Her phone buzzed and she looked at it. When she read the text, her body jackknifed up to a sitting position.
Good night, Cyn was all the text read. But she knew exactly who it was from. How could Ryan still have her phone number? Granted, her cell number hadn’t changed since high school but…why would he still have her as a contact?
Her fingers hovered over the buttons as she tried to think of something to write back. Something cute and light. Something that would tell him that she wasn’t sitting in her bed in a virginal nightgown thinking about him. Her phone chimed again.
Want to grab lunch tomorrow?
Lunch? She couldn’t even think about getting to sleep tonight and he wanted her to consider twelve hours from now?
I know you’re still awake. It’s just a sandwich. Nothing more.
Irritated, she glared at her phone. How do you know I’m still awake? Was he standing outside of her window? She flipped off the light, just in case.
Because you responded. ☺
Oh, he was good! Very good!
Goodnight was all she replied.
Goodnight, Cyn. I’ll pick you up at noon.
Cynthia stared at the words. Such a small sentence and yet, they would most likely keep her up the rest of the night! Good grief!
Tossing her phone onto her bedside table, she ignored the message. Flopping back against the pillow, she stared up at the dark ceiling, willing herself to sleep. But her pounding heart and tingling body meant that sleep was a long way off.
Chapter 10
Ryan whistled as he fixed a picnic lunch. Sandwiches, brownies, fruit, and iced tea. That should work, he thought, packing everything into a backpack. Cynthia hadn’t replied last night, but he knew that she’d come on the picnic with him, if only to tell him off. She hadn’t changed much, he thought, remembering the way he’d gotten her into his Jeep that first time back in high school. Daring Cynthia was the perfect way to get her to tumble into his arms.
Damn, she was beautiful! Gone was the youthfulness of her high school days. Youth was replaced by a sensuous maturity that had kept him awake most of the night. It wasn’t just her eyes or her lips, her figure had matured as well. Her breasts were…hell, more of a handful! He hadn’t ever been a breast man before, but seeing Cynthia’s breasts in the tight tee shirt last night had made his mouth water. And his body harden painfully, which was why he’d stayed seated for most of the night.
He was sure she’d felt it too. The tension, the awareness, was still there. He’d felt it as soon as he’d seen her, as soon as he’d stepped through the doorway. From that moment, he’d been painfully, erotically aware of Cynthia. When she slipped into the kitchen, his breath caught in his throat until she’d appeared again. Watching her blond ponytail swish against her neck and shoulders had taunted him.
His fingers itched to pull the band out of her hair and see it spread over her shoulders. She’d worn her hair in a braid throughout much of high school. But every once in a while, he’d convinced her to wear it loose. Obviously, she’d retreated back to her old ways.
Whistling a tune, he grabbed the backpack and headed out to his Jeep. Yeah, he’d driven one like this back in high school, but that one had been muddy all the time, the radio had barely worked, the seats in the back had been ripped up, and the windows only rolled up if he used his hands to actually lift the glass while he rolled the turner.
This baby was silver with all the bells and whistles. Jeeps were practical vehicles when one lived in an environment where snow and mud were a part of life. He’d have an official vehicle for his job which he started in a week, but this one was all his. He’d even upgraded his camping equipment, eager to get back into nature. If a certain sexy, leggy blond woman with mouth-watering breasts wanted to accompany him on his next trek back to his old haunts, all the better! He’d love to rediscover the mountains with Cynthia hiking next to him. He knew that she loved the mountains and the calming beauty of the Rockies just as much as he did.
Driving over to The Bull Frog, he noted several other changes. The building had been painted. New stairs. Better sign and the parking lot was bigger, probably because it was more popular now.
Good job, Cyn!
He’d just stepped out of the Jeep when he caught sight of something rushing by the windows inside. Cynthia, he thought with a smile of appreciation.
She pulled a sweater over her head as she stepped through the door, and turned to lock the door, giving him a lovely view of her pert backside. So, he was a leg man who could appreciate full breasts and a great ass. But Cynthia’s legs were really the stars of her incredible figure. Long and muscular from years of hiking through the mountains, she filled out a pair of jeans better than any woman he’d ever seen.
Leaning against the Jeep, he watched, appreciating the view. He stifled a chuckle when she dropped her keys. Nervous, he thought. A good sign.
It wasn’t until she spun around that she saw him. That’s also when he realized that her long, silky blond hair was down because it blew up, dancing across her face.
“You’re early,” she gasped, stopping on the top step that led from the back door down to the private parking area where her own black Jeep sat waiting for her.
“I suspected you’d be too afraid to eat lunch with me and would try and hide.”
He pushed away from his Jeep, walking over to stand at the bottom of the stairs. His smile faded as he looked into her apprehensive, brown eyes. “I won’t hurt you, Cynthia. I promise.”
The breath slowly eased from her lungs and she stomped down the wooden stairs. “You can’t promise me that,” she pointed out, as she reached the last step, which made her eyes almost even with his. “When you went off to college, I…” she stopped, pressing her lips together.
Ryan knew what she meant. His hand came up, cupping her jaw. “You hid from me then, Cynthia. You ran away to work a job that was too far away for me to visit you. Why?”
A tear escaped and he rubbed it away with his thumb. “Because I knew that you needed to live a normal life. We were both too young back then. Trying to keep a long distance relationship going after high school ended was just…” she shook her head and took a deep breath. “I didn’t want to hold you back.”
“I lived a normal life, Cyn. I had a great time that first semester until I came back for winter break and you weren’t here.” He moved closer, some of his anger seeping through. “We could have made it, Cyn. But you were too scared to try.”
“It wouldn’t have worked,” she insisted. “Eventually, you would have gotten sick of having a girlfriend so far away. Someone younger who wasn’t…ready…for what you needed.” Her chin lifted slightly. “You would have found someone else.”
“I didn’t date anyone else until my junior year, Cyn. It took me that long to get over you.” His blue eyes looked at her features. “And as soon as I walked into The Bull Frog last night, I knew that I hadn’t gotten over you. I’d just figured out how to go on without you.” He lowered his head, kissing her gently.
“Please don’t hide from me, Cyn. Let’s try again.” Another kiss. This one more urgent.
He felt her hand on his arm. Her fingers felt indecisive, like they might push him away, but she hadn’t decided if she wanted his kiss or not.
Another kiss and he loosened his hold, releasing her completely before stepping back. “I won’t pressure you. That wouldn’t be fair.” His eyes dropped to her lips and he wanted another taste. A deeper taste! Hell, he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her until they were both breathless.
But he knew her past. He’d been there the night her father had left, holding her as she’d sobbed out her sadness, confusion and anger. Ryan knew that she had some deep wounds that probably hadn’t healed. Because Cynthia was stubborn, and probably hadn’t acknowledged those wounds. Hard to fix something when one didn’t realize it was broken.
“What do you want from me?” she asked, her tone almost angry. But she hadn’t pushed him away.
Nor had she rushed around him, driving away. Ryan watched the mental battle raging and waited patiently.
“Just a hike, Cyn. I promise I won’t touch you again. Just a hike to your favorite place up behind Tiger Rock.”
He watched her eyes light up. Obviously, that was still her favorite place to hike and, by the eager look in those brown eyes, she hadn’t been there in a while. It wasn’t an easy trek, but the views were beyond incredible.
Cynthia’s lips tingled from the kisses and she was exhausted from lack of sleep. But being with him woke her up in ways she hadn’t felt for a long, long time.
“I’d like to hike,” she admitted. It was her day off, so she didn’t have anything urgent to accomplish. And for some reason, cleaning her apartment didn’t sound nearly as enticing as hiking through the mountains with Ryan.
“Good! A hike. I haven’t been to Tiger Rock in years.”
He grinned and her insides melted. Good grief, he was hot! Those blue eyes seemed to glow. And he had small, interesting creases at the corners of his eyes that definitely hadn’t been there years ago. Those creases added a touch more character to his handsome features. He was good looking in that classic, rugged way, with a confidence that was hard to fake. Plus all of those muscles only added to his appeal.
He opened the door to his Jeep and Cynthia slipped her backpack off before slipping into the passenger seat. He took her backpack and loaded it into the back, then climbed into the driver’s seat. Cynthia watched in the mirrors, unable to take her eyes off him. And when he slipped in beside her, she watched his long, muscular legs. Even his hands were sexy, she thought with irritation.
On the drive out of town, he made small talk, asking about the townspeople or their high school friends. Cynthia had only been gone from the town for four years of college, so she knew most of the town gossip. It helped that she owned the main bar in town. People with relaxed inhibitions were more likely to spill interesting tidbits.
Not that she spread that information around. After her father had left, the town had speculated why. Some of the rumors she’d heard had been harsh, so she made it a point not to spread malicious rumors. But she didn’t mind bragging about some of their mutual friends, what they were doing with their careers or their kids, the successes of the various businesses around town.
He drove to the trailhead where they’d parked often during that year back in high school. The memories poured over her as she pulled her pack onto her shoulders. Looking up at the trail instead of at Ryan, she reminded herself that this was just a hike. A simple walk through the woods. Nothing more and she didn’t have to kiss him ever again.
“Ready?” he asked, moving closer to her.
“Ready,” she agreed, adding a nod, more for her own confirmation than to emphasize anything to him.
She headed off towards the trail. It was one of those barely there, rarely used trails that only the locals knew about. But about a mile in, she veered off, heading in a different direction. She’d walked this trail so often in the past, but the trees changed, the sun was different at various times of the day. An inexperienced hiker could very easily get lost in these mountains. And not be found.
Cynthia was careful for the next few miles, judging the terrain to ensure that they were heading in the right direction. Needing to stay on course also forced her mind to focus on where she was going and not on Ryan.
When they reached the rocks right before their destination, she smiled as she climbed the huge boulders. Watching for snakes and critters, she enjoyed this part of the hike. It was the end, and the hardest part, but it was also the most exciting. One wrong step and she could slide down the other side. Cynthia was careful, respecting the mountain and the environment. But she loved the challenge of finding secret spots like this one.
Ten minutes later, she carefully stepped off the last rock and stopped, staring out at the view in front of her. She felt Ryan behind her, impressed that he’d been able to keep up. Not that she doubted him. Good grief, he’d probably done harder climbs in the dead of night. But still, only the most experienced hikers could reach this particular spot.
“Nice,” he sighed in satisfaction, standing next to her as they admired the vast expanse of rugged mountains.
“Yeah,” she whispered, not wanting to break the silence. There were very few places in the world where there were no artificial sounds. Cars and planes usually interrupted the silence of nature. But here, there were no sounds other than their breathing and the wind rustling the trees.
For a long moment, they stood there, silent, as they both enjoyed the view. Eventually, he turned to face her. “Hungry?” he asked.
She looked up at him, once again startled by how tall he was. “Yes, actually. I brought…”
“I have it covered,” he told her and pulled his pack down. “Step back.”
She watched with amazement and wonder as he spread a plaid blanket out over the rock. “Okay, sit,” he ordered, then he pulled out sandwiches, fruit, and a thermos. “Ham and cheese for you, mustard, no mayonnaise.”
Cynthia stilled, shocked that he remembered the way she preferred her sandwich. How could he remember? It had been so long ago!
“Thank you,” she mumbled as she unwrapped the wax paper.
“How often do you hike these days?” he asked.
“Not as often as I’d like. I go out into the mountains about once a month now.” They talked about life in Minneville, the changes to the community. Ryan’s father still lived here, so Ryan was aware of most of the community’s comings and goings. The conversation was easy enough once it started and she fell back into laughing with him about life. They finished off the sandwiches and fruit while he told her about life in the Navy. She was impressed with his training, although he wouldn’t reveal any secrets about where he’d traveled and what he’d done as a SEAL. She liked that about him, respected him even more.
When he pulled into the parking lot of The Bull Frog, Cynthia jumped out hurriedly, suddenly nervous.
“I’ll just…”
“I’ll get your pack,” he told her and shut off the engine, getting out and meeting her at the back of the Jeep.”
When he lifted the pack up, she took it, but wasn’t able to look him in the eye.
“Cyn, what just happened?” he asked when she took several steps towards the back door.
She stopped and turned back to face him, still looking down at the gravel.
Ryan watched as she fought whatever demons were mentally in charge. He hadn’t seen her in so long and he wanted…he needed…Hell, he had no idea what he wanted, needed, or expected from her. She was more beautiful than ever, and so much more mysterious.
Finally, she looked up at him and he could see the torment in her pretty, brown eyes.
“I just…I don’t know what you want from me,” she admitted.
He moved closer, relief surging through him now that she was talking to him again.
“I don’t know either. But I know that I enjoyed spending time with you today. Once we started talking, that is.” He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, which helped him not pull her into his arms. She was stiff and nervous, so he doubted she would appreciate being touched at the moment. “I don’t want you to be nervous.”
He watched as she stared right back at him. It seemed as if her eyes touched on each part of his face while she continued her mental debate.
“Don’t think about it, Cyn. Can we just…” he hesitated, not wanting to say the next words. “Can we be friends? I won’t ask for anything more. Just friends.” What the hell was he thinking? He didn’t want to be friends with her! He wanted to tear off her clothes and make love to her! He wanted to find all the places on her body that would make her scream! He wanted…hell, he wanted to be her friend, yes, but also her lover.
“Friends?” She squinched up her nose and he almost laughed at the memories of the times she’d done that over the years. “Do you think that would work?”
H
e shrugged and moved closer, then stopped himself from taking the next step that would put him only inches from her. “I’d like to try. But I don’t want to pressure you into anything. If this is too uncomfortable, then I’ll back off. I won’t ask for anything you’re not ready for.”
She seemed to ponder that.
“I’d like to be friends,” she admitted and relief surged through him.
“Good.”
“But I don’t think that’s possible.”
“Why not?”
“Because…our past is complicated.”
“I disagree. We dated in high school. That period in our lives ended.” He thought back to the way he’d won her before and smiled. “Unless you still have feelings for me. I can see how that would complicate a friendship.”
It took all of his control to hide his amusement when she stiffened. Damn, she was cute. And sexy and…everything he wanted in a woman. Feisty and daring and strong and hot! Plus, he enjoyed talking with her. This afternoon had been wonderful. It occurred to him suddenly that he’d never taken the time to get to know the women he’d been with over the past several years. He wasn’t sure why that was, but with Cynthia, he didn’t just want to have sex with her, he wanted to know her.
“I don’t have feelings for you,” she snapped.
“Good. Then have dinner with me tonight.”
“We just spent several hours together. Why would you want to hang out with me tonight?”
“Because you’re fun to talk with and I don’t know anyone else in town at the moment. So yeah, have dinner with me. I’ll even buy.”
She rolled her eyes. “You brought lunch for today. I’ll buy dinner.”
“Great! I’ll pick you up at six.” And with that, he leaned forward, kissing her briefly. He hadn’t planned on that, but it happened. Just a quick peck and he pulled back.
When he drove away, something else occurred to him. She’d lifted her face up for his kiss. It had been just as automatic for her as it had been for him.
Grinning, he drove over to the hardware store, whistling as he thought about tonight.
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