Tyler was being drastic in chasing after Kinsey, but he didn’t care. He’d been going literally out-of-his-mind crazy since she’d left the ranch yesterday.
He’d taken Kade’s advice and waited through the evening and night, even though he hadn’t been able to do anything, not even sleep. When dawn had broken, he’d gone to Kade’s apartment above the barn and woken him, begging him to take him to Kinsey. Once again, his brother had encouraged him to wait the three days.
Tyler had tried to wait. He’d gone to his office at the lodge, hoping work would distract him. But he hadn’t been able to focus. One thought had pulsed through him over and over—that he had to fight for her and let her know he wasn’t willing to give up on her or on them.
With the need to see her only growing more painful, he’d finally convinced Kade to take him to Kinsey. He’d promised Kade he’d say what he needed to, and if Kinsey wasn’t ready, he’d walk away and wouldn’t pressure her anymore…at least for today.
Kade had nodded and fired up the helicopter. Then they’d taken off.
It hadn’t taken Tyler long to figure out where they were going—to Camp Ponderosa near Mount Elbert. Mitch was a distant cousin and a good family friend who’d lived with them for a while. After all the McQuaids had done for him, it was nowonder Kade had turned to Mitch for a return favor in giving Kinsey a place to stay for a few days.
Tyler would have chosen a more comfortable and upscale resort for Kinsey, but at least it was safe and secure, and Mitch and Anna were trustworthy. Tyler supposed he compared everything with his luxury ranch. But he wanted to give Kinsey only the best of everything, including the best of himself.
A short while ago, when they’d landed in a field near the camp, Anna had come out of the barn to greet them, letting them know Kinsey had gone on the hike up Mount Elbert, that the group had at least an hour’s head start.
Kade had flown the helicopter to a clearing in one of the higher parts of the trail where Tyler might have been able to catch up with the hikers. But when they’d reached the clearing, Tyler hadn’t been able to see anyone and had decided to climb the rest of the distance on his own.
Now, as he made his way up the last of the switchbacks, his lungs and muscles burned. Had he been too pushy to come after her? Had he overstepped? Should he have waited back at the camp like any sane person would have?
Maybe he shouldn’t have chased her down at all. What would she say when she saw him coming after her like the lovesick man that he was?
As he ascended the last part of the trail and stepped up onto the top of the mountain, his pulse began to pound hard and his mouth went dry. His gaze swept over the barren, rocky plateau, and he frantically searched for her among the dozen or so hikers that loitered on the peak among the large stones.
Where was she?
He needed to see her—needed her almost more than air.
In the next instant, his gaze snagged on her talking to Mitch a short distance away. Even flushed and wind-tossed after the half-day hike, she was a knockout, especially in the leggings thatmade her legs look endlessly long and her body perfectly curved. She was wearing a cap with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. And she had on the gopher shirt they’d bought on their day-long nondate.
She could have picked any shirt, but she’d chosen that one. That had to mean something, didn’t it? He’d take hope in anything at this point.
Mitch’s attention shifted to him.
Immediately, Kinsey’s gaze swung his way, giving him a perfect view of her face in all its exquisiteness. She stopped talking mid-sentence, and her bright eyes rounded in disbelief.
Tyler hesitated. Shoot. What was he doing here acting like a stalker? No doubt he’d only send Kinsey running farther from him. Maybe he should have listened to Kade after all. Why hadn’t he?
Because he was in love, that’s why. Because he was desperately and deeply in love with her, and he wanted her to know that. Even if all he could do today was walk over and tell her, that would be enough. At least for today. He might come back tomorrow and talk to her again. He’d probably come back every day until her time at the camp was done.
If that made him the world’s biggest fool, then so be it. He was fighting for her with everything he had and wasn’t holding anything back.
Without waiting for an invitation, he started toward her. Even though the ground was uneven and rocky, he was used to such terrain and managed to cover the distance quickly before she could move.
Not that she had any place to go. She was watching his approach with unreadable eyes. She’d finally closed her mouth and wasn’t smiling. But she also wasn’t glowering at him. So that was good.
He was crossing his fingers she wasn’t mad that he’d barged in on her vacation, especially on her hike. Even if she was upset, at least she’d know the lengths he was willing to go to for her and for their relationship.
He stopped when he was a couple feet away.
“Hey, man,” Mitch said, glancing back and forth between them.
“Mitch, I need a few minutes with Kinsey.” Tyler didn’t waste any time on a greeting. He was suddenly too nervous and needed to say what he’d come for before anything interfered.
Mitch started to speak again, but at a curt glare from Tyler, the young man just nodded and backed away.
When it was finally just the two of them standing in their corner at the top of the world, Tyler stared at her again, taking in each detail of her face. Even with the dirt smudge on her nose, she was beautiful. And she was his.
He just needed to convince her of it. He wanted her to know without a doubt that he loved her and would wait as long as it took for her to be able to love him in return.
