm than get cold by the river.”

  She crosses her arms over her chest. “Why do I feel like you’re brushing me off?”

  “I’m not.”

  Her gaze drops to the ground. “Was that kiss not good for you? I know I don’t have a lot of experience, but it felt good to me. It felt right.”

  I take a step toward her and tilt her chin up. Our eyes meet, and it pains me to see the confusion written over her face. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt, that’s all.”

  “Because of the bears?”

  “Yes.” Technically, it’s not a lie.

  Relief crosses her face. “So, this has nothing to do with the fact that I haven’t been with lots of men before and don’t know how to kiss properly? Well, no men, to be honest.”

  Her words punch me in the gut. No men? She’s a virgin? My thoughts are about to spiral out of control, and I don’t know what’ll happen when they do. I need to put a stop to this and protect my heart.

  “Not at all. I should get a move on before it’s pitch black out here. Sleep tight. Make sure you don’t leave any food out, okay? We leave at eight.” The words tumble out of my mouth as if I’m not of sound mind. Honestly, I’m not right now.

  Without waiting for her response, I gather all the dirty dishes, grab a sponge, and march to the river. I feel like such a douchebag. Passionately kissing a girl and then fleeing isn’t my usual MO.

  I scrub and rinse until everything is as shiny as possible. Then I wash the dishes again to have some more time to myself. I let the events of the past years flow to the forefront, analyzing all the ways I could’ve avoided getting hurt. The more I wonder, the more I realize that my last break-up was unavoidable. We loved each other, but we were opposites. She didn’t want a life on a mountain. My former fiancée kept begging me to move to the city with her, and I always kept that plan at bay because I knew I wouldn’t fit in. I did everything I could to make her happy, but it wasn’t enough for her. She wanted me to be someone I’m not, and that’s not fair. In hindsight, breaking up was the right thing to do. I only wish it would’ve happened in a civil way, not by her cheating on me and me walking in on them.

  I give myself another half hour to stare at the water before heading back. By the time I reach our base camp, Harper has retreated into her tent. I can hear her softly snoring, which only adds to my feelings for her. She’s so cute and sweet. And innocent.

  Then it hits me. This is it. This is the real thing. The first time I saw Harper all those months ago, a light switched on inside me. Kissing her only made that light shine brighter. I know she’s not going to hurt me, and I won’t let anyone hurt her. I ball my hands into fists. If kissing her makes me feel this good, I can only imagine what having sex with her would be like.

  I do a quick perimeter check before zipping my tent open and crawling into my sleeping bag. Normally, I’m out as soon as I hit the pillow, but tonight is different. Tonight I’m not camping with some city girls giggling in their tent and snacking on candy. Tonight, it’s Harper who’s right next to me, with nothing but the fabric of our tents separating us. My dick grows hard thinking about her curvy ass, her long hair in that cute ponytail, and her dazzling smile. Knowing I could be the first man to slide inside her makes me even harder. I always thought that when I found the one, she’d be a virgin. Unexplored body, waiting for my touch. I could teach her what it’s like to be pleasured and brought to unimaginable heights.

  Up until now, it was nothing but a fantasy. The fact it’s happening for real must mean something. Like fate brought us together.

  Part of me wants to zip my tent open and run to her to tell her how much she means to me. I know it sounds crazy to love a woman after such a short time, but I do. We just click. And judging by how she kissed me tonight, I’m positive she feels it too.

  I take a couple of deep breaths and talk some sense into myself. I can’t go barging into her tent in the middle of the night. First of all, I’d probably scare her to death. What if she thinks I’m a bear and empties a can of bear spray in my face? Plus, I want it to be special. I sigh. Whatever I want to do to her, it’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning.

  Chapter Five

  Harper

  The chirps of what sounds like a legion of birds wake me from a night of tossing and turning. I check my phone. It’s only five-thirty a.m. Knox is probably still asleep. I hope he got some shut-eye last night. I couldn’t stop thinking about the amazing kiss we shared. It was perfect. I don’t understand why he backed away. He said it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with a possible bear attack, but I’m not sure I believe him.

  To make matters worse, I hinted at being a virgin, and I’m positive that made him run even faster. There’s no other explanation. No one is that eager to go and do the dishes.

  I stretch my arms over my head and yawn. It’s fucking early, but I’m awake now. No point in staying put. Besides, Knox said we would leave around eight, so even if I go back to sleep, it would only be for an hour, tops.

  I grab a sweater and a roll of toilet paper and take care of business behind a tree before tiptoeing back to our tents. Should I wake Knox?