Her stomach flip-flopped when he glanced at her across the fire and gave her a small smile. She couldn’t stop looking at him. Being angry had helped her resist him. What could she cling to now?
“Hi,” he mouthed.
“Hi,” she mouthed back.
Oh God, she was in trouble. Her boss had her heart.
“Good morning!” Mike said, approaching the group with that damn clipboard.
Kendra nodded in greeting. All around her, mumbles about it not in fact being a good morning made Mike smile as though he derived great pleasure from their suffering.
“Hope everyone slept well,” he joked. “If you’re wondering where your boss is, Roger and his partner tapped out around two a.m. and Cassie took them back to town. They are sleeping comfortably in a hotel room.”
For real? This was bullshit. If Roger could quit, they should all be able to.
“So before we start the day—anyone else want to give up?” Mike asked as Cassie returned and joined them.
Yes! She desperately did. She was exhausted and hungry and dirty. She craved a comfortable bed and hot shower, but Nolan was sending her a look from across the fire that said they needed to stick it out... She couldn’t decide if it was for his competitive spirit or another reason.
Either way, looked like she was staying.
“Great!” Mike said when no one bailed. “Well, today’s first challenge is our orienteering race. Each team will be headed to the same finish line checkpoint, but taking different equal-distance, equal-challenge routes to get there.” He walked around, handing out their maps.
Nolan stood and approached her as Mike came toward them.
“Either one of you good with a map?” the guide asked.
The day before she’d have lied and claimed to be an expert, but truthfully, she’d get lost driving to work if it weren’t for her GPS, so she glanced at Nolan. Hopefully he was better at reading a map than he was at copying a phone number. “Not really,” she said.
Nolan nodded. “Yeah, I can figure one out.” He stood and accepted their map from Mike.
“Great. The race starts in five minutes.”
Mike headed off to hand out the other maps and Kendra watched as Nolan studied the map. “You do know how to read that, right?”
He nodded, but when his eyes met hers, they were full of conflicted passion. “Though I wouldn’t mind getting lost...”
Her heart raced. She no longer cared who was at fault for the torturous time apart. She just didn’t want to waste even more time feeling miserable and hiding her feelings. The look in his eyes told her Nolan was feeling the same way.
“You two learning to communicate better?” Cassie asked, joining them with a conspiratorial wink.
Shit. The guides’ hut was next to theirs. Had Cassie heard them talking the night before, or was their attraction to one another obvious?
Kendra’s cheeks flushed as Nolan said, “Getting there.”
Cassie smiled. “There’s nothing that unplugging in the wild outdoors can’t fix. Helps to give you a new perspective on things,” she said, before heading to the front of the group. “Okay, everyone—on your marks, get set, go!”
Nolan turned to her. “Ready?”
“Sure. Lead the way,” Kendra said, falling into step behind him as he took the path indicated on their map.
What should she say? Did they even need to discuss things again? It was clear where they both stood, where their hearts were, but how could they make things work now?
Luckily, once they were out of earshot of the other groups, he spoke first. “So... I guess three months was enough time to move on...forget about our connection, huh?”
Was he asking her or letting her know? “I don’t know,” she said carefully, not wanting to reveal all her cards if he wasn’t. “I mean, it was a long time ago and I thought you just weren’t interested.”
“I was... Still am.” He stopped on the trail and grabbed her hand, pulling her closer. “Are you?” His questioning gaze only made her more conflicted.
She was, but... “Does it matter now?”
“Of course it matters.” He stepped closer and took her face between his hands. “Since saying goodbye to you in Seattle, you were constantly on my mind. I was going crazy trying to figure out what had gone wrong. I thought for sure we’d had something special.”
“Me, too,” she whispered. “But now things are complicated.”
He nodded. “But not impossible, right?”
She sighed. “I don’t know.” What could they do? Hide their relationship from everyone at work? A secret office romance might be exciting for a while, but eventually they’d need to tell everyone or it would get more frustrating than exciting.
“That’s not a complete shutdown, so I’ll take it.” He stepped toward her, his expression intense. “Maybe this might help for clarity,” he said, tipping her chin upward to face him.
Her mind reeled. She wanted him to kiss her, give her all the answers, but she was falling hard and fast for him, the three months apart only amplifying and confirming her feelings.
She swallowed hard and said, “We’re not going to win the challenge if we don’t get moving.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to not care so much about the challenges,” he said, before kissing her.
His mouth was warm and inviting. The gesture was soft, tentative, unsure at first, but quickly deepened with the familiarity and longing of two people who’d been missing each other. His hand cupped the back of her head as his tongue slid between her lips, desperate and hungry for her. His fingers tangled in her messy hair and she moaned against his mouth.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body into his, closing her eyes and savoring the taste of him. Even dirty, sweaty and wearing yesterday’s clothes, he was sexy as hell. She clung to him, never wanting to let go.
He pulled away slowly, scanning her face for any sign of remorse. “Is it okay that I did that?”
Breathless, she couldn’t decide. Maybe it wasn’t okay but it sure was amazing. “I don’t know,” she said. “Try it again.”
He did and, an hour and a half later, long after everyone else, the two of them reached the finish line checkpoint blissfully in last place.
* * *
INCREDIBLE HOW TWENTY-FOUR hours could change so much. A conversation and a few kisses had certainly helped, as well. Nolan couldn’t keep the smile off his face or his eyes off Kendra as they gathered around the campsite to get the instructions for their next challenge. At that point, Nolan felt like he could conquer anything, and he was desperate to figure out a way they could make things work.
“Next up is our final challenge,” Cassie told the group. “The isolation challenge. This one is by far the hardest—it will test you mentally as you take on the wilderness alone without your cell phone or anything to keep you busy... Completely alone with just your thoughts.”
He frowned. Alone? “You mean alone with our partners, right?” That wouldn’t be a challenge at all. He could think of ways to pass the time with Kendra. Was looking forward to it, actually.
“Unfortunately not. This one is a solitary challenge,” Cassie said.
“But we’re supposed to work as a team,” Kendra said.
His heart soared, knowing she, too, had been looking forward to being isolated with him for hours.
“Your points system will still depend on how well you both individually complete the challenge,” Mike explained.
Damn it. Looked like he wouldn’t get that alone time with her after all.
“Let’s get everyone numbered off. We’ll stagger everyone at different places in the forest, just slightly off the trail, about half a mile from camp.” Mike made his way around the group, showing no signs of guilt as he split up Nolan and Kendra. “Ones follow me, twos follow Cassie. After we lead ever
yone to their respective stations, Cassie and I will return to base camp. If you can’t outlast the full challenge, you can forfeit and make your way back to us. When your six hours are up, we’ll come get everyone and bring you back to camp.”
Nolan looked at Kendra as she followed Cassie and the others off into the woods to their isolation points. Her look of disappointment made his heart feel just a little bit better.
At his own location a little later, Nolan forced himself to relax. He had to sit there for six hours. Six hours without a phone, anything to read, anything to do... Just be present with nature and tap into a different part of yourself, Mike had said.
He could do this.
But fifty burpees, fifty push-ups and fifty crunches later, he realized physical exercise after no sleep and barely any food was not a great idea. His stomach rumbled and he felt light-headed.
Nolan lay on his back on a grassy patch of ground and closed his eyes. A nap would pass the time quicker.
Unfortunately, only images of Kendra appeared behind his closed lids, and the thoughts running through his mind and emotions running through his body prevented anything even close to sleep from taking over.
Her kisses earlier that day had confirmed that the connection between them was still very real and very much alive.
But what would it mean to move forward with her now?
He was excited about this new opportunity at Webber Pharmaceuticals, but if his new career meant not being with her, would it really make him happy?
He’d always known what he’d wanted out of his professional life, but until Kendra, his love life had never felt certain. He’d never had feelings like this for anyone.
But he knew that no matter what it meant, he’d find a way to make this work...even if he had to sacrifice his dream job.
* * *
DUSK WAS STARTING to settle over the forest and thick clouds made the sky gray and overcast. The large mountain range around them was now a breathtaking-yet-ominous-looking dark image in the distance. The air smelled like rain was coming and the breeze picked up, blowing Kendra’s hair across her face.
Kendra wasn’t exactly loving being out in the middle of the woods alone. After almost six excruciatingly long hours, she understood why this challenge was the hardest. In a world where technology and social media consumed so much time and attention, it was almost impossible to figure out what to do without those crutches to help pass the time.
Her short nap had been filled with images of Nolan and, now awake, she was struggling with an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach.
In such a short period of time, she’d gone from being disappointed and heartbroken to relieved and hopeful...but still just as conflicted.
Maybe they could talk to Roger, let him know what was happening between them, explain that they’d met and connected before Nolan had accepted the job there. See if there was some way company policy wouldn’t stand in the way of a relationship. She didn’t love the fact that Nolan was her boss, but she cared about him enough to get over it...eventually.
The sky above her opened and big raindrops fell, drenching her hair and clothing within minutes. She huddled under a large tree, hugging her knees to her chest and hoping there wouldn’t be a thunder and lightning storm.
It was almost over.
It would be easy to give up at this point. She was hungry and tired and soaked to the bone, but she knew if she could make it through this challenge, maybe the strength and clarity she needed to follow her heart awaited her on the other side.
CHAPTER SIX
ALL THE OTHER teams had quit.
Arriving back at base camp with Mike, Nolan wasn’t completely shocked to discover that he and Kendra were the last team standing.
Which meant they’d won.
Nolan watched Kendra approach camp behind Cassie, soaked and looking as exhausted as he felt. Pride surged through him. He hadn’t doubted her ability to stick it out, not for a second. It had actually kept him going. He didn’t want to disappoint her.
“So, guys, what’s it going to be?” Mike asked, standing near the fire that was almost out due to the torrential downpour that had now given way to a light rainfall. “Are we heading back to town?”
Nolan hesitated, glancing at Kendra. She was shivering and he fought hard to resist wrapping his arms around her. Damn, he just kept falling harder and harder for her. Her drive and spirit were attractive as fuck and her no-quit attitude only made him want to work harder, achieve more. He knew what he wanted to do that evening—stay out there with her. Finish this with her, or maybe start over with her...but he’d call it if that was what she wanted to do.
Instead, she shook her head. “No...nope,” she said with chattering teeth. “We’ve made it this far. I want to finish the weekend.”
Cassie shot them a knowing look. “Okay, then, let’s see if you make it through the night.”
She and Mike disappeared into their debris hut and suddenly the woods around them felt quiet and intimate. The only sound was Nolan’s thumping heart as he looked at the woman he was in love with. “Should we get some sleep?”
“Sleep? Probably not, but we should definitely get inside the hut,” she said, the look in her eyes reflecting exactly how he felt.
* * *
HER WET CLOTHES clinging to her body, Kendra shivered as she climbed into the shelter. The cool evening air had chilled her to the bone, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever get warm again.
Nolan worked quickly to make a new fire outside their hut and then he joined her inside. “Can I take this down?” he asked from his side of the divider.
Her heart and mind were in conflict.
Their kiss had definitely revealed that things were still as hot as ever between them, and her attraction to him hadn’t faded at all. But they still hadn’t discussed what being together meant, or what they’d both be willing to risk. Was the chance at being together worth one of them losing their job?
“Kendra?” he asked.
She took a deep breath and removed the divider between them.
His arms were instantly wrapped around her and immediately she felt warmer. “Is this okay?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.
She nodded eagerly, moving as close to him as she could.
“Man, this survival training is no joke. Sure you don’t want to call it quits? We already won...”
She shook her head. “No w-way...” she said through chattering teeth. “I refuse to give up this close to the end.” In truth, as much as the situation sucked, she also didn’t want to call an end to the weekend.
She wasn’t sure where they went from here. Right now his arms were around her—if only for body heat—and she never wanted that to end.
“You’re so competitive,” he said, hugging her even tighter.
She nodded, allowing him to believe that was her only motivation for staying.
“Truthfully, I’d have packed it in with the rest of them, but I don’t want to leave you,” he said. He wiped damp pieces of hair away from her face and kissed her softly.
Her body tingled and a warmness flowed through her. Maybe that was the key...maybe a make-out session would help to warm them up and distract them from the long night ahead.
They were on survival training after all. They were expected to do whatever was necessary to stay alive.
“You know, I hear body heat works best when two people are naked,” Nolan murmured. “Just throwing it out there.”
They were so much alike, so in sync it was almost scary.
She moved away from him, lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. “Then I guess we should get naked.”
The intense attraction in Nolan’s eyes made her pulse pound even harder as she removed the rest of her clothing and watched him do the same. Tanned skin, muscular chest and shoulders and abs...he was so hot
.
He lay on the moss bed and his eyes scanned her body. “I have missed this view,” he said, his voice slightly gruff.
Yep. Definitely not as cold anymore. Damn, he was sexy. She knew she couldn’t have him right now the way she desperately wanted him...but there was no question that once this was over, they needed to find a way to be together.
He opened his arms to her and she lay next to him and snuggled close. He was so warm and his body was unbelievable. She tangled her legs with his and rested her head on his chest, breathing him in. He smelled of summer rain and the outdoors, and when she placed a soft kiss on his chest, she tasted the salt on his skin. It didn’t matter that they were both wet from the rain and hadn’t showered in days—being so close together was all that mattered.
This weekend had challenged her in so many ways, but right now it all felt worth it.
He held her tight, stroking his fingers gently over her body, but there was still a hint of hesitation in his voice as he asked, “You sure about this?”
Honestly? “No. But I’ll worry about that later,” she said, reaching up to pull his head down to hers.
For that night, she would do what she had to do...in the name of survival.
* * *
A ROUND OF applause from their coworkers greeted them early the next day as they entered The Drunk Tank—a favorite local watering hole owned by Cassie’s boyfriend on Main Street. It was just before noon. Kendra and Nolan packed it in at sunrise and showered and changed into their other clothing at the shower facilities near their campsite before returning to town.
The only team to “survive” the weekend, they were the official winners.
But Nolan had his heart set on another prize—one he was determined to figure out how to win. He’d lost the chance of something real with Kendra once before because of a misunderstanding, he didn’t want to lose it again. There had to be a way to make this work.
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