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“I could walk across the street and be hit by a car tomorrow,” Logan replied with infuriating calm.
Abby couldn’t stand his quiet confidence another second. She leaped to her feet and stalked across the floor, gesturing wildly with her hands, unable to clarify her thoughts enough to reason with him. Pausing, she took a moment to compose herself. “If this is something you always wanted to do, how come I’ve never heard about it before?”
“Because I knew what your reaction would be—and I was right. I—”
“You’re so caught up in the excitement of this adventure, you can’t see how crazy it is,” Abby interrupted, not wanting him to argue with her. He had to listen.
Logan took her gently by the shoulders and turned her around. “I think you should realize that nothing you say is going to change my mind.”
“I drove you to this—” Her voice throbbed painfully.
“No,” he cut in abruptly, and brushed a hand across his face. “As I keep telling you, this is something I’ve always wanted to do, whether you like it or not.”
“I don’t like it and I don’t believe it.”
“That’s too bad.” Logan breathed in harshly. “But unlike certain people I know, I don’t bend the truth. It’s true, Abby.”
Abby’s mouth twisted in a smile. “And you weren’t even going to tell me.”
His look was grudging. “I think you can understand why.”
Abby shut her eyes and groaned inwardly.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I really do need to get back to the audiobook I’m listening to. It’s on climbing. Dick recommended it.”
“I thought you were smarter than this. I’ve never heard of anything so stupid in my life,” she said waspishly, lashing out at him in her pain.
His smile was mirthless, as if he’d expected that kind of statement from her.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled as she studied the scuffed-up toe of her shoe. The entire day had been crazy. “I didn’t mean that.”
A finger under her chin lifted her eyes to his. “I know you didn’t.” For that instant all time came to a halt. His eyes burned into hers with an intensity that stole her breath.
Seemingly of their own volition, her hands slid over his chest. She wound her arms around his neck and stood on the tips of her toes as she fitted her mouth over his. The slow-burning fire of his kiss melted her heart. Every part of her seemed to be vibrantly alive. Her nerves tingled and flared to life.
Angrily, Logan broke the kiss. “What’s this?” he said harshly. “My last kiss before I face the firing squad?”
“Hardly. I expect you to come back alive.” She paused, frowning at him. “If you don’t, I swear I’ll never forgive you.”
He rammed his hands into his pants pockets. Then, as if he couldn’t bear to look at her, he stalked to the other side of the room. “If I don’t come back, why would it matter? We’re not on speaking terms as it is.”
From somewhere deep inside her, Abby found the strength to swallow her ego and smile. “That’s something I’d like to change.”
“No,” he said, without meeting her gaze.
“You’re not leaving for two weeks. During that time you won’t be able to avoid seeing me,” she went on. “I don’t mind telling you that I plan to use every one of those days to change your mind.”
“It won’t work, Abby,” he murmured.
“I can try. I—”
“What I mean is that I have two weeks before the climb, but we’re flying in early to explore several other mountains in the Cascade Range.”
“The Cascades?” From school, Abby remembered that parts of the Cascade mountain range in Washington State had never been explored. This made the whole foolish expedition even more frightening.
“My flight leaves tomorrow night.”
“No,” she mumbled miserably, the taste of defeat filling her.
