After checking all my straps, he gave me the ‘you actually know what you’re doing‘ look. He reached up to push a small lock of hair that escaped my ponytail, and I didn’t move to stop him. “I look forward to your reaction when we reach the top of the mountain. There is something special happening tonight.”
Unsure of what to do, I just nodded and didn’t say a word. Watching Ryan like this was off-putting. In the six months I knew him, I had never seen him like this.
Ryan dropped his hand and winked at me, before going back to help the others.
My mouth dropped open, trying to figure out what he was playing at. What are you planning, Ryan?
Unfortunately, my luck being what it is, a bug decided to make a home in my mouth. Coughing uncontrollably, I started to choke on the poor guy.
“You ok, Brianna?” Taylor started to pound on my back to stop me from choking. I could feel its fuzzy body, in the back of my throat, doing everything it could to escape. It is the most disgusting thing in the world that you will ever taste. After a few minutes of coughing my brains out, the bug was finally free. He flew off towards the trees and vanished from sight.
“Not even ten minutes and you are already choking on wildlife. You sure you will make it to the top of the mountain alive?” John and Matt were both grinning ear to ear.
“Watch it, assholes.” I snarled. Taking a sip of water to cleanse my mouth from the intruder, I saw Ryan smack both of them on the back of the head and walk off.
Matt rubbed the back of his head, and they turned to follow Ryan. I thought I heard one of them say “I didn't do anything wrong! She is just too easy.” But I could have been hearing things.
“Let’s go, Fuzzy. We have a fifteen-mile hike ahead of us. I need you back in one piece because we have to go shopping when we get back to the cabin. I went looking online before we left, and there are so many shops I need to look at. Not to mention, the shoe store. It’s to die for.” Leigh Ann looped her arm through mine, telling me all about each store she wanted to shop at. This girl has over 200 pairs of shoes, why in the world would she need more?
Tuning out Leigh Ann, we followed the group and looked at the world around us. Lake McDonald was breathtaking. Trees of different sizes covered the land as far as the eye could see. The water was as clear as day, showing off the treasures it held at the bottom.
It was only six in the morning, and the wilderness was alive. Squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, birds, etc. were running around, making noises, as we walked by.
I wandered from the group a little and went to check out something that caught my eye. I heard a few mutters behind me and looked to see Leigh Ann and Taylor right on my tail. When we reached the clearing, everyone gasped at what we saw.
Rocks of every color rested on the bottom of the lake. Blue, purple, pink, the works. Making my way to the edge of the water, I reached down to grab a few beauties without getting my shoes wet. You never see something like this in the city, so I figured I would take some home with me, to remember this trip.
Leigh Ann’s camera snapped a few times, capturing the view in front of us. Trying to explain this view to anyone would not do it justice. If I could live here and raise a family, I would never need T.V. or books again. Ok, that is a lie. I would need my books and T.V. during the wintertime, because it snows like we’re at the North Pole and it's a living nightmare trying to go anywhere.
But during the summer, I would be outdoors twenty-four seven. The only reason I know what winter is like here, is from the stories Ryan used to tell me, and the pictures I saw around the town of the winter games that happen around here.
Leaves rustled and twigs snapped behind us, putting us on alert. Reaching for my knife, I felt the handle against my fingertips, when Matt emerged from the brush. “There you are. Ryan freaked when he couldn't see you guys, so I told him I would backtrack and see where you went.”
“Sorry, I had to see this. It's so beautiful.” I pointed to the lake behind me. I forgot what a worry wart Ryan used to be. I would wander off to look at something, which would cause him to have a panic attack. I remember asking him what his deal was, but he would just blow it off and change the subject. Looking back at the lake, I knew we needed to get back to the group.
“I kind of figured. But we need to get back before Ryan loses it. Granted, I may want to see that happen to his royal tight ass, but I'm in a good mood. So let's go, beautifuls.” Matt put his arm out, waiting for us to take the lead.
“Sounds like someone else we know,” I heard Taylor mumble to herself.
Ignoring Taylor’s snide remark, I made my way past Matt when I heard him yelp. I turned around to see Leigh Ann, ten shades of red, running past me. “Your right! His ass is tight enough to crack nuts!” She hollered back.
Matt muttered something under his breath and sprinted after Leigh Ann. “Get back here, woman!”
I cannot believe she did that. Laughter escaped my lips, causing me to bend over to get some air. Leigh Ann’s been talking about pinching his ass the entire morning, and whether she should see if our theory was right or not. It looks like she couldn’t wait any longer.
“Run! Don’t let him catch you!” I yelled.
“Why do I have a feeling this trip is going to check you into a hospital, put Leigh Ann in jail, and make me have a heart attack?” Taylor shook her head in utter disbelief. We didn't think Leigh Ann had it in her.
“Hey. It might be worth it. I mean, you did say we needed to let loose and have some fun.” I shook what my momma gave me and winked at Taylor.
“This is so not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Let’s catch up with Matt and Leigh Ann. I don’t think he realizes what he has gotten himself into.”
At the moment I decided to imitate Leigh Ann riding a cowboy, and it had us both in tears. This trip was turning out to be better than I planned.
~*~
Emerging from the tree line, we reached the group within five minutes and noticed everyone was taking pictures of the lake. A few couples maneuvered around piles of leaves and downed branches, trying not to trip over anything.
Looking at the group, I saw Ryan talking to one of our group mates. Ryan seemed to be in the middle of an intense conversation when his eyes locked with mine. His shoulders seemed to relax a little the moment he saw us. I wasn’t gone that long, sheesh.
Ryan nodded his head in my direction and turned his attention back to his conversation.
Once everyone was done taking pictures, we packed up and continued along the path for another few hours. We stopped several times to look at special locations on the mountain and take pictures to remember everything we saw. Not to mention, every thirty minutes, I was trying to air out my shirt from sweating profusely. It was ninety degrees and humid as hell. Heat and I do not get along.
Knowing Ryan, we would go as far as we could before he would let us stop. I prayed Ryan would let us take a dunk in one of the small streams or waterfalls along the mountain, but no such luck. Matt and John told me I could just strip down and show off the goods, to which I responded by flipping them off.
But that only made things worse. I knew they were only joking, but if you were a woman with sweat in all the wrong places, you wouldn’t be nice either.
Wonder what Ryan would think about me stripping down to a sports bra? No, you are not going there, Bree.
“Fuzzy, why don’t you go talk to him? Poor guy is going to get neck strain from looking back here so much.” Taylor grabbed my arm, pulling me closer to the group. I wanted to stay at the back of the group and as far away from him as possible.
Wrenching my arm loose, I refused to budge. “I’m good, Bubbles.”
“Why are you being so stubborn about this?” Taylor protested.
“Really? A man woos me, tells me he loves me, leaves me in the middle of the night with a note saying ‘I’m sorry,’ never to be heard from again. Then magically, three years later, tells me he loves me and will fight for what he wan
ts. Why didn’t he fight for me before we came? What stopped him from doing that? No, I don’t believe a word he is saying. He just wants to woo me into the sack and call it quits when we leave. I am not doing that again.”
“Fuzzy, I see the way he looks at you. I don’t think that is the case. Are you sure what happened three years ago, is what really happened?”
Looking up at the sky, I did everything I could not to cry. I remember that night like it was yesterday. Taylor made a few more attempts at convincing me to give Ryan a chance, but soon gave up when I refused to say a word. She knew I was stubborn about things, but I had a feeling this was not the last I’d hear about it from her. Little did she know, her attempts were futile.
Ryan yelled for everyone to take a break and a breather before we hit the mountain’s apex. The farther up we got, the worse our breathing became. I may have been training for six months to get myself in shape, but nothing prepares you for the elevation.
“Let's take a five-minute break. We are about two hours from the top, but from here on up, it's a steep incline.” Ryan took a swig from his camelback and went to talk to the guys.
Plopping down on the nearest rock, I took one look at myself and noticed I was coated in sweat, with my shirt clinging to my chest. I was a hot mess. No wonder the girls kept snickering at me. But in all honesty, they were not much better off than I was.
“I don't know about you, but I could use a shower. I stink.” Taylor plopped down next to me and munched on a Chewy bar.
“I’m sure there is something that can be done about that stench of yours. I noticed John pinching his nose and keeping a safe distance.” I teased.
“Bitch. You are just jealous.”
I rolled my eyes and ignored her. She was into John, and I knew she wanted to look her best. But in all honesty, from what I could tell, these guys loved a girl who got down and dirty. After Matt caught up with Leigh Ann, I heard a few squeals and shouts, then noticed Leigh Ann was soaked from head to toe, and Matt was covered in mud. Whatever happened, it looked like they had a blast.
The two of them had been inseparable ever since. Taylor and I made a few jokes, only to receive evil looks and the finger from Leigh Ann.
Snatching a piece of Taylor’s chewy bar, I looked out over the ledge we were next to and was able to see the lake in all its glory. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, making the water glisten. I wished I was swimming in the water right now, but that would have to wait until tomorrow. After a long hike tomorrow, we will be at the lake, preparing for our water-rafting trip down the river, to the lodge. I imagined diving in the lake, with the cold water caressing my skin. Who knows, maybe Ryan would want to go, too. No! Don't think about that.
Our five minutes ended all too quickly, and we trekked the remaining few miles left and reached Heaven’s Peak. The steep incline was a beast, but well worth it.
Emerging from the forest line, there was a small building surrounded by a thick rock wall, overlooking Glacier National Park. Going around in a circle, I could see endless miles of mountain range that stretched all the way to Canada.
Ryan was about to say something, but instead of listening to him, I raced to the lookout building. Who knew how old this place was? Dying to see what was inside, I pushed through the fatigue in my legs and ran.
I reached the rock wall surrounding the small one-story building; well I wouldn't call it a building per say, it's a small room with windows covering every wall. It was a history buff’s dream. Walking around the building, I placed my hands on the rock wall behind the building and looked at the sight before me. I could see every mountain, forest, river, and lake in the park. Ok, maybe not all of them, but you get the gist. I looked straight down and saw Lake McDonald, and it looked like a tiny puddle from this high up. A few mountains still had snow on them, and I could see a few waterfalls off in the distance.
I was lost in the beauty of Glacier when I sensed Ryan next to me. “Couldn't wait a few minutes before you ran off, huh?” Ryan chuckled lightly and grasped my hand on the rock wall. “I was just telling the group about this place, when I noticed you weren't there. Matt told me you ran off the moment you saw the building. I should have known you would do something like that.”
A small smile tugged at my lips. He knows me way too well. “It was calling to me. I'm surprised I didn't trip over my feet trying to get here. I had to see what the view was like.” I looked at Ryan, and he had the cutest smile.
He brushed his hand over my cheek, and his eyes started to change. “Do you want to hear what I told the group?” he said, softly. There was a hint of nervousness in his voice when he asked me.
I bit my lip and contemplated my answer. I wanted to know the history of this building, but I also wanted to explore and look around. My inner history nerd won.
“I want to know what you told them.”
Ryan tugged my hand and guided me to the other side of the building. Our backs faced the group while we overlooked Glacier. Wrapping his arms around me, I waited to hear the tale of the building on top of the mountain.
My brain screamed in excitement at Ryan’s touch, and my heart screamed for me to get away. I shutdown my heart and let my brain and body take over. “In 1954, Norden set out on a mission to build fire lookouts all over the park. He wanted to create a system that could warn people faster when a disaster would strike and save more lives when the time came. We know of seventeen locations, which used to be manned, but only nine remain standing.”
“That is incredible. What happened to the rest of them?” I was intrigued. I would love to be a part of the fire monitoring team and live on top of a mountain. To live out in the wild and see things people could only dream to see.
“Unfortunately, they were destroyed throughout time. With technology advancing, there was no use for them anymore. But to see them built and withstand the test of time, with the insane weather up here, is remarkable.” Ryan was a huge history buff, like myself. He loved to find out what happened to things he loved. We even spent an entire day locked in a hotel room, watching the History Channel special on the Roman Empire. New information always gets discovered, which changes things we already know. Granted it’s all an interpretation of what they dig up, but it's still incredible to witness.
I snuggled in close to Ryan. I knew this was a bad idea, but right now I was throwing caution to the wind. I inhaled his scent; he smelled of pine, wood and my favorite cologne. He reminded me of home.
“I miss you, baby. I need to talk to you about what happened that night.” Ryan kissed my cheek, wrapping his arms tight around my waist.
Maybe Taylor was right. Maybe it was time to hear his side of things. For three years, I’ve wondered why he left me that night. It looks like I was finally getting my answers. “Ok.”
“Seriously?” Ryan was in my face so fast, I’d swear he was inhuman.
I tried to suppress a giggle, but seeing him this happy made that impossible. “Yes. I will listen. But that is it.” I pointed to his chest for emphasis. I was not going to get all goo-goo gaga over him again. I needed to keep my hormones in check and make sure my vagina behaved herself. After last night, she couldn't stop thinking about his fingers and what they could do to her. Using my vibrator the past three years, I have never cum that hard or fast. But seeing as I hadn’t had sex in three years… Sigh. I need to get out more.
Ryan pulled my finger to his lips and kissed the tip. God. Even with a single kiss, my girl betrays me. For God's sake hoo-ha, control yourself. My vagina was going to be the death of me.
CHAPTER 5
The tents were pitched all around the top of the mountain, with a roaring fire crackling to life in the middle of camp. We had about ten tents total, and one was built to house our supplies. Leigh Ann decided to bunk with Matt, leaving Taylor and I to share a tent. Making sure the tent was as far from Ryan as possible so there would be no chance of letting him sneak up on us, Taylor and I snuggled up by the fire and watched everyone around camp. M
att and John walked around, helping people with their tents and answering any questions about how they secured permits to camp on the top a grand mountain.
Apparently, being the town’s sheriff means being granted special permissions, so we were able to camp on the top of the mountain. But according to Matt, this was only a once a year kind of thing. There are a bunch of numbers and whatnot to make sure we would be safe. If a massive storm came in, we would have to leave. But with the sun setting, the air was warm, and the stars were starting to shine. The guys said we would be safe tonight. I had a hard time believing how they were able to secure permits, but I let it slide.
“Who wants s'mores?” The old lady from earlier today, I believe her name was Janet, shouted out. She pulled out a massive bag of marshmallows, chocolate and gram crackers. While she handed out small sticks to poke our marshmallows, others from around camp left their tents and joined us, setting their marshmallows over the fire to cook.
Instead of joining the fun, getting to know the group, and stuffing my face with s'mores, I decided to take a walk to the rock wall. Living in the city was not exactly my cup of tea. The smell gets to me every once in awhile, it’s crowded, and people tend to be extremely rude, but it was home. For now.
Looking up at the stars, I placed my hands on the wall and sighed. Living back home, I would never be able to see the stars like this. Sunlight started to disappear behind the mountain range, encasing us in the darkness, with only the moon and stars to light up the sky.
A light breeze grazed my cheek, causing a shiver to rack my body. Rubbing my hands over my forearms, I wish I chose a different shirt. I was rocking my BB8 ‘Let’s roll’ shirt and small shorts; it wasn’t the greatest outfit for tonight’s weather, but it was comfortable.
Tomorrow morning, we had a fifteen-mile hike back down the mountain, but all I wanted to do was stay up all night and look at the stars. Thousands of small lights twinkled in the night sky. Resting my elbows on the wall, I closed my eyes and listened to Mother Nature.
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