Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
“What’s your schedule like this week?” I ask.
“Well, I have today and tomorrow off, then I go to days for three days, then off three days.” She narrows her eyes. “Yeah, that’s it. Sorry, it gets confusing sometimes. It’s easier to remember the day shifts from the night ones, but I have it all in the calendar on my phone. How about you? What’s your schedule like?”
“I have today off,” I reply and inhale deeply, wishing for the first time that I didn’t take on so much. “I’m in the clinic the next few days, but no ER in the evening for a while. We finally hired a new ER doc to help.”
“Oh, nice. Working double shifts is exhausting, Blake.”
“You’re telling me.” I grin down at her, then tuck a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. “Let’s take a picture.”
Her eyebrow lifts. “Okay.”
She pulls her phone out of her pocket, and I take it since I have longer arms and can get a better angle. We both smile for the camera with the lake and mountains in the background. She’s tucked up beside me, my arm around her back, and fuck if she doesn’t look good right here.
When I pass the phone back to her, I say, “Please send me that.”
“Oh, sure.” She taps the screen, and my phone vibrates in my pocket. “It’s a good picture.”
“Of course it is. You’re in it.”
She laughs, rolls her eyes, and heads back to the shore to put her shoes back on. First, she pulls a small towel out of her pack to wipe herself off, then offers it to me.
“You come prepared,” I comment as I use the towel to dry my feet before putting my own shoes on.
“Always. I even have snacks. I knew I wouldn’t need them since this isn’t a super-long hike, but you never know.”
“What kind of snacks?”
She smiles and opens the pack wider, peering inside. “Let’s see. We have cashews, jerky, trail mix, a protein bar, and sour candy.”
Opening the candy, she pops some in her mouth.
“What can I give you?”
You can straddle my lap and let me fuck you here in the woods, sugar.
“I’ll take some jerky.”
“You got it.” She passes me the unopened package, pops more candy in her mouth, then zips up her pack.
When she stands, she loses her balance and ends up over a log, on her ass, scowling as her hat falls right off her head.
“You okay?” I hurry over to her and cup her face, scanning her body.
“I’m a clumsy oaf,” she says.
I shake my head. “The log jumped you,” I reply. “I saw it. Anything hurt?”
“Just my pride and my ass.” I help her to her feet, and she brushes off her backside. I pick up the hat, but I don’t give it back to her yet. “Thanks.”
But I don’t pull away.
I don’t want to pull away.
I step into her and tip her chin up before I slant my lips over hers. A little moan comes from her throat, and she wraps her arms around my waist. She leans into me, presses her breasts against me, and kisses me back.
And every cell in my body ignites.
I frame her face in my hands and devour her. She tastes like sugar and every dream I’ve had for six long, brutal months.
Christ. I’ve missed touching her.
When I come up for air, I rest my forehead on hers. “Should I apologize for that?”
“I hope you won’t,” she whispers. She hasn’t opened her eyes.
“Let’s head back,” I say, reluctantly pulling away from her but keeping her hand in mine. “Before I strip us both naked and fuck you right here where anyone can see.”
She laughs, bites her lip, and grabs her pack. “I’m not into that, Blake.”
“Yeah, well, me neither, but I’m damn tempted.”
Hiking back to the car takes half the time since it’s mostly downhill, and we spend a good portion of it jogging. Not quite as fast as if I were doing this alone, but it’s a good pace, and when we reach the parking lot, we’re both panting pretty hard.
We walk around, catching our breath. She stops by an older SUV that’s seen better days.
“This is what Tucker found for you?” I ask her, eyeing the dent in the rear door.
“Yep. This is it.” She opens that dented door and tosses her pack inside. “I have to buy an air freshener. It’s a little musty.”
“Is it safe?” I scowl at it and then at her. “I’m pretty sure you can do better than this, Harper.”
Her eyes narrow on me. “If you think it’s a heap, take it up with your brother. I bought it from him.”
“You bought it from Brooks?”
“Yes. It runs great. It’s not brand new or fancy like that Mercedes over there, but it’s reliable, and I didn’t have to deal with it. I cannot stress to you enough how much I hate car dealerships, Blake. It’s a thing for me, okay? So no, it’s not pretty, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”