‘Now I’m intrigued that there are two ways to get to this waterfall,’ Chloe remarked. ‘What does “the other way” involve?’
‘Peril,’ Gunnar answered straight away. ‘The chance of death. Exactly like when you were running too fast up from the black sand beach.’
‘O-K,’ Chloe said.
‘Sorry,’ he said quickly. ‘I didn’t mean to bring that up.’
‘Exactly what the passenger called Richard said when we had that impromptu stop half an hour ago.’
She had ridden over any awkwardness about the situation with humour. He was an idiot for mentioning her running up the steps atReynisfjara. Because it hadn’t just been about her taking risks with her speed and her foot placements, it had been about him rushing to her rescue, holding her still before she fell. Close. Too close? Except his sense of sense had told him she was not going to stop even if falling from the cliff was the outcome. He had had to be there.
‘I did warn you about the likelihood of sickness on this trip,’ he said. ‘It is a long day of travel but, the spectacular sights are worth it, no?’
‘Oh, definitely,’ Chloe agreed with a nod. ‘And I think some of them would work for the event I’m organising but, you know, there are other places I need to go and different activities to try out.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed as they walked. ‘So, do you have a shortlist?’
‘It’s actually a pretty long list.’
He laughed. ‘OK.’
‘But, I was wondering, if you might have time to… do a couple of the things with me.’
‘Oh.’
His heart was racing now, speeding away like someone had attached it to a F1 car flat out from the starting grid. He had put a tentative suggestion of something out there not really expecting anything to come of it and now she was moving with it? Was she? Shit. He had only said one word and it hadn’t been ‘yes’.
‘Sorry,’ Gunnar said quickly. ‘I mean… what did you have in mind?’
He internally cursed himself for sounding more LinkedIn than Hinge. He needed to work on his rizz. If that’s where this was going…
‘It’s OK, you know, if you don’t have time I?—’
‘No,’ he said fast. ‘No, tell me your ideas.’
They had reached the foot of the stairs now, could hear the powerful rushing of the water as it came over the cliff.
‘Well, I definitely want to try the dog sledding. I think it sounds like something my clients would enjoy.’
‘OK,’ Gunnar answered.
‘You have done that before?’
‘Not the way you mean,’ he said, putting his hands into the pockets of his coat. ‘When I was a kid, myself and my friends, we would try to get the neighbours’ dogs to take our go-karts for a ride. We had mixed results. But, dog sledding, the real tours, they are very popular here.’
‘So, shall we do it? I mean, it sounds like you have experience in the core concept and Kat, you know, she is not so good with dogs.’
‘Really?’ he asked.
‘Allergic actually,’ Chloe added.
‘Oh, wow,’ Gunnar said, watching her cheeks pink. ‘Then it does sound like you need my help.’
‘I mean, yes, but I understand that you’re busy with work and?—’
‘Maybe tomorrow evening?’ Gunnar suggested. ‘After seven? I could pick you up.’
‘OK,’ Chloe said. ‘It sounds like a plan.’
