Chapter 13 #3
Her tone was sharper than she’d intended. Much sharper. Embarrassed, she dropped the calloused fingers that still gripped her own.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She forced a smile. “Nothing. Let’s go.”
“Sit,” Aleksei commanded the dogs as his pack hit the ground with a thud.
Of course, both dogs immediately sat. The claws of jealousy dug in a little deeper. She’d have to give the command three times before they’d listen to her.
Cool, roughened fingers cradled her cheeks, lifted her head. “I’ve done something to hurt you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not you.”
“Then what is it?”
Words clogged her throat. Too many at once.
But none of them were the ones she was looking for.
They would all make her sound petty, but truth was truth.
She was not going to degrade this amazing day with dishonesty.
She stepped out of his grasp, kicking a stray pebble into the stream while she mentally sorted out the uncomfortable bitterness squeezing her spine.
The words wouldn’t be perfect, but they would be out.
“Sage was supposed to come on this trip with me. When I was sick, there were so many things we wanted to do together but couldn’t, so we’ve been trying to make up for lost time.
She and Ryker are still in DC with Christian.
Ryker wanted to stay with his brother until he fully recovered from the appendectomy. ”
Aleksei’s storm-colored eyes darkened, his eyebrows coming together. “Do you wish your sister were here instead of me?”
That wasn’t it at all. She was thrilled to have Aleksei here, but this was supposed to be her chance to show Sage how far she’d come.
Her chance to show her sister that she could stand on her own now.
That she was independent. That Sage didn’t have to worry about taking care of her anymore, because she could take care of herself.
“No. No. No. I’m glad you’re here. It’s just that Sage doesn’t know anything about hiking.
I worked really hard to make myself an expert.
I took safety classes, researched equipment, watched videos, and spent months going on solo hikes to build up my stamina and learn as much as I could.
Sage is a control freak, but she asked me to help her buy the right clothes and equipment for this trip.
She trusted me to make all the arrangements. ”
She crouched down, allowing a large ant to crawl over her hand, its small legs tickling her skin. After it was safely back on the ground, she rose.
“Sage could never do that. She’s afraid of bugs.
We went into a butterfly house at the zoo, and she freaked out when one flew into her hair.
That’s why I rented the cabin. We had originally planned on tent camping, but I knew she wouldn’t make it.
Sage relied on me to make all the plans and decisions.
I was the one in charge. This trip was supposed to be me showing her that I’m a competent, capable adult.
That I don’t need her hovering over me anymore.
For once, I was supposed to be taking care of her. ”
She waved a hand toward his lean, athletic physique. “I was supposed to be the expert on this trip, and here I am with a goddamn Marine who could probably win Naked and Afraid with his hands tied behind his back.”
She clasped a hand over her mouth, mortified. “I’m sorry. I asked you to come with me at the last minute, and you dropped everything and came. We had such a great day, and now I sound like an ungrateful ass.”
He closed the gap she’d intentionally created between them. Strong hands slid from her wrists to her elbows, finally resting on her shoulders. The scent of spiced pine replaced the mossy, musky smell of the stream.
“Once again, you’re apologizing to me when I should be apologizing to you.”
Her reaction was instantaneous. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
He shook his head, the late afternoon sun catching a strip of reflective material at the neckline of his jacket.
His pale coloring, combined with the glint of the sun, had images of Edward Cullen lying sparkling in a field dancing through her head.
She was glad Aleksei didn’t seem to have the same no-sex-before-marriage rule that Edward did.
Being this close to him for five days with no sex, and she’d be the 996th recorded victim of spontaneous human combustion.
“I’m the ass. This is your vacation, and I took charge. I didn’t even ask you what you wanted for breakfast or if you even wanted me to cook. Then I took the lead on the trail and just expected you to follow.”
“You’re the more experienced hiker, and I get the sense you’re used to taking the lead.”
He glanced to the right as if checking the trail, but she saw a barely perceptibly cloud darken his expression.
“I used to hike a lot with my former partner. The one who died. He was always content to follow. I teased him about it once. Do you know what he said?”
“What?” she asked.
“That if he took the lead, there’d be no one to watch my back.”
He waved in the direction of the trail.
“Lead us back to the cabin. I’ve got your back.”