“You think you’ve got me all figured out, don’t you?”
My breath catches, but I refuse to back down. “I think you’re not as tough as you want everyone to believe.”
For a moment, neither of us moves. The tension crackles like static, the air between us charged with something I can’t name but can definitely feel.
Then he steps back, breaking the spell. “We should keep moving. Sun’ll start setting soon.”
As we hike deeper into the forest, Flint surprises me by pointing out small details I would’ve missed—a deer trail winding through the underbrush, claw marks on a tree from a black bear, the delicate bloom of a wildflower nestled between rocks.
“You really love this place, don’t you?” I ask, unable to hide the admiration in my voice.
He shrugs, but there’s a softness in his expression. “It’s home.”
I nod, understanding more than I expected to. “I get it. There’s something about this place... It’s wild, but it’s alive. Like it has a heartbeat.”
He glances at me, something unreadable in his gaze. “Not what I expected from you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Figured you’d see it as another project,” he says, his tone blunt. “Something to fix or save.”
I bristle, his words hitting a nerve. “I’m not here to ‘fix’ anything. I’m here to show people why it’s worth protecting.”
“And you think a camera’s gonna do that?”
“It’s a start. Not everyone gets to live in the middle of it,” I smirk, “some of us have to fight to make people care,” I tease.
He stops, turning to face me. “You think I don’t fight, hmm?”
I take a step closer. The words hang between us, heavy with implication. His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think he’s going to argue. But instead, he pushes a stray lock of hair out of my face before his lips hover just inches from mine. “Careful, sugar. You got that look in your eye.”
My eyes narrow. “What look is that?”
“The one that says you want me to kiss you.”
My mouth pops open with shock. He’s so stubborn and gruff, I never expected him to even think about kissing me.
A smirk covers his face then, the pad of his thumb sliding across my lower lip. “You’re dangerous for a man like me, princess. Maybe the most dangerous thing on this mountain.”
“Oh,” I breathe, my thoughts swimming so fast I can hardly catch him.
He grins, eyes sparkling with amusement. “We should set up camp before it gets too dark.”
I swallow the bundle of nerves lodged in my throat, shockwaves pulsing through me as I realize I’m disappointed that he didn’t kiss me.
We set up camp near the edge of the forest, the fading sunlight casting long shadows across the ground. Flint starts a fire, his movements efficient and practiced, while I lay out my camera gear, trying to capture the golden light filtering through the trees.
“You always this prepared?” he asks, nodding toward my equipment.
“Always, I’ve got to be prepared–you never know when an opportunity for the right show might present itself,” I reply, glancing at him. “Documentary filmmaking isn’t a glamorous job.”
He chuckles, the sound low and unexpected. “Could’ve fooled me.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just didn’t peg you for the rough-it-in-the-wilderness type,” he says, smirking. “Figured you’d have a team of assistants doing all the heavy lifting.”
I toss a twig at him, laughing when it bounces off his chest. “You’re impossible.”
