When I parked and turned the engine off, Elena glanced around at the emptiness surrounding us. “Mr. Chase, this looks a lot like you’ve just parked at a campsite. You promised we weren’t camping, so I can only assume we’re hanging out here for the evening until we go check in to a hotel.”
I grinned. “I promised no tents. I didn’t promise we weren’t camping.”
I hopped out of the truck before the look on her face made me laugh aloud. She cracked her door open to call out, “So where are we sleeping if not in a tent?”
“Under the stars,” I said, already starting to pull gear out of the back.
She jumped out and stomped over to where I was piling my stuff. God, she was sexy when she was mad.
“I’m not sleepingoutside, you devious motherfucker.”
“I thought you’d be proud of my little evasion. Isn’t it something Lucas Steel would do?”
Her derisive huff confirmed I was right. “Fine. Do your convening with nature thing. I’m calling an Uber and I’ll see you back in LA.”
I couldn’t repress a choked laugh as she stormed back to the truck. “Good luck with that,” I muttered.
I pretended I wasn’t watching as she climbed into the cab and pulled out her phone, but I could see the second she discovered she didn’t have cell service.
It was the moment of truth. Would she stick it out with me?
Despite agreeing to come, she’d been prickly all day, something I was beginning to learn was a sign she felt vulnerable. Letting her be pissed at me would give her something else to focus on, as long as it didn’t backfire and result in her hitchhiking back to the city.
Before she could decide to leave me, I tapped on the window, so she opened the door.
“I’m sorry I tricked you, sweetheart. I’ll drive you home if you want, but you’re already here and it’s only one night. Give it a shot. If you hate it at any point, say the word and we’ll leave.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. But there better be shade.”
I pointed to where I’d set a reclining camp chair in the shade of the rocks for her.
We didn’t have long before it started to get dark, so I built a fire and pulled out the cooler to start making dinner. I handed her a glass of wine in a camp tumbler and she took it imperiously, reclining back a little in the chair to watch me.
After I’d seasoned everything, I wrapped the fish and veggies into foil pouches, poured some beer in with them, and tossed them onto the fire.
“I see we’re having a sophisticated meal this evening,” she said.
“Hey. Don’t knock my campfire cooking until you’ve tasted it.”
Once I had everything out of the truck that we needed for the night, I sat on the chair next to her and leaned back to watch the stars come out.
It felt like I could breathe again. This was where I sought solitude when I was feeling overwhelmed by it all.
We were quiet for a long time, each lost in our thoughts in the peaceful darkness.
“Is this what you do with all the ladies?” she asked. “Are we getting to the part where you seduce me by pointing out the constellations?”
“I don’t think I know any constellations besides Orion and the Big Dipper. Would that have worked? I could make some up.”
She gave me her evil smile. “I guess we’ll never know.”
“Just for the record, I’ve never brought anyone but Rami or my brothers here.”
I needed her to know this meant something to me, thatshemeant something to me. It had gotten dark, but I could see the surprise in her eyes in the firelight.
“Well, keep it in mind next time you’re trying to seduce someone.”
Goddamn did she know how to sucker punch me right out of a moment. She was pushing me away because I was opening up. Would she ever let me in?
