knew that was to be attributed solely to the cold air, she wrapped her arms around herself and took a big step back, both mentally and physically. She was independent now, unwilling to depend on anyone for emotional happiness.
But damned if being with him wasn’t making her feel a whole lot of things that she’d forgotten how to feel. She didn’t trust those emotions, or him. She’d been fooled, and hurt, by him before, badly.
And then again by her ex.
She refused to do that to herself a third time. At some point, she had to learn. That point was now.
Adam looked at her for another long beat, saying nothing. He rubbed his jaw, and since he hadn’t shaved that morning, and possibly not the morning before, either, the stubble beneath his fingers sounded rough.
And sexy.
He nudged her out of the way and rearranged the equipment she’d messed up. “Up, Milo,” Adam said.
Milo shot Holly a look of sorrowful reproach, then settled in the back with the equipment.
Holly took the passenger’s seat. “Does Milo always behave for you?”
He slid her a look.
Right. Dumb question. Everyone behaved for Adam. It was his voice, low and utterly authoritative. He rarely raised it, he didn’t have to. “What if there’s a cat?” she asked. “Or better yet, a sexy two-year-old Lab strutting her stuff right in front of him? He can resist a distraction, just for you?”
Her attempt at brevity was met with a barely there smile as Adam hit the gas. “A dog is either trained and obedient, or not,” he said. “I don’t know how to half train a dog.” He glanced at her. “So what’s your plan here, Holly? How were you planning on getting to Diamond Ridge?”
“Up Pyramid Hills and then through Shirley Canyon,” she said, and wrapped her arms around herself. The ATV was open to the wind and icy air. She was wearing several layers, including her down parka, but she was still cold.
“Shirley Canyon’s got rock slides,” he said. “And by noon we’re going to possibly have snow.” He reached behind her seat and then something warm and thick was tossed over her.
A jacket. “Pyramid Hills is suicide at this time of year,” he said.
She gratefully wrapped herself in the thick down jacket. “What’s a better way, then?”
“Old Crestmont Road.”
“I’ve never gone that way. Isn’t it longer?”
“Yeah,” he said. “It’s also the only doable route in this weather. Mostly.”
Gulp. Well, at least she wouldn’t be alone. She’d have the best tracker and climber she knew right at her side. “Old Crestmont Road it is, then.”
He glanced at her. “Say the word and I’ll take you back.”
She had to wonder, was he so against her company because it was going to be rough-going and potentially dangerous? After all, even Lewis and Clark had nearly met their end here in these mountains.
Or was it that he didn’t want to spend time with her?
Both
, she decided. “I’m not going back, Adam.”
He let out a long, slow breath, and looking resigned, he kept driving.
Six
T hey didn’t speak, which worked for Holly. She didn’t want to talk. She wanted to get this done, find her dad, and go back to pretending she wasn’t attracted to Adam in any shape or form.
Since he was quiet, she assumed he felt the same. Except probably he didn’t have to pretend anything. Hard to tell with his hat and hoodie up and no expression revealed as he handled the road like a pro. As she had multiple times a day, she tried calling her dad again. Still nothing.
Dawn arrived, a rose stripe where the sky met the purple outline of the majestic peaks. Burgeoning, tumultuous clouds pressed down, muting daylight, warning of the weather still to come. The land was vast and rambling, open but not flat, not by a long shot, and as they gained in altitude with each minute, the wind beat at them.
Holly hunkered into herself. Adam had already cranked up the heater, but after a glance her way, he turned the vents all in her
But damned if being with him wasn’t making her feel a whole lot of things that she’d forgotten how to feel. She didn’t trust those emotions, or him. She’d been fooled, and hurt, by him before, badly.
And then again by her ex.
She refused to do that to herself a third time. At some point, she had to learn. That point was now.
Adam looked at her for another long beat, saying nothing. He rubbed his jaw, and since he hadn’t shaved that morning, and possibly not the morning before, either, the stubble beneath his fingers sounded rough.
And sexy.
He nudged her out of the way and rearranged the equipment she’d messed up. “Up, Milo,” Adam said.
Milo shot Holly a look of sorrowful reproach, then settled in the back with the equipment.
Holly took the passenger’s seat. “Does Milo always behave for you?”
He slid her a look.
Right. Dumb question. Everyone behaved for Adam. It was his voice, low and utterly authoritative. He rarely raised it, he didn’t have to. “What if there’s a cat?” she asked. “Or better yet, a sexy two-year-old Lab strutting her stuff right in front of him? He can resist a distraction, just for you?”
Her attempt at brevity was met with a barely there smile as Adam hit the gas. “A dog is either trained and obedient, or not,” he said. “I don’t know how to half train a dog.” He glanced at her. “So what’s your plan here, Holly? How were you planning on getting to Diamond Ridge?”
“Up Pyramid Hills and then through Shirley Canyon,” she said, and wrapped her arms around herself. The ATV was open to the wind and icy air. She was wearing several layers, including her down parka, but she was still cold.
“Shirley Canyon’s got rock slides,” he said. “And by noon we’re going to possibly have snow.” He reached behind her seat and then something warm and thick was tossed over her.
A jacket. “Pyramid Hills is suicide at this time of year,” he said.
She gratefully wrapped herself in the thick down jacket. “What’s a better way, then?”
“Old Crestmont Road.”
“I’ve never gone that way. Isn’t it longer?”
“Yeah,” he said. “It’s also the only doable route in this weather. Mostly.”
Gulp. Well, at least she wouldn’t be alone. She’d have the best tracker and climber she knew right at her side. “Old Crestmont Road it is, then.”
He glanced at her. “Say the word and I’ll take you back.”
She had to wonder, was he so against her company because it was going to be rough-going and potentially dangerous? After all, even Lewis and Clark had nearly met their end here in these mountains.
Or was it that he didn’t want to spend time with her?
Both
, she decided. “I’m not going back, Adam.”
He let out a long, slow breath, and looking resigned, he kept driving.
Six
T hey didn’t speak, which worked for Holly. She didn’t want to talk. She wanted to get this done, find her dad, and go back to pretending she wasn’t attracted to Adam in any shape or form.
Since he was quiet, she assumed he felt the same. Except probably he didn’t have to pretend anything. Hard to tell with his hat and hoodie up and no expression revealed as he handled the road like a pro. As she had multiple times a day, she tried calling her dad again. Still nothing.
Dawn arrived, a rose stripe where the sky met the purple outline of the majestic peaks. Burgeoning, tumultuous clouds pressed down, muting daylight, warning of the weather still to come. The land was vast and rambling, open but not flat, not by a long shot, and as they gained in altitude with each minute, the wind beat at them.
Holly hunkered into herself. Adam had already cranked up the heater, but after a glance her way, he turned the vents all in her
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