Chapter 8
RYAN
F uck.
I was about to give Gennie a third orgasm when it was clear we had company. It was fine, though. I’d get rid of whoever it was.
We were both scrambling for our clothes as the voices got closer. I recognized the male voice right away. It was Dayton. Our friends were going to catch us out here in the nude.
Not that I cared all that much, but I wanted to protect Gennie.
She probably didn’t want to be caught like this.
So, I grabbed all her clothes before I started putting on my own.
I actually had everything but my shirt on by the time the crunch of footsteps on the dirt path got loud enough for me to know they were coming around the curve.
“We found you,” I called out, shoving my T-shirt into my pocket. It would be wrinkled as all get-out, but it would make more sense that I’d been walking around out here shirtless than that I was suddenly trying to put it back on.
Dayton, along with the woman I assumed was Gennie’s friend, came to a stop just in front of me. The woman was looking past me, at something off to my left.
“Gennie?” the woman asked.
I hadn’t even glanced back to make sure Gennie was dressed. If not, I’d hoped standing here would block her from view long enough. But when I turned, she was fully dressed, looking like nothing at all had happened. I was impressed with how quickly she’d pulled herself together.
“You haven’t been answering my texts, Vanessa,” Gennie said. “I even tried calling you.”
I turned back around to look at the happy couple in front of me.
Dayton looked even more confused than his new girlfriend.
That made sense. He was just enjoying a hike with his girl when he came across his buddy and this woman who was trying to be angry but failing.
Maybe that was because I’d made her so damn happy.
“I’ve been busy,” Vanessa said.
“Yeah, I’ve been keeping her busy,” Dayton added.
He and I shared a look. I got it. I might not have understood a day or so ago, but after meeting Gennie, I could fully see why someone would want to shut out the world and just exist with another person for a while.
“You came all the way here because I wasn’t responding to your texts?” Vanessa asked.
“I thought you were in danger.”
Gennie stepped up to stand next to me. I had to resist the urge to put my arm around her. That would just confuse this situation further.
“She’s safe with me,” Dayton said. “You definitely don’t have to worry about her.”
“Well, I didn’t know you,” Gennie said. “I knew nothing about this town. From where I sat, my friend drove to the mountains to write a book, then called me and said she was never coming back before going off the grid.”
“I write psychological thrillers,” Vanessa said, glancing over at her new man. “But Gennie sometimes has a better imagination.”
“Your imagination seems pretty damn good to me,” Dayton said, tossing a smile at the woman standing next to him.
Their eyes locked in a stare that said exactly how much they were in love. It lasted just long enough to make me a little uncomfortable. But it also gave me hope. Vanessa had been willing to give up everything to be with Dayton. Could the same go for Gennie?
“We’re in love,” Vanessa said, grabbing Dayton’s hand.
She looked at Gennie, determination in her features. She was waiting for us to go against her somehow. We weren’t going to do that.
We were in love too. Well, I could only speak for myself, but I was in love. I never thought I’d say those words, and especially not with someone I’d just met.
But when it was right, it was right. And it was definitely right.
“I didn’t understand it,” Gennie said.
She reached over and grabbed my hand, and suddenly, I was aware that I was still shirtless. Maybe this meant I could pull out my wrinkled-up T-shirt and put it on. I felt a little weird standing here like this.
“But I get it now,” Gennie said. “I’m thinking about moving here myself.”
She looked at me after she said that, as though waiting for me to freak out or something. Or maybe she was waiting for my approval.
When I looked back at Vanessa, her face had lit up like a Christmas tree. “You’re moving here?”
And then Dayton seemed to get it. He pointed at me and asked, “You two?”
I nodded. “Us too.” And then I gave Gennie’s hand a little squeeze before releasing it and rushing to slide on my T-shirt.
“That’s awesome,” Vanessa said. “We can raise our kids together, like we always planned—only in a different place.”
I waited to be terrified at the thought of being tied down to a wife and kids. It didn’t happen. In fact, the opposite. The idea of being tied to this woman forever—raising a family, building a life—nothing sounded better.
“Looks like you’re stuck with us,” Gennie said.
And then she was looking at me, and I smiled back at her, letting her know that being stuck with her was exactly what I wanted.
“This calls for a celebration,” Dayton said.
“Drinks at the lodge?” I asked.
“I was thinking more a piece of that delicious chocolate cake I’ve heard about,” Vanessa said.
“Now that’s my idea of a celebration,” Gennie chimed in.
“Beers for us, chocolate for our women,” Dayton said.
I nodded. Hand in hand, Gennie and I followed Vanessa and Dayton down the hiking trail toward our vehicles. It was our first bit of alone time, post-making love. We didn’t get that pillow talk I’d wanted, but there’d be plenty of time for that later.
“I owe you an orgasm,” I said once there was enough space between us that they wouldn’t overhear.
“I’ll definitely take you up on that,” Gennie said. “You don’t mind me moving here?”
“Mind?” I shook my head. “That’s the best news I’ve had all year. Maybe in all my life.”
She squeezed my hand just as I’d squeezed hers earlier. “It seems crazy, right? I have a job. An apartment. And I’m just going to give it all up. But no way could I go back. Not knowing you’re here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re going to like Seduction Summit.”
She laughed. “How could I not? Besides, I’d live anywhere if it meant I was with you.”
The same went for me. But I loved this town. The people in it. The fresh air. The beautiful views. I couldn’t imagine making a life with Gennie anywhere else.
Soon enough, I’d ask her to marry me. And after that, we’d start planning a family. I knew it as sure as I knew the sun would rise in the morning. But for now, we’d just enjoy hanging out with our friends, eating chocolate cake, and drinking beer.
I couldn’t believe it, but this was absolutely the best day of my life. And the days would only keep getting better from here.