“You even got my size correct.”
He raised his eyebrows with a challenging yet amused expression before opening the door and stepping out of his truck. I laced up my new hiking boots and followed his lead, only to be met with a hiking stick and a water bottle in his hands.
“Once we get to the side of the mountain, you grab and step where I do, understood?”
I nodded, eager to get this journey on the road. I’d never been hiking before, at least not like this.
By the time we began climbing down the side of the mountain, my legs started to shake. “Don’t go so fast.”
“Mila, I’m going as slow as I can.”
“I know, but shit! Why didn’t you ever say how dangerous this was? You do this by yourself? Why?”
“To get away from all the crazy women.”
“Me included?”
“You’re the first one on the roster.”
I giggled, “Leo, don’t make me laugh or I’ll fall.”
“Just make sure you keep grabbing and stepping where I am, and you won’t fall.”
“How reassuring of you.”
“I’d never let you fall.”
“If I do fall,” I smiled, “I’ll make sure to fall on you.”
He peered up at me from the rigged spot he was standing on. “Why do you think I’m below you?”
“To catch me if I fall?”
“To move out of the way if you do.”
My mouth dropped open.
“I’m kidding. Of course, to catch you if you fall.”
“Well, now I’m questioning your motives.”
“I promise once you see where I’m taking you you’ll be on my balls to bring you back.”
“How much further?”
“Not much.”
“You keep saying that.”
“You keep asking.”
“Are we close?”
“We’re getting closer.”
He glided down with precision, as if he remembered every step he needed to take by memory. Where to grab, where to hold, it was effortless for him. I knew he loved hiking, however seeing him actually do it was a completely different experience.
“And we have to climb back up to leave, right?”
“Yes, that’s the way it works.”
“What if I don’t make it? My legs already feel like they’re going to give out on me.”
“We’ll take a long break when we get down there.”
“How are you carrying that heavy ass backpack and still not breaking a sweat?”
“I’m used to it.”
“Are you even tired?”
“Compared to all my hikes, this one is one of the easiest to get to, but lucky for you, it’s my favorite.”
“I thought the Smokies was your favorite? Why this one?”
“You’ll see.”
“The only thing I see is me plummeting to my death.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?”
“Yes. You.”
“Now you understand why I’ve never brought you here with me.”
“Hey! It’s my birthday!”
“So you’ve said for the fifth time in the last hour.”
“You’ve been counting?”
“I needed the distraction from your constant badgering.”
“Leo!”
“Mila!”
The pitch in my tone had me losing my footing. “Oh shit!” I stepped in the wrong patch, and almost slid several feet below.
Leo grabbed my leg. “I got you.”
“Damn,” I exclaimed, my heart beating a mile a minute. “I guess you’re the one with the cat-like reflexes.”
“Love.”
“Yes…”
“I’m going to need you to stop talking now.”
“Fine, but only because you just saved my life.”
“So dramatic.”
After what felt like an eternity later, we finally made it to the bottom of the mountain, and I immediately understood why this was Leo’s happy place.
After this, I knew one thing for sure…
It’d be mine too.
Chapter 11
—Leo—
Watching the way Mila’s eyes widened as she took in the beauty of this place was a sight I’d never forget. I was doing this for her, but I was also doing it for myself. The look on Mila’s face was worth making her wait all these years to finally come with me.
I watched as she walked over the wooden bridge in the center of the river to get a better view of the waterfall cascading down the rocks into a lagoon. Her enticing dark brown eyes glanced back at me over her shoulder, and I couldn’t gather a fucking thought. I’d never seen her look more beautiful than I did in that moment. The light of the shining sun heightened her features, emphasizing the freckles across her button nose and sculpted cheeks.
She was stunning.
All these emotions I wasn’t expecting crept into the forefront of my mind and I couldn’t control any of them. After all these years, all this time, Mila didn’t just look like my best friend, but like a woman who I was seeing for the first time.
Right there.
In that second, I wanted more.
Her.
What the fuck?
She was stunning, with her hair flowing loosely around her face. Although her beauty captured my attention, it was the expression on her face that enthralled me the most. I’d seen Mila in all forms.
Happy.
Sad.
Devastated.
Excited.
There wasn’t an emotion, a time, a memory that didn’t involve her in it in one way or another. However, I’d never seen her quite like this…
She stood against the railing with her lips slightly parted, and I wanted to know what she was thinking.
“This is simply incredible, Leo. The rocks, the waterfall, the stream, wow. I have no words for this.”
“That’s a first.”
We locked eyes.
“Will you tell me why this is your favorite spot now?”
My feet moved on their own accord until I was suddenly standing behind her. Her breathing hitched as soon as she felt my chest against her back.
She didn’t turn around.
She didn’t move.
I wasn’t sure if she was even breathing.
For a minute, I breathed her in. Feeling the heat of her body burning into me more and more with each second that passed between us. Leaning in, just inches away from the back of her neck, I let my breath brush against her ear.
My head spun in a whirlwind of feelings and I allowed myself to get lost in them.
In her.
I could sense that her eyes followed the movement of my strong arms as they came around her body. Skimming the sides of her ribs, I placed my hands on the railing out in front of her, caging her in against my torso.
My scent.
“This was the first spot I ever found after I made the Playboy Pact with the guys. I didn’t even know where I was going, I just wanted to get out of my own head.”
“I thought you wanted the pact?”
“I did.”
“Did?”
“Do.”
She spun around, staring deep into my eyes. “Why?”