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Now, that sounded like the Cora he’d cared for these past years—strong, confident, and determined. With her in his presence, everything was good. He needed this, more than he thought he ought to. “You had no plans?” he asked.
She smiled, giving him a playful grin. “Cleaning the house, grocery shopping, and being lazy.”
“Nothing important, then?” She shook her head and he added, “Great. Go put on some tight clothes and sneakers.”
Her face beamed with the waggle of her eyebrows. “Tight clothes, you say?”
Taking the couple steps toward her, he erased the distance, pulled by the electricity so powerful between them. The sun beamed through the windows at the door, and he was transfixed by her natural beauty. Her soul shined in her eyes, and that didn’t need makeup to accentuate it. “Tight, comfortable clothes for rock climbing.”
“Oh, no fun.” She smirked up at him, her gaze lit with an inner glow. “That sounded like interesting rock climbing.”
“Remember …” He stared at her pouty mouth. “I don’t plan to let you fall to your death.”
She gave a crisp nod. “Okay, tight clothes it is.”
“Smart thinking.” He searched her face, licking his lips. Somehow sexy Cora in the dungeon didn’t match the simplicity of her now. And he rather enjoyed seeing what she looked like in the morning—a little bit messy looked good on her. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring the rope.”
When he leaned away, her lips parted. “Speechless.”
“Good.” He grinned, giving her a swat on the ass. She squeaked and lurched forward, and he added, “I like you that way.”
Chapter Fourteen
An hour passed as Cora pressed against Aidan’s back. His bike tore through the Las Vegas streets and entered the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. She had wished the ride had been longer; being there with him made her live in the moment, not acknowledging the past or the future.
Cora didn’t know what Aidan’s intention was by bringing her out here today, but she didn’t care. She wanted to stay just like this for as long as possible. The last hour had been the closest she’d ever been to being held by him.
Sex or aftercare in the club didn’t count.
This had been easy companionship, a prime male’s body against hers, with no expectation other than warmth and easiness. Besides, she smiled at how Aidan handled the motorcycle with efficiency and determination, exactly as he handled her body.
By the time he stopped the motorcycle in a small gravel parking lot she had no desire to be anywhere else. Surrounded by forest and inhaling the clean air, her back ached from the backpack filled with climbing gear.
With a weightless gaze, he took the backpack from her and settled it onto his shoulders. After he gave a catlike stretch, he winked at her. “Come, luv. It’s time to hike.”
“Giddy up.” She grinned.
He chuckled and approached the path through the forest with an easy, unhurried stride. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, reveling in the hot sun. As his foot crunched against a branch, she hurried after him.
Silence fell between them and she allowed it, not filling the quiet with small talk. As the smoldering air brushed across her, a hawk soared high in the sky above, almost guiding their route. A floating sensation overwhelmed her with each step, like all her burdens had been removed.
“Ah, we’re here.”
Cora blinked out of her thoughts, nearly banging into Aidan’s back. She followed his gaze and looked up the large cliff, and up … and up … She turned to him. “You’re kidding, right?”
He took off the backpack and his eyes squinted with a twinkle of mischief. “You did agree to go rock climbing.”
“Yeah,” Cora said with a firm nod. “I said climb a rock.” She pointed to the cliff. “That’s more than a rock. It’s a damn mountain.”
He laughed. “Believe me, it’s not.”
Cora scanned over the mountain. “Sorry to break it to you, but if I can’t see the top, then it’s a mountain.”
Aidan grinned and shook his head at her. He opened the backpack and pulled out ropes and harnesses. The gear that seemed appropriate for a dungeon had heaviness weighing her lower half. And she gulped down breaths at the size of that damned mountain.
Looking weak?
Nah, that wasn’t Cora.
