by Zoe York
Sure enough, there was a small group formed up just ahead, and they fell in at the back of the pack. Priya’s neck burned as she tried to figure out what Grady thought he knew about her.
She took another long sip of coffee.
Well, he knew that she was a nicer human being when she had caffeine, for one thing.
“We’re going to do an out-and-back hike this morning,” the group leader announced. “If at any point you feel like turning around, feel free. But the oatmeal bar doesn’t open until seven-thirty, so you might as well stick it out with us. Ready? Let’s go!”
“I’m not ready,” Priya muttered as Grady settled his hand in the small of her back again. “And is that one of the things you’ve learned about me? That I need to be pushed through a hike?”
He laughed and pressed a little harder. She picked up her pace so she wouldn’t trip over her own feet.
But it turned out everyone else was feeling pretty slow, too, and the group pace was almost leisurely as they climbed the wide path into the forest beyond the camp. Every so often, the staff leader pointed out bits of interest. Birds, rocks, trees.
The path that led to the infamous waterfalls. “Oooh,” Priya said, veering in that direction.
“Later,” Grady said, guiding her right back into the middle of the hiking pack.
“Not together.”
“Don’t be so hasty. I’m certified in all levels of emergency first-aid, and if you get tired, I can carry you back to the cabin. I’m an excellent choice to go skinny-dipping with under a waterfall.”
“I didn’t say anything about skinny-dipping,” Priya protested.
Grady gave her an amused look. “That’s a shame.”
She rolled her eyes and marched ahead up the path to the sound of his quiet chuckle.
They hadn’t seen each other naked yet. Would she survive the week without giving in to that temptation? Grady in all his big, brawny perfection, stripped down to nothing, was a delicious thought.
Too bad it came attached to all sorts of complicated feelings that didn’t have any easy resolution.
Like living on opposite sides of the country.
Two insane careers that meant dropping everything, all the time, to race into danger.
Plus there was the no-small-matter of ten months of zero radio contact.
“What are you thinking about?”
She jerked her attention sideways and frowned at the stealthy Navy SEAL. “Don’t sneak up on me.”
“We’re hiking together.”
“That’s a fair point, I suppose.”
She could feel his gaze on the side of her face as she looked straight ahead. Step, step, step. Climb, climb, climb.
“You snore,” he said quietly, and she stumbled.
“Pardon?”
He reached out to steady her, and they slowed to a stop. Other campers streamed around them. His eyes slowly slid to her mouth. “Just a little. And, uh…I like it. I like the glasses, I like the tiny snores. Those are two things I’ve learned about you in the last twenty-four hours.”
Yes, she definitely regretted asking now. Her heart pulsed inside her chest. “That’s a weird thing to tell a girl.”
“Well, you’re a weird girl to try and woo, so…I’m going with what I’ve got.” His grin got wider. “Honesty.”
She swallowed a groan. That was a good strategy. Damn him. “Woo-ing.”
“Yep.”
“That isn’t on my agenda for this week. Being wooed, I mean.”
“Yeah, that’s on me. I didn’t realize you had other stuff going on. And I should have.” He gave her a disarming shrug. “I’m sorry.”
“No way you could have known I was put on leave,” she said without thinking. As soon as the word was out of her mouth, she knew he’d picked up on it. Damn, double damn.
“Hang on a second,” Grady said quietly, brushing his fingers against her forearm. She ignored the slice of electricity that arced between them.
But she still slowed down and let the stragglers behind them pass. Her chest was tight, anyway. She could use with a breather.
He looked at her as she turned in a slow circle. The group moved ahead, their cheery voices fading into the background forest noises, and still he didn’t say anything.
“It’s no big deal,” she finally offered.
“You aren’t on vacation? You’re on medical leave?”
“Stress leave, technically. Very short term. Basically a vacation. I have the vacation time to use, I could have.”
“But you didn’t.”
No, she didn’t. Her boss had suggested a vacation, she’d blown him off, then the next thing she knew she was being told to leave the building for ten days and not return until she had a doctor’s note saying she’d had a week of naps. Or something. She hadn’t read the whole letter, she’d been too furious. “You say that like being committed to my job is a bad thing.”
“Hey, I’m all about unhealthy micro-focus on a job, I promise.” His voice was warm and low, teasing as he got closer.
She gave him a wary look. “There’s a ‘but’ there, isn’t there?”
“Not at all. More of a ‘so’. As in….So, I know a few things about stress.”
“I know you do.”
“She says stiffly,” he intoned like a movie narrator.
“Stop making me laugh,” she said as she grinned at him.
“Laughter is good for the soul.”
“Mmm.”
“So is exercise.” He gestured to the trail. “And nutrition.” He pulled out an apple and polished it on his shirt before holding it out. “Want some?”
“Sure.” She reached for the fruit, but he held it up in the air.
“Say it politely. Yes, please, Grady.”
She rolled her eyes. “Keep your apple, Grady.”
He laughed and took a big bite out of the apple. It sounded crisp, and her mouth watered. Why hadn’t she brought something? Oh right. Because this was just a short pre-breakfast wake-up hike, and she had oatmeal in her future.
But still. Cruel.
She lifted her chin and stepped past him, trying to see the group up ahead. The faster she caught up to them, the sooner she’d be back at the lodge. Brown sugar and walnuts were also magical for stress, she was quite certain of it.
“There’s only so much we can keep bottled up inside. Some of it needs to be locked down. But we need some pressure valves. What are yours?”
She didn’t have any. Not really. “I try things.”
“Any of them work?”
Fucking Grady against the boathouse last year had done wonders for her soul. “Nope.”
Her watched her mouth for a second, then lifted his gaze to meet her eyes. Like he knew her bright single-word response was covering up a sinful packet of fantasy suggestions to try out as pressure valves. “Well if I can be of any help, just let me know.”
And then he gestured for her to walk ahead of him on the path.
Just like that.
Like he hadn’t just wrung a confession or two from her, like they didn’t both know that she was a bit of a mess, and totally still wanted him.
Maybe those two things went hand in hand.
Chapter 5
Grady felt like a jackass. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go at all.
As they made their way down the build-your-own oatmeal bar, he tried to think about what he could do to reset the day and give Priya some space.
She needed to make the next move, that was clear. He’d put his cards on the table. He wanted her. He was available in literally the next bed over if she wanted to work out some stress the old-fashioned way.
When Wyatt joined their cozy table-for-two in the corner—now a table-for-three, because Tegan was working—he saw his opportunity.
“What are your plans for the morning?” he asked Priya as she sprinkled extra brown sugar over her hot cereal.
She gave him a careful look. “Heading back to the cabin to shower
off the morning hike. Then I might check out the Arts and Crafts building. I think Tegan’s set up leaf imprinting stations for this morning’s activity.”
The shower sounded tantalizing, and he burned a little at the thought of bubbles slicking down her body. But it was too soon to invite himself along for that, and he wouldn’t say that in front of Wyatt anyway. The leaf craft sounded incredibly boring, and he knew she’d picked it for that reason. Point, Priya. “In that case, I might head to the ropes course. Wyatt, you in?”
“Always.”
Priya sighed in relief, and he fought back a scowl. She needed some space and he could be a grown-up and give it to her.
On the other hand, his maturity had limits. “And then maybe we should hit the basketball court before lunch,” he added. “It’s going to be a hot one today. I call skins.”
Her cheeks turned pink.
Point, Grady.
Damn it, he was terrible.
But if she showed up to watch him shoot some hoops, it would be worth it.
Michael’s new additions to the rope course were apparently popular with the campers, so they were never alone. After spending the morning climbing and zip-lining, they signed out a basketball and headed to an empty court.
Wyatt didn’t waste any time in talking about the elephant in the camp. “What are you playing at with Priya?”
“I’m not sure that’s any of your business.”
“She’s my fiancée’s best friend. If you hurt her, Tegan will be pissed.”
Grady shifted uncomfortably. “Hurt her again, you mean.”
Wyatt threw the basketball at his chest. Hard. “What did you do?”
“It’s a long story.” Grady threw the ball back. Harder.
“I’ve got all day.” This time Wyatt shoved the ball so hard it stung Grady’s hands as he caught it.
“We slept together last summer. We had an understanding, but…I pushed past those limits. And then I didn’t stay in touch.”
“Man, that’s not fucking cool.”
“I realize that. I’m here to make amends.”
“Looks like that’s going real well for you. And why didn’t you tell me about this plan before you left California?”
Because he hadn’t been sure it would work. And he’d been right. “We may have missed our moment in time. I don’t know. Maybe the extra long tour overseas made me see things differently than how they actually were in reality.”
Wyatt narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything.
Grady rocked back on his heels. “Come on. Let’s play ball.”
“Sure.”
But as they played, Wyatt kept needling him. “Let me get this straight,” he said, panting as he dribbled the ball at the three-point line. “You flew all the way out here just to give up?”
Grady jumped as Wyatt leapt into the air to take a shot. The ball glanced off his fingertips and went wide. “I didn’t give up. I’m not giving up.” He sprinted after the ball and circled around. “I’m just…reassessing the situation.”
Wyatt grunted.
The sun climbed in the sky as they played, and soon sweat was rolling down Grady’s spine.
He was down five points when he heard Priya’s voice. Ball in hand, he twisted around to locate her. Wyatt snatched it away, but Grady didn’t care. Easier to strip off off his shirt when he was barehanded.
She was with Tegan, coming down a path. He caught her eye, then grabbed the back of his t-shirt and peeled it over his head.
She was too far away for him to see if she blushed, but he was certain she did.
“Doesn’t look like you’re re-assessing anything,” Wyatt said under his breath. Grady turned around just in time to see his friend sink the ball in the net.
Seven points down.
Fuck.
And now he had an audience. He turned on everything he had. They were evenly matched for height, but he had a solid fifteen pounds of muscle on Wyatt, and he used it. He got more aggressive with his defense, putting his body in the way as a big, immovable barrier, making his friend travel further and shoot from worse angles.
When he got the ball, he didn’t take the shot until he knew it was good.
On the second pump fake in a row that Wyatt fell for, he dunked the ball and hung off the basket for a few seconds before he jumped down and got right back in his friend’s face.
“Are you done preening like a peacock?” Wyatt said as he smacked the ball against the court.
“Hardly.”
“You know what I think?”
“Shut up and play ball.”
Wyatt ignored the threat as he dribbled around the perimeter. “I think you know exactly what you want, and your head is doing a good job of second-guessing that.”
“Of course I know what I want.”
“Then go for it. Life is short. And she’s staring at you like you’re an ice cream sundae.” Wyatt squatted low and powered himself into the air, making the shot. “Nothing but swish.”
Down three. Grady grabbed the ball and circled back to the starting point again. Fuck.
Now he could feel her gaze on him. Ice cream sundae? He could work with that. He faked to the right, but then instead of charging or shifting to the left, he dribbled backward. He pointed at the net and Wyatt shook his head.
Sure, he was showing off. And he might not make it. But if he did, he’d tie the game.
Chapter 6
Tegan was saying something, but Priya had stopped listening to her friend. All she could see and hear was Grady setting up for a shot from practically all the way across the basketball court.
He was a thing of beauty, all his muscles flexing as he crouched, then pounced into the air like a spring let loose. His sweat-slicked back gleamed under the mid-day sun as the ball sailed off his fingertips and arced toward the net.
Priya’s breath caught in her throat as she watched the ball caught the rim. It hung there for a painfully long beat before rolling down and into the net.
“No fucking way,” Wyatt said with a laugh as he scooped it up. “Tied game, you asshole.”
Grady shot a look in her direction, and she shivered. “Let’s call it there,” he said, holding out his hand.
Wyatt shook it, then they turned as one unit and fixed their attention directly on her and Tegan.
“We were going to talk over lunch,” Priya said as she stood, and her voice sounded far away even to her own ears.
“It can wait,” Tegan said, way too smoothly.
No. She wasn’t going to be hypnotized by sweat-slicked muscles in motion. “But…”
“Go.” Tegan pushed her forward. “Think later. Just have fun.”
Famous last words. “I did that last year,” she muttered. “And look where it got me.”
But when Grady stopped in front of her and flashed her an easy, lopsided grin, she couldn’t hold on to that stubborn insistence they weren’t going to do this. They were definitely going to do something, anyway.
They should probably talk about that. Set some healthy parameters.
“Lunch?” he asked.
Just like that. One word. A simple syllable. Lunch? Yes, they could do lunch. “That sounds great.” Right on cue, her stomach growled.
“We have a picnic,” Tegan said, dragging Wyatt in the opposite direction.
And suddenly they were alone.
“That wasn’t obvious or anything.” Grady winked at her. “But I’m not complaining. Can we swing past the cabin? I should change.”
“Sure. Or I could meet you at the lodge…”
He stepped closer, and she breathed him in. He didn’t need to change. His sweat smelled perfect to her.
She’d spent too much time in the sun today.
“Come back to the cabin with me, Priya.”
She nodded mutely.
Sure. Why not? What was the worst that could happen?
Grady pulled his t-shirt on, then offered Priya his hand. She slid her fingers against his and heat swarme
d up his arm and lodged in his chest.
This was how it had started a year ago, too.
“Take a walk with me?”
Priya looked at him like he was insane. “To where?”
“Let’s go check out the boathouse.”
“The party’s up here.”
“We can make our own party.” He hopped off the picnic table and held out his hand. For a long beat, he wasn’t sure she was going to take it.
Then she laughed, a gentle, lilting sound that tugged at his balls, and accepted the help up. When she was standing, she left her fingers wrapped around his, and it felt so good he knew this was dangerous.
Looking back, he’d been a goner before that moment, but had been blind to the way his body—and his heart—reacted to her.
The second she’d taken his hand, need roared to life.
He didn’t regret letting his desire take over last year, but he wouldn’t do it again the same way.
This time, he wanted to make their connection last.
And they definitely had a connection, no matter how many roadblocks she might throw up in their path.
His heart tapped fast and sharp in his chest as they climbed the steps to her—maybe their—cabin.
“I’ll just take a quick shower,” he said as he pulled the door open. “Like ninety seconds. So—”
Priya caught the front of his t-shirt in her hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Or you could kiss—”
He crashed his mouth down on hers, because his nobility was fleeting and her lips were far too tempting to resist.
Her body pressed warm and soft against him, and he flexed his fingers in a vain attempt to not grab her and hold on tight. It didn’t work.
As soon as he settled his hands on her body, their kiss jacked up to the next level. Hotter, dirtier.
A kiss a year in the making, and God damn it, he didn’t want it to end. He wanted his hands on her skin, though. Shuffling backward, he pulled them down onto her bed, tumbling together over the too-small mattress until he was flat on his back and she was on top of him.
Perfect.
She sank her teeth into his jaw, licking his skin, and his cock went from thick to rigid.