19. Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen
Nila
Oh my...
My back.
I shift in Cameron’s arms, a searing pain in my lower back. I untangle myself from him, instantly fighting the urge to groan. However, as my eyes land on Cameron, still snoring lightly under the morning sun, I can’t help but smile.
I saw a side of him last night that I’ve never seen before...
And I liked it. A lot.
Not only that, but he made me feel understood , for perhaps the first time since I lost Gran. Which is why I decided to quit overthinking about what might happen between us after the retreat and simply enjoy the present.
The morning air sends a chill down my arms, and I shiver .
How the heck did we manage to sleep out here and not freeze to death or get eaten by a bear?
I giggle to myself, and the noise causes Cameron to stir beside me. His eyes flutter open, squinting into the morning sky.
“Holy crap,” he mumbles. “My back hurts.” His face contorts as he gazes up at me. “But you look gorgeous this morning.”
“Oh stop.” I laugh. “I probably look like a mess.”
“A hot one.” He shrugs. “Can I make you some breakfast?”
I hesitate, as if we haven’t eaten breakfast together every day since arriving. However, it feels like there’s more to the question—not that it’s a bad thing.
I just can’t let myself think it’ll last beyond the days spent here.
“So...” Cameron pushes himself up off the ground with a grunt and extends his hand. “Should I take the silence as acceptance? Or denial?
“Acceptance.” I take his hand. “I’d love that.” I catch my breath at the warmth of his touch.
Together, we work to clean up the picnic items, and I steal glances in his direction. For being well over six feet, he sure moves gracefully. But I know he’s a powerhouse beneath all those muscles. I’ve watched him skate on the ice.
Hockey players are graceful brutes, I think.
Our eyes meet as we head inside. He flashes me a toothy grin. My heart stutters and I look away, feeling my face flush. It’s like I’m a fifteen-year-old girl again and my crush just looked in my direction.
And it’s as enthralling as it is terrifying.
“We have to dress for a ropes course today,” Cameron says as I step out of the bedroom in a flannel and a pair of jeans and tennis shoes. “Yesterday, I told them you’d participate. It keeps the team numbers even.”
My mouth drops open. “No way.”
“Why not?” He laughs as I fold my arms across my chest.
He might’ve made me some killer scrambled eggs and toast this morning ... but that doesn’t make up for signing me up for this.
“I can’t do a ropes course. I can’t even run in a straight line.”
His brow furrows. “That’s concerning, Nila. You should get that checked out. Maybe your inner ear is messed up or something.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s a big medical diagnosis, Dr. Google.”
He shrugs as he pushes himself off the couch. “Well, I mean, it’s the truth.” He looks devastatingly handsome in a pair of black joggers and a Henley, his hair still damp from his shower. Neither one of us wanted to start the day smelling like the outdoors.
“I can run straight. The point is that I don’t want to do the ropes course. I’m not here to take classes. I’m here to document you.”
“Yeah, but they need another team member. Apparently, it’s a big deal. There’s a mud pit.”
“A mud pit? But I don’t get along with mud.”
He bursts into laughter. “I think I’d like to see that play out.”
I glare at him, spinning on my heels and disappearing back into the bedroom. I shut the door behind me, but Cameron catches it before it shuts.
“Are you mad? I really thought you might enjoy it.”
I purse my lips, heading for my bag to pull out a pair of leggings. “Well ... I...” I look up at him, seeing the concern on his face. “I’m a slow runner.”
“Really?”
Embarrassment floods my cheeks. “I’m not athletic. I run on the treadmill at, like, a snail’s pace. I was a band nerd in high school...”
“That’s adorable.”
“No, it’s not,” I argue.
“What instrument did you play?”
“Clarinet,” I say, undoing the top button of my jeans without thinking about it.
His eyes fall to my fingers. He quickly turns away. “Sorry. ”
I laugh. “I mean, you saw a lot of me the first day we stayed here.”
He keeps his eyes trained on the picture across the room. “On accident . You’re straight-up stripping in front of me now.”
I giggle at the redness in his cheeks. “I never would’ve fully undressed in front of you. I wasn’t thinking. Let me just step into the bathroom.”
“You just want to torture me,” he calls out as I shut the bathroom door. “It’s torture staying in this tiny cabin with someone like you.”
“Torture?” I slip out of my jeans and start the struggle of pulling on my leggings. There’s no way I’d let him watch me do the required dance to get my bum into these tight things.
“Yeah! You’re too beautiful.”
“Ha ha,” I call out, pulling the tight black legging up around my belly button. They’re so comfortable once they’re on, but jeez, getting them there is annoying.
I swing open the bathroom door.
Cameron’s eyes pour over my hips. He rolls his lips together and then makes a popping noise. “I hope you’re on my team.”
“Why’s that?” I laugh, grabbing my purse.
“Because you’re gonna be a serious distraction to the other team. You can run as slow as you want, Nila.”
My cheeks grow hot and I can’t help but smile at him. “We probably should get going? ”
“Yeah, probably.” Cameron chuckles, his eyes alight with amusement and something else. Everything this man does leaves me with jitters. I can hardly contain my excitement around him…
He’s slowly been chipping away at my walls. And no man has been able to do that before…
I grab my jacket and follow him out of the cabin, letting him lead the way. He seems to know where we’re going. I try to ignore how the sun glints off his face and the adorable stubble lining his sharp jaw.
I don’t want to be this obsessed with Cameron.
We have to leave here, eventually, and return to our real lives.
It’d never work.
Right?
My mind begins to spiral with the what-ifs . I mean, people do make long-distance relationships work. All the time. And some are incredibly successful. I doubt Cameron would expect me to stop chasing my dreams ... right?
I play out different scenarios in my mind until we’re with a group of other people. Tina stands alongside a couple of others at the front of a grassy meadow.
And this time, there is a real obstacle course.
I take in the ropes course, including the rock walls we’re going to have to scale. My stomach flip-flops at the sight of it all. I wasn’t kidding earlier. I’m really not athletic. I go to the gym for health reasons, but I never push my agility like this .
“You’ll do great,” Cameron leans over and murmurs in my ear. His hot breath tickles my skin, and goosebumps follow.
I peer up at him, shading my eyes with my hand. “You’re being way too supportive.”
He laughs, shaking his head at me. “Is that a bad thing?”
“You’re going to be embarrassed by me.”
“Never,” he quips with a smirk.
I let out a sharp breath as they start dividing us into teams, and I hope like heck I’ll be put on Cameron’s team—or better yet, that they decide they don’t need me after all.
My lips purse as Tina locks eyes with me, a bright smile growing across her face. “So, Cameron was right, you are going to be joining us.” She beams—and then separates us before moving on to the rest of the group.
“Dang it, you’re gonna be my distraction now.” He shoots me a wink that makes my stomach fill with butterflies. “This is gonna be tough.”
“Ha ha,” I laugh, trying to hide the nerves from my voice.
“You’re on my team.” Hal appears from seemingly nowhere, her hair pulled back in a French braid. “Come on.” She grabs my arm and drags me toward the other group, away from Cameron. His eyes stay on me, and the disappointment feels real as the distance between us grows.
“I hope you’re fast,” a deep voice calls from behind .
I turn around to see Samuel, the intimidating man who sat with us at dinner the other night. He’s staring down at me with an eyebrow cocked.
“Oh ... um...”
Hal shoots him a look. “This is just for fun.”
“I don’t like to lose,” he mutters, shaking his head as he falls into the relay line.
His words leave me feeling even more nervous, and as the whistle blows and the first person takes off, I’m suddenly dreading my turn.
“I’m really slow,” I say to Hal, who’s waiting in line behind me.
“It’s okay. This is just for fun. Besides, you only have to make it to the top of the rock wall before the next person can go. That’s only a few hundred yards.”
“Right,” I pant, my palms sweating already.
I eye Cameron, who I’m pretty sure strategically placed himself in the same spot as me. He looks over to me and grins, but as handsome as he is...
It doesn’t make me feel any better. At all.
I focus my attention back to the line, which is depleting quickly. Samuel bounces back and forth in front of me as the person in front of him takes off. I take a step forward as he takes their place...
And then my ankle hits a hole .
I careen forward, smashing right into the back of him as the whistle blows.
Samuel falls forward, face-planting into the grass and missing his turn to go.
I gasp, along with everyone else, but honestly, I’m more concerned about the searing pain in my ankle. Until Samuel jumps up, and instead of running forward, he spins around and looms over me .
“What the heck is your problem?” he roars, his face reddening. “Are you trying to sabotage us? Because that’s what you just freaking did!”
The music playing in the background stops. I blink in total shock.
He’s yelling at ... me?
“I-I-I’m sorry,” I choke out. “I hit a hole when I stepped forward. I didn’t even—I didn’t see it—”
“You should try using your eyes, then!” He throws his hands in the air.
“Just run,” Hal snaps at him, gesturing to the rope course. “Now we’re really not going to win!”
“No! It’s pointless now! The whole game is ruined!” Samuel is seriously blowing his lid and I’m at a loss, my body beginning to tremble.
And then a shadow casts itself over my face .
“Hey! What’s your problem, man?” Cameron stands over me, challenging Samuel. “She tripped and fell. That’s it. You need to back off.” He looks down at me. “Are you okay?”
I open my mouth to answer him but don’t get the chance.
“You’re just taking up for her because you’re sleeping with her,” Samuel sneers, shoving his hands right into Cameron’s chest.
Cam’s eyes light on fire, his entire body growing taut.
Oh no. No, no, no...