by Hamel, B. B.
I felt nothing but joy as we climbed into a car. The keys were already in the ignition.
“How did you do it?” she asked me softly.
“I don’t know.”
“Thank you.”
“Becca—”
“No, listen to me. Thank you.”
“It’s my fault you were there.”
“No, it isn’t. I didn’t have to take that key. Lindsey ratted on me. But you came and you saved me.”
I grabbed her face and pulled her toward me. “I’ll always keep you safe. I fucking promise.”
“I know you will.”
I kissed her softly on the lips.
“I don’t care about the stepsister thing,” I said.
“I love you.”
“I know,” I said, grinning. “I’m completely and totally yours.”
“Take me home, you big asshole.”
My grin widened. “Gladly.”
I kissed her again, our mouths lingering for a moment, exploring each other. Finally, I pulled away and began to drive back home.
I looked across the car at her, and she smiled back.
Neither of us bothered with the rearview mirror. Neither one of us wanted to stay rooted in the past.
It was forward and away.
It was living and moving on.
Together.
Epilogue
After a half hour up there he was just a speck in the distance, a tiny dot toward the top of the cliff.
It was his third competition back, and, if the time on my watch was right, he was in the lead by a huge margin. Not quite record-breaking, but he was still getting back into the swing of things. The records would come soon enough if he kept up his current training.
A huge wave of pride surged up through my chest as I watched him move. I could barely make out what he was doing, but I knew Reid saw the cliff’s rivers of handholds better than anyone else. He was moving methodically and slowly, conserving energy for the final push.
After the shootout, we drove straight home, barely talking. He put me to bed and I slept for something like twelve hours. When I woke up, he was napping in a chair right next to me, still wearing the exact same outfit he wore the day before.
We never heard from the mob again. Reid said Thom had tried to get him involved, but Reid’s mind was already on other things. He was already thinking about the future.
“I’d rather climb than smuggle drugs,” he said to me a few days later. “The money isn’t as good, though.”
A cheer went up through the crowd as Reid pulled himself up over the edge, cresting the cliff and making it to the top. I stopped my watch and smiled at the time. He was going to win by a pretty damn good margin.
It was his first first-place finish since he’d started climbing seriously again. He had placed second in the two competitions prior, and I knew he really needed a win.
I really needed a win, too. Because in two weeks I was headed out to Texas to start my graduate program.
Things between us only got better once the mob was gone. Reid was less sullen, less closed off than he was before, like a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. He laughed a little more often and smiled more freely.
Cora noticed the change, too. She had no clue that a big part of that was because he snuck into my room every night and fucked me until we both fell asleep panting and sweating in each other’s arms.
I watched him standing up there, his arms up above his head in triumph. He must have known his time was good enough to win.
That was the Reid I knew, standing on top of a cliff and grinning down at the world below him.
That was the Reid I fell in love with.
“So, what did you think?” he asked me, leaning casually against the hood of his truck.
“You were amazing today,” I said honestly. “Although watching people climb isn’t the most exciting thing.”
He laughed. “Sorry I bore you.”
I moved close to him, putting my hands on his chest. I could feel his heart beating and the slight, sweaty damp.
“That’s okay. You keep it exciting in other ways.”
“Dirty girl.” He grinned and kissed me. “Can’t get enough, can you?”
“Just trying to fit it all in before I go.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to Texas. You know that.”
He looked at me like I was crazy. “So what?”
“I mean, I’m going to be pretty far away from you. We aren’t exactly going to get to see each other every night anymore.”
He laughed loudly. “Are you kidding? I just got you. Do you really think I’m letting you out of my sight?”
I cocked my head. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m moving to Texas with you.”
I didn’t know what to say. Joy and shock pulsed through me, stealing any words.
“That is, if you want me to,” he added.
“Yes!” I said quickly. “Yes, please. Move to Texas!”
He laughed and kissed me again. “Down girl. Don’t get too excited.”
“But there aren’t any mountains in Texas.”
“I know.” He leaned back and stretched. “I figured I’ll travel while you’re busy with class, climb where I can, and make sure I’m home all summer long.”
“But what about my dad and your mom?”
“I guess we’ll have to tell them eventually.”
“Do we really have to?”
“If they’re going to come to the wedding they’ll have to find out sooner or later.”
I felt a huge jolt run through me. “Wedding?”
“What, you think I’d let you move to Texas and live as a dishonest woman?” He grinned his cocky, soul-melting grin and pulled a small black box from his back pocket.
“Reid,” I mumbled, shocked. “What is that?”
He flipped it open. Inside was a ring. It was the sort of thing I dreamed about, saw on TV, but never thought I’d have.
I took a step back, my mouth hanging open.
“Come on, Becca. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. I want to marry you.”
“Holy fuck, Reid,” I said, tears coming to my eyes. I tried to fight them back but it was impossible.
I had always dreamed of this moment. But even my wildest fantasies paled in comparison to the real thing. Reid was grinning massively, his whole body slightly sweaty and ripped, and he looked perfect leaning up against the truck. I couldn’t imagine him down on one knee, and he didn’t even bother. That wasn’t his style.
My heart was pounding in my chest. I never thought he was the marriage type. It never even crossed my mind. I always assumed we’d have to live in secret together, maybe one day go somewhere nobody knew us.
“What do you say?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, throwing myself at him. “Hell yes.”
He laughed and kissed me as I kissed him back and cried, heavy happy tears of joy, all the horror and the anxiety of the last few months suddenly washed away.
I wanted him. I had always wanted him, even when I fought myself to stay away. But he was the only man I could ever see myself with, even back when we were little kids meeting for the first time.
I was Reid’s. I was always going to be his.
He moved away and slipped the ring onto my finger. I was shocked at how well it fit.
“Where’d you even get this?”
“Used the winnings from my last two competitions, plus some savings.”
“And it fits.” I held it up and looked at it.
“Used one of your other rings for that.”
“Reid. This is perfect.”
“I love you, Becca.”
“I love you too.”
We kissed again, bodies pressed together. Finally, after a deep, passionate kiss, we moved apart.
“I had to do that before we left,” he said. “Wouldn’t have felt right getting engaged anywhere but Ridgewood.”
; “This is perfect.” And I meant it.
He moved away. “Come on. Let’s go try to break this to our parents.”
I shook my head. “Tomorrow. Let’s just enjoy this for today.”
He looked at me for a second. “Okay. How about we hike out to the van and consummate this thing.”
I laughed. “You only consummate the marriage.”
“I’m going to consummate whatever I want as often as I want. You’re mine now.”
“Okay. I’m not arguing.”
He laughed and kissed me again and then got into the driver’s seat. I climbed into the passenger seat. He started the engine and pulled out.
We drove down the long highway, back toward our house. But it wasn’t going to be our house much longer. We’d have our own place, a clean and comfortable place, where we’d have our own life together.
A life outside of Ridgewood and everything that had happened.
I put my hand over his on the gearshift. He smiled at me.
I watched as the woods flowed by, the love of my life sitting next to me, bringing us closer to the future.
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Chapter One: Alexa
Chapter Two: Cole
Chapter Three: Alexa
Chapter Four: Cole
Chapter Five: Alexa
Chapter Six: Cole
Chapter Seven: Alexa
Chapter Eight: Cole
Chapter Nine: Alexa
Chapter Ten: Cole
Chapter Eleven: Alexa
Chapter Twelve: Cole
Chapter Thirteen: Alexa
Chapter Fourteen: Cole
Chapter Fifteen: Alexa
Chapter Sixteen: Cole
Chapter Seventeen: Alexa
Chapter Eighteen: Cole
Chapter Nineteen: Alexa
Thank You!
Further Reading
Rock Hard: Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Epilogue