“Well, I didn’t ask and it’s not an excuse,” Mac answers. “Now, it’s time to stop talking and pick up the pace. If we hurry, maybe we can even get rescued before sundown, so you won’t have to spend another night with the most arrogant man you’ve ever met.”
“The sooner the better.”
“At least we agree on one thing.”
11
A Pairing About as Bad as Hot Sauce and Genitals
Mac
Somehow not talking is worsethan talking, which I never would’ve thought possible. We’ve been heading up this mountain in silence for close to five hours and the tension is so thick, it feels as if it could suffocate me. Either that, or it’s the hot, humid air as we work our way through the dense brush. Honestly, the only thing propelling me forward is the thought that we might be on Valdez Island. That would put an end to my time with New York right quick, which is as it should be because she and I are oil and water. There’s no sense in trying to mix because it will not work.
Arrogant. That’s the last thing I am. I can be a little too honest for some people, but I’m certainly not arrogant.
I look behind me, only to find that Paige has fallen back about fifty yards. I stop and rest a hand on my hip, breathing a little heavy while I wait for her. She wipes the sweat off her forehead with the back of her arm, thenstumbles and keeps going. My resolve to ignore her melts a bit. “Am I going too fast for you?”
She glances up at me, looking both embarrassed and pissed off. “Nope. Just go ahead and I’ll catch up.”
“It’s best if we stick together.” I take off my backpack and dig out two bottles of water.
“Why?”
Handing her one of the bottles, I say, “Because if you get hurt and I’m way up the trail, I won’t know.”
She glares at me, unscrewing the cap. “Oryoucould get hurt, you know. You’re not Superman.”
“Never said I was, but if I got hurt, you’d arrive shortly.”
A sheepish look crosses her face. “Oh. That actually makes sense.”
I put my backpack on, then have a swig of water. “Yep. It’s just another example of me knowing it all.”
She purses her lips at me. “For someone who acts so tough, you’re surprisingly sensitive.”
Snorting out a laugh, I shake my head at her. “That’s the last thing I am, but if I were sensitive, it would be a hell of a lot better than being high-maintenance.”
She levels me with a death glare. “You were right about one thing. It’s better when we don’t talk.”
“I wasn’t trying to strike up a conversation. I was trying to see if you could keep up.”
Lifting her chin, she says, “I can keep up.”
I stare at her for a second before answering, taking in the defiance on her face that she’s using to hide how tired and scared she probably is. Feeling like a total jerk, I say, “It’s fine to admit if you need to rest for a few minutes. We’ve been hiking for nearly five hours.”
“Oh, has it been that long already? It seems like we justgot started.” She steps around me, her arm brushing against mine as she passes me on the narrow path.
“Paige, seriously…” I hurry to catch up with her. “We should probably take a break.”
“What I need is a break from you, which I’m going to get as soon as I get off this godforsaken island.”
I follow her, picking up my pace to match hers. “Shit,” I mutter.Way to go, asshat. Now she’s going to overdo it and drop from exhaustion.“Okay, you made your point. You can walk fast.”
“What’s the problem?” she calls over her shoulder. “Worried you can’t keep up?”
“No, obviously not,” I answer. “But we need to be smart about this. We need to pace ourselves.”
“Yeah, you go ahead andpaceyourself. Pace yourself all day long if you want. I’m getting the hell out of here.”
