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Julie doesn’t make it more than a mile.
She might be used to walking to work and back, but mountain hiking is far different. The air is thin and it’s completely uphill.
I’ve done plenty of time up here, it’s my job after all. I’m built to climb and carry a body if need be. This woman is quite the opposite.
“I swear this will be the only break I take,” she moans as she plops down on a stump. Sweat already glistens across her forehead and her skin grows more flush by the second. Swallowing down her water, I know she will run out sooner rather than later.
I’m glad I packed an extra two bottles just in case. Knowing her face will light up when I offer them, I keep my precautions a secret.
Squinting at me, her brows come together. “Don’t you want to sit down?”
“Every time you sit down, it makes getting up that much harder,” I explain with a chuckle, “I’m fine right here. Take a few minutes to recollect and we can keep going. Though, if you want to call it quits, the walk back down is far easier.”
Sure, I don’t want to call an end to our time together so quickly, but I also don’t want her to suffer because I want to be greedy.
Julie shakes her head, too stubborn to give up.
“Just a minute,” she promises, “and then we keep going until we reach the top.”
At least she’s got spirit.
Once she’s on her feet, we’re back to climbing ledges and following blue rings painted on trees. Listening to her uneven breathing, I have to force myself not to make her stop and take another break. I really don’t want her to hurt herself. After ten more minutes of listening, I can’t take it anymore.
“Ouch, my leg.” Coming to a halt, I put my hands on my hips and look at the curve of my calf. With a little dirt on my skin, my brows come together. “I think I need a break.”
Julie flops down and groans. I can’t help but smile a bit. She takes the chance to eat her dried cereal. After grimacing after only a mouthful, I dig around in my bag and offer her a nutrition bar.
There’s something pleasing about watching her satisfaction grow more and more by the second.
“You’re a terrible actor,” she tells me through her bites, “but I love you for being compassionate.”
Her words knock the air right out of my lungs. Not even the hike has left me this winded.
“Yeah?” I rasp, distracting myself by fetching my water bottle. “I wouldn’t need to act if you didn’t try so hard.”
Her lips purse in disapproval and she scowls at the ground. Did I say something wrong?
“I want to be able to keep up with you,” she admits after a moment, “if I can’t, you’re not going to want to do this again.”
What?
“Julie, I love hiking. Even if you slow us down, that’s not going to be enough to stop me from wanting to go,” I joke before her frown grows. Fuck, I’m not good at this. “Look at me.”
She huffs under her breath, refusing to do as I say at first. Finally, she points those annoyed emerald-colored eyes in my direction.
“I love spending time with you,” I tell her carefully. Don’t want to go confessing all my feelings to her right away. I’d hate for an awkward walk back down the mountain when she turns me down. “Honestly, we don’t even have to hike. We can do something you like. I’m up for anything.”
Biting her lip, she looks away. “The only thing I like to do in my free time is watch television. I watch a whole lot of mushy romance that will make anyone sane throw up in the back of their throat.”
“Well, then I hope you’ve got a comfortable couch. Something high quality. Otherwise, we’re going to have an uncomfortable time watching marathons of different series.” Speaking seriously, I earn myself a laugh before she swats her hand. “I’m serious. Oh, and you’ll have to provide snacks.”
I can’t stop talking, not until I’ve got her giggling and shaking her head. This is far better than seeing her upset.
“Well, how about we kill two birds with one stone then?” she offers after standing back up. “We go down this awful mountain, clean up and we watch a movie at your place? I need to see what kind of expectations you’re going to be setting.”
She offers up the idea so casually, but I’m not ready. While I’m serious about movie nights, I need a warning beforehand. I need time to prepare myself. This is too soon, isn’t it?
“I don’t have any mushy romances on DVD,” I warn her. Am I seriously looking for a way out after all this time wanting the woman? Shaking my head, I stand and prepare myself for the walk back down. “I’ve got plenty of popcorn though. It’s the boxed kind, covered in toffee.”
