He chuckles. At first I thought I might be hearing things. Lucas hasn’t laughed once since he plucked me from the hotel’s hallway. It’s deep and sexy, and it makes my stomach quiver.
“The cabin looks great. Thanks again for cleaning it.”
“You’re welcome.”
“The flowers are little much.”
I smile. “Too feminine for such a masculine cabin?”
“Something like that.” He grins. Then he rolls to his side, giving me his back. “Goodnight, Penelope.”
“Goodnight.”
I contemplate whether to stay up for a while. I packed a book in my luggage I could read. Yawning, I’m surprised to find I’m still tired even after taking a nap this afternoon.Must be all that fresh mountain air.
I pick up the t-shirt Lucas gave me to sleep in. There’s no way I’m going into the outhouse to change. Can I risk Lucas not turning around? He’s breathing heavily, but surely he’s not asleep yet? I turn off the light. It’s safer. In the cover of darkness, I dress in the t-shirt, sit back on the recliner, and place the blanket over my body.
As I’m drifting off to sleep, a flittering thought enters my mind.Maybe Lucas isn’t as bad as I thought.
Chapter Eight
PENNY
The next morning starts the same way. I wake up to discover I’m alone in the cabin, and I find Lucas sitting on the top porch step packing supplies into a backpack.
“Are you going hiking again?”
He turns to look at me over his shoulder. “Yes.”
“Any chance you’ll let me join you this time?”
“No.”
I didn’t expect any other answer, but I thought I’d ask anyway. I sigh with disappointment. “Have fun.”
“There’s nothing fun about it,” I think I hear him mumble as he walks away.
If that’s true, why is he going hiking if he doesn’t like it? I watch him disappear among the trees.
There’s no way I’m spending another day at the cabin with nothing to do. Racing inside, I rummage through my luggage, looking for something appropriate to wear. But it’s not like theforest fairies repacked my bag with hiking gear. There’s no time to search through Lucas’ closet; he’ll be long gone and I’ll never find him if I take up too much time. I’m going to have to make do with what I have.
I pull out a sundress. Forgoing a bra, I quickly dress then slide my feet into strappy sandals. Tossing my hair into a messy bun, I secure it with a clip and run out the door. Hopefully he’s not too far and I can catch up to him.
Pausing at the trail, I hesitate. He doesn’t want company. Will he get mad if I join him? Probably. I pull my shoulders back. This forest doesn’t belong to him. I’m free to wander wherever I want. He can’t stop me. But I’ll keep my distance, so he doesn’t see me. With my mind made up, I scurry through the shrubs.
The sunlight dapples over the leaf-covered path. Birdsong and insect sounds float in the air. The smell of damp vegetation is strong. Being surrounded by the beauty and music of nature immediately sends a sense of peace through my mind and body. Like all the stress and drama of my life have flittered away.
Up ahead, I spot Lucas. His stride is long and determined, like he’s not taking the time to soak up his surroundings. Like he’s on a mission to get somewhere.
I follow him, taking care to not make noise as I avoid stepping on twigs. The bottom of my dress gets snagged on a fallen branch, and I yank it free, tearing a large hole in the soft fabric. The ripping sound, to me, seems to ricochet through the forest, and I freeze. Did Lucas hear? Looking up ahead, I see that he’s still trudging along, unaware of me following him.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I continue on. If I keep following, eventually I’m going to make myself known. I can’t keep creeping after him like some stalker. For now, I’ll see how far he goes. If I get too tired, I’ll turn back, and he’ll never know I was here.
As time passes, the path inclines, and my legs grow heavier with each step. My breathing is labored. Sweat trickles between my breasts, and fallen strands of hair sticks to my neck. My feet are covered with dirt. My sandals definitely belong on the beach, not in the woods.
Why did I follow Lucas? I could have used the time alone in the cabin deciding how to move forward with my life when I get back to the city. I still don’t know what damage the paparazzi have caused with the photos they took of me. When we get back from the hike, I have to ask Lucas to take me into town. I can’t put off calling my mother and Claudia.
The path gets steeper and steeper. I’m now climbing over boulders and fallen trees. My dress is sticking to my body. I’d give anything to have a drink of water. I’m not built for anything athletic. This is why I should stop putting off going to the gym. Maybe if I did, I wouldn’t feel like every muscle in my body is screaming in pain.
