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“Maybe I could sell my line at our store!” she yelled up to me.
Shamefully, I pretended like I didn’t hear her. I had never been so irritated with someone in my life. Not only was she monopolizing Ryder, who wasn’t exactly responsive to her ramblings, but she was being awful to Jaime. I did my best to listen to Jaime explain about the different plant and wildlife we were encountering, as well as soak in the sun and scenery.
My thighs were also demanding my attention. They had never burned so bad. Why I ever thought carrying a thirty-pound pack while I traipsed through the woods was a good idea was beyond me. You don’t know how happy I was after the first hour when Jaime said we were taking a ten-minute break. I couldn’t believe we had five to six more hours to go.
I eased out of my backpack and found a sturdy log to rest on before I pulled out my protein bar and water. A protein bar had never tasted so good. While I reveled in it, I glanced at Ryder, who kept close to me, but not too close. He landed nearby on a boulder. His faithful sidekick, who stuck to him like molasses, sat close to him, sexily pretending to wipe the sweat off her chest and down her sports bra. I had to admire her tactics, but as arduous as the hike had been, it was only in the sixties and no one was perspiring in the dry cool air. I wondered if she was more than a sidekick. I couldn’t tell, because he obviously wasn’t repulsed by the ebony-haired beauty, but he wasn’t all that responsive to her either. And not that long ago, if I had been doing the same thing Macey was doing, he would have grabbed that bandana and offered to help me. Believe me, I would have let him. But the only communication I had with him today was a simple hello before we headed out.
I was perplexed by what I should do. I seemed to scare him off by trying to engage him in conversation or, you know, delivering a baby, but a glance here and there didn’t seem to be working either. And I wasn’t sure what Emma meant by give him hell, so I just decided to take a moment for me. I breathed in the fresh pine-scented air with a hint of campfire and enjoyed watching two chipmunks in the distance scurry around as if they were playing a game of tag.
My moment was interrupted by one of the handsome men Emma pointed out to me back at the barn.
“Do you mind if I share your log?” Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome asked.
“Not at all.” I scooted away from the center to give him more space.
He set his large backpack on the ground before sitting next to me. “I’m Julian.” His voice was quite pleasing. Mellow with deep undertones.
“Shelby. Nice to meet you.”
“You come to this place often?” he teased, making me giggle.
“This is my first time. How about you?”
“Me? At least twice a week. I love this log.” His bright green eyes shone.
He sure knew how to make a girl smile. “It’s lovely. Firm and mostly bug free,” I kept up the banter.
He flashed me a brilliant smile. “I’ll call my people to make sure the pest situation is more under control for next time.”
“You are a gentleman, thank you.”
He leaned in closer. “And you sound like a fine Southern lady.”
“I do try to be. I’m from Georgia. How about you?”
“I’m from—”
A figure towered above us, blocking the sun. “Jaime said it’s time to get moving,” Ryder informed us in a menacing tone.
Julian eyed him warily. “Thanks, man.”
Ryder didn’t respond to him. His eyes were zeroed in on me. What should I do? Put on the subtle charm or give him hell? I went with smiling, pushing myself off the log, and brushing my backside off with my hand. Who knew what I had picked up sitting on the log?
“Do you need some help with your pack, Shelby?” Julian asked.
“You are sweet, but I think I can manage just fine. Thank you.” More than anything, I had a desire to prove to Ryder that I was my own woman.
Ryder remained still.
“Can I help you?” I spoke softly.
His eyes said yes but his head shook no.
“Ryder, can you help me?” Macey asked in her come-hither voice.
I was pleased to note the grimace on Ryder’s face before he turned and left to help the not-so-distressed damsel.
“Friend of yours?” Julian asked.
“Not anymore.”
The next part of the arduous journey had me between Julian and Jaime. I think their goal was to see who could tell the best story to make me laugh. This was good and bad. It partially took my mind off who was hiking right behind me, but I needed all the oxygen I could get and didn’t have much to spare for things like laughing. This hike was no pleasure cruise. I wasn’t sure I could even pee outside anymore, because that meant using my legs, and they felt like jelly.
