“We shouldn’t have . . .”
I’m on my back staring up at the roof and confused how I got there when Emmett crawls over me.
“You’ve never seen me at my best. There are plenty of ways you could hurt me . . . that was not one of them.”
A thrill races through me. I don’t look at Emmett and see a weakness or his past. I see strength through the worst of circumstances.
Emmett pins me down, kissing me hard, his tongue invading my mouth, sharing my taste. He pulls back, the intensity in his stare enough to melt snowcaps.
“Thank you for coming with me today.” Each word is a whisper over my skin, so earnest and grateful that my eyes prickles.
It’s not what I expected, but it does something to me, my heart squeezing in my chest. I’m afraid to speak, though, fearing I’ll say something that will spoil all of this.
CHAPTER
FORTY-FOUR
ASPEN
Heat from Emmett wraps around me as he steps out of the camper beside me. The last light bleeds out behind the peaks, the pink reflections replaced by deep purple shadows. This piece of land is heartbreakingly beautiful in its seclusion.
“Oh, shit, it’s later than I thought.”
“Worth it,” he says.
Yeah, it was. Orgasms aside, today changed something. Before, Iwantedto keep Emmett. Now, letting him go is going to break something in me beyond repair no matter who or what comes after.
I want to stay in this moment for as long as I can.
“What if we didn’t drive back tonight?” He looks from me to the tire, so I add, “It’s already getting dark. Changing this tire is going to take a while. We could crash here tonight—it’s not like we need to get back.”
“Are you okay with that?”
I twist into him, winding my arms around his waist and looking up at him. “More than okay with it.”
“The tire can wait until morning. Unless you’re eager to get your hands dirty tonight.”
“Actually, I’m not sure I could lift a tire after the ride you took me on.”
His chest vibrates beneath my cheeks, the noise somewhere between a rough laugh and a hum of appreciation.
“Did I wear you out?”
“I mean . . . I’m not ready for bed, but manual labor sounds like a bad time right now.”
“I’ve got something in mind. How do you feel about those sandwiches under the stars? I’ve got an extra blanket we can lay down on the roof. Maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll even get a light show.”
How do I feel?
Like it’s romantic as hell.
An impromptu picnic in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been with a man that I can’t stop thinking about. Yeah, I’m on board with that.
“That sounds perfect.”
“It kind of does.” His palms rub circles over my back, eclipsing it with each sweep. “Are you warm enough now?”
“Yeah.”
