Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
~ARCHER~
M y eyes are blurry. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was coming off a bender with a hangover the size of Canada.
But, no. I didn’t even finish that one glass of champagne last night.
I did, however, stay up most of the night making love with Elena. We might have snagged two total hours of sleep.
I’m not complaining. I waited a dozen years for this. Every minute with her is a gift.
I send up a silent thank you when I spot the Keurig on the countertop with a round carousel of different varieties of coffee pods.
I open a cabinet in search of mugs and lift a brow when I see Jenna’s collection.
“How’s that coffee coming?” Elena asks as she pads up behind me and wraps her arms around my stomach, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.
“It’s just getting started. Do you want I’m no cactus expert, but I know a prick when I see one or Please cancel my subscription to your issues ?”
“Huh?” She leans around me to see what I’m looking at and lets out a laugh. “Oh, these are awesome. I have some funny mugs, but this collection is impressive.”
“I think I’m gonna use Hustle Juice ,” I say, pulling the mug down.
“I love this one,” she says, pointing to a mug on the second shelf. “ I think I’ve seized the wrong day. Hilarious. Oh! I don’t like morning people. Or mornings. Or people. This one is for me today.”
“You like me,” I reply with a sleepy grin as I pull that mug down and place it under the coffee machine, slip a pod in, and press brew. “According to last night, you like me a lot. ”
“I like you and maybe four other people,” she says and leans back against the counter as we wait for our coffee. She’s in the black T-shirt I wore yesterday. Her hair is down and tumbled from a night of my fingers diving through it. Her legs are bare, along with her pink-colored toes.
Those fascinating eyes are heavy-lidded and full of satisfaction as she watches me.
“What are we doing today?” she asks.
“I thought we could go for a hike, if you’re up for it.”
“Are there bears here?”
“Possibly.” I pour cream into her coffee and pass her the mug. “But I have bear spray, and there are enough people on these trails that I would be surprised if the bears hang out here. They’re deeper in the woods.”
“You hope,” she mutters. “Because the one who runs the slowest is the bear food, and I can outrun you, my friend.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about.” I doctor up my coffee and kiss her lips lightly before walking past her and out to the deck where the hot tub and refreshments from last night are still on display. “I guess this sort of went to waste, huh?”
“No, it didn’t,” Elena says as she walks out behind me. “It did exactly what Jenna intended for it to do. It was romantic and sexy, and led to a fun-filled night.”
After I close the lid on the tub, I sit on one of the deck chairs and tug Elena into my lap, careful not to spill our coffees.
“You’re right.” I nuzzle her ear and grin when I feel her shiver. “Are you cold?”
“It’s a little brisk this morning,” she says but then chuckles. “But, no. It’s just you. Isn’t it crazy?”
“What’s that?” I brush my fingers through her hair, watching the dark strands as they fall over her shoulder.
“When we were young, we had pretty good chemistry. I was young and very naive, but I knew it.”
“You weren’t stupid.”
“I guess it’s interesting to me that, all these years later, the chemistry just picked up where it left off. Except now, it’s in overdrive.”
“The heart knows what it wants, E, no matter how old it is.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long moment, she just sips her coffee and watches the birds fly between the trees. The mountain is waking up around us.
“It’s going to be a great day for a hike,” she says at last, signaling that our deep conversation is tabled for now.
Which is fine with me. We have plenty of time to pick it up again later.
“So, let me get this straight,” she says an hour later when we’re on our way up the trail that leads to the summit of Whitetail Mountain. “We have to hike up, and then we ride the chairlift down?”
“That’s right.”
“Why don’t we ride up and hike down?”
“Because it’ll be more satisfying to be able to say you slayed this mountain. It’s only four miles.”
“Straight up,” she murmurs, but then stops to catch her breath and looks out at the view of the valley below. “Wow. The views up here are gorgeous.”
“It’s just going to get better the higher we go.”
She sets off again, a few steps ahead of me. She may complain about the hike, but she’s doing an awesome job of keeping a regular pace, stopping to drink her water, and catch her breath.
“You’re a pro at this,” I say.
“Hardly. But it is really pretty up here. Please tell me I’ll be rewarded with something at the top.”
“I’ve been told the view is incredible, and there’s a restaurant where we can grab lunch.”
“Awesome.”
We pass several people along the way and encounter others who are on their way down.
No ride on the chair lift for them, I guess.
It takes us less than two hours to reach the summit, and we are not disappointed by the views when we get there.
“Holy shit,” she breathes, her hands on her hips as she looks at the mountain range surrounding us. “I think we can see all the way to Canada from here.”
“We can,” I confirm. “I did some research before I booked the trip. Canada is due north. And to the east is Glacier National Park.”
She just stares in awe at the snow-tipped peaks and the vastness of the trees and mountains in front of us.
When we turn around, we can see the valley below, with Cunningham Falls nestled against the mountain, right next to a large lake.
“This is seriously cool,” she says. “It’s also a good thing that I’m not afraid of heights. Are you going to feed me now?”
“That’s usually my line.” I take her hand and lead her to the summit house, the building that holds not only the restaurant but also a bar and a gift shop.
We place an order and choose a table inside to take a break from being in the sunshine, sitting next to the windows that look out to the mountains.
“We didn’t see even one bear,” Elena says as she adjusts her ponytail and takes in our surroundings.
“Told you.”
“And how did you get me hiking shoes? In my size. On such short notice?”
“I called Jenna last night,” I reply. “Gave her your size and told her what I had planned for today.”
“You’re just full of surprises,” Elena says with a grin and leans back when our food is delivered. “Don’t touch my onion rings.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
She narrows her eyes at me as she takes a bite of her burger and then sighs in delight. “So good. I was starving.”
“Hiking a mountain will do that to you.”
Watching Elena eat is one of my favorite things to do. She enjoys every bite, and she isn’t afraid to order exactly what she wants.
We don’t say much as we inhale our food, and then make our way out to the chair lift to ride back down to the village.
“Oh my God,” she breathes as we come over the side of the mountain and see the view spread out before us. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything quite like this.”
“Now I know why the family loves it so much,” I agree. “Maybe we’ll have to buy a place here.”
“You mean you. ”
I glance down at her and see she’s shaking her head.
“You mean you’ll have to buy a place here. I can’t buy anything.”
I sigh and wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Elena. You’re a part of my life again, and I have no intention of letting you go. Ever. Whether you’re Ally or Elena or another name, I don’t care. I plan to live a life with you.”
“Why?” Her voice is quiet. She stares straight ahead, but I don’t know if she sees the magnificent view in front of her or if she’s lost in her mind and the memories there. “Why would you risk everything for me?”
I tip up her chin so I can see her eyes.
“Because I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you for the better part of fifteen years, E. You’re it for me. So, I’m going to do whatever the fuck I have to do so I can be with you.”
Her chin wobbles, tearing me apart.
“Ah, baby. Don’t cry.”
“This could be so dangerous for you.”
“ Not being with you is dangerous for me.” I kiss her forehead. “We don’t have to have the answers today. We’ll take it day by day and figure it out.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“It doesn’t have to be complicated.” I kiss her temple and breathe her in. “I love you, E.”
“I love you, too. I always have, Archer.”
I want to shout from the mountaintop in joy.
Instead, I kiss her until my head swims.
We reach the bottom of the lift and walk the half-mile to the treehouse.
“I need a shower,” Elena announces when we walk into the cool rental. Thank God for air conditioning on warm days like today.
“Go ahead,” I say. “I’m going to grab some water. I’ll be behind you.”
She nods and walks into the master suite. I do fetch the water, but I also make a call for dinner reservations.
When I walk into the bathroom, the mirror is steamed up. I strip out of my sweaty clothes and cast them aside.
“I didn’t figure you’d want a super-hot shower after that hike.”
I open the glass door and grin when she turns a soapy head my way.
“The breeze on the way down was cool,” she says. “What are you doing?”
“I’m gonna check you over for ticks.”
She scrunches up her nose. “That’s disgusting. You didn’t say anything about ticks.”
“Don’t worry, I’m here to save the day.” I reach up and help her rinse her hair. “Have I mentioned how much I like your hair?”
“Once or twice.” She lets her arms fall to her sides and leans into my hands as I massage her scalp and rinse the soap away. “That’s nice.”
It’s about to get better.
When her hair is free of shampoo, I let my hands roam over her slick, wet skin. The scars on her back and thigh ignite the anger in my belly, but I take a deep breath, content to know that she’s safe with me now.
No one will ever touch her again.
My fingers glide up between her thighs, and she sighs as she braces her hands on my shoulders.
“I don’t think I have ticks there,” she says.
“I’m just being thorough.” I pick her up and slip inside her easily, as if she were made just for me.
Because she fucking was.
I brace her against the tile wall and fuck her hard and fast until we’re both spent and weak.
“Water seems to be our thing,” she says when I’ve set her back on her feet. “Good to know.”
I smirk and stick my head under the spray of water. “Everywhere is our thing, babe.”
“True.” She smacks my ass with a loud thwack . “I’m getting out of here before you attack me again.”
“You’re not going to wash my hair for me?”
“You’re a big boy,” she says with a shrug. “You’ve got this.”
Our time in Montana was over too fast. Next time, we’ll stay a minimum of two weeks.
I’ve already begun looking at some property there. Real estate is like a drug for me. An expensive addiction, yes, but it can also be quite profitable, and if what I’ve seen so far about the market in Cunningham Falls is true, an investor can’t go wrong by buying some property there.
I’ve just sent off an email to an agent there when my phone rings.
“Hey, Matt.”
“This a good time?” he asks, which is code for are you alone ?
“It is.” I sit back in my desk chair and watch the waves beyond the windows of my office. “What’s up?”
“There’s been some movement,” he says. “Mostly in California.”
I feel my stomach ease when he doesn’t include Oregon.
“You know, it would be easier for me to know what I’m looking for if I knew where in the hell you are.”
I drag my hand down my face in agitation. I want to confide in Matt. But Elena would flip her shit, and I promised her I wouldn’t tell a soul.
“I can’t,” I say at last.
“Archer, I can’t protect you like this.”
“I’m not asking you to,” I reply. “But thanks for having the inclination.”
“You’re my family, and if you’re messed up with this mob family, you could be in serious danger. I can’t ignore it.”
“I’m not asking you to do that either. Listen, I made a promise that I wouldn’t say anything to anyone about this. I’ve already done too much by calling you in the first place, but I needed the intel.”
“I’ll continue feeding you information as I get it. Is there a specific part of the country I should be keeping a close eye on?”
“Matt—”
“You can’t tell me. Right.” He sighs heavily. “This is fucking frustrating, Archer.”
“I know. I don’t disagree.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know that either. Could be weeks. Could be longer.”
I don’t want to tell him that it could be years. I don’t want to admit that even to myself.
“If you need help, at any time, you call me. I can have law enforcement engaged at a moment’s notice, anywhere on this globe, Arch. I fucking mean it. Don’t hesitate.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t fucking thank me. This is what family does. We protect each other. Watch your back. I’ll be in touch.”
I hang up and stand to walk to the windows.
This is what family does. We protect each other. We ask how we can help. We don’t fucking whip and brand those we love.
I wish Elena could know what the love of family really means. That she wasn’t afraid and running.
But I’m determined to give her that safety.
I just have to figure out how.