Chapter 14
After making sure all the windows in the house were now locked, Parker and Genna loaded up his truck. They’d packed the dogs’ blankets to sleep on, as well as their food and bowls. As usual, he’d been able to fit everything in his oversized backpack.
“What about the tent?” she asked, looking around. “Honestly, I don’t know how we’re going to carry all the stuff we need.”
“I’ve packed it.” He patted his gear. “Over the years, I’ve mastered the art of filling this. I think we’ve got everything we need.”
Her eyes widened but she nodded. “No ice chest?”
“Nope. There’s a stream with fresh running water near the campsite,” he replied.
“I guess that’s good.” She didn’t sound too certain.
Eyeing his pack, she looked at her significantly smaller one. “How heavy is that?”
“A little heavy,” he said. “But not too much for me to carry.”
Once they were settled in the truck and had driven off, the righteous indignation that had fueled Genna earlier appeared to dissipate. She put JB in the backseat so the two dogs could sleep and then heaved a sigh. “I need this more than I realized.”
“I know you do,” he said, aching to touch her but keeping his hands on the steering wheel. “I do, too.”
Her answering smile stole his breath. For a heartbeat, he considered telling her how he felt, but decided not to. Not yet. In case she didn’t feel the same way, he didn’t want to make things awkward on the camping trip.
“You were pretty impressive back there, figuring out how they got into the house,” he said instead.
Just like that, the smile vanished from her face. “If you don’t mind, can we not talk about that for a little bit? I’d like to forget, even if just for a few hours.”
“You got it,” he replied, mentally kicking himself. Fiddling with the radio, he asked her what kind of music she wanted to listen to.
“Hip-hop or rock,” she said, surprising him. “Though I usually tend to listen to country music, I need something fierce and loud to go with my mood right now.”
This made him laugh. “I do something similar. I don’t know why, but it helps.”
“It does,” she agreed. “Once I get this out of my system, I’ll be fine.” She glanced back at the dogs, now sleeping. “Unfortunately, we can’t blare it. I don’t want to hurt their ears.”
He found the only station that played what they called “Hit Music and Classic Rock.”
“KVAK, 93.3,” he said. “Hopefully there’s something on their playlist that will hit the spot.”
A country song was playing. They exchanged looks. “Hit music,” she said. “It’s fine. Any music is good.”
They drove past RTA headquarters, continuing on for a few miles. The elevation increased as they headed up the side of the mountain. “This is where we take the hiking expeditions,” he said as they pulled into the small parking lot with a sign that marked it as the trailhead.
“Are there going to be other people here?” she asked, not even trying to mask her disappointment. “I’m not sure I’m up for a big crowd.”
Unable to resist, he squeezed her arm, battling the urge to let his hand linger. “No. There’s a point midway up where the trail splits off. I take the tourists up on the south side. We’re heading up the north.”
They shouldered their backpacks and set off. He let Revis range ahead of them, but Genna insisted on carrying JB. “She’s so small, I’m afraid something will eat her,” she explained.
Which made perfect sense.
As they headed up the trail, Genna kept a good pace. Since he didn’t want to make her overdo it, he watched her carefully in case she needed to rest.
“I’m not going to topple over,” she said dryly, catching him as he sneaked a sideways glance at her. “Despite me telling you that I don’t go hiking, I’m still in pretty decent shape physically.”
“I’ll say,” he drawled, earning her laughter.
When they reached the halfway point, marked by a bench and several signs, Parker removed his backpack and plopped down. “Let’s take a quick break,” he said, whistling for Revis. The dog immediately returned, sitting down at Parker’s feet.
With a grateful smile, Genna took off her own pack and sat next to him. “Thanks,” she said, grabbing her water bottle from the side of her backpack and drinking deep.
Parker opened a collapsible dog bowl and poured water into it for the dogs. They both drank eagerly.
“Now the fun begins,” he said. “The trail is going to get markedly steeper once we make that turn. If you need to stop and rest, just say so, okay?”
“Okay.” She grimaced. “So far, this hasn’t been too bad. And it’s beautiful here.”
“Just wait until we get to the meadow where I usually camp,” he told her. “And at night, the skies are amazing.”
“How often do you camp up here?” she asked, genuinely curious.
He shrugged. “Whenever I feel the need to get away. Most times, I come by myself. But Spence has been here with me a few times. Eli, too. Mitchell has even been a couple of times.” He flashed a sheepish grin. “It’s a great place to get your mind aligned with your soul.”
His poetic choice of phrase made her melt.
To be honest, not only did he continually surprise her, but the more she got to know him, the more she realized how unique he was.
Looking at him, with his muscular, toned body and outdoorsy appearance, the depths of his personality added to his already compelling sex appeal.
Renewed, they carried on. The exertion felt good, as if the hike brought a rush of endorphins. She felt strong and capable and unbelievably alive. Happy.
“Are you doing okay?” he asked. Then, without waiting for an answer, he asked her if she wanted him to carry JB for a bit.
“Thank you, but I’ve got her,” she replied. “I’m fine and she’s not heavy at all.”
The trail grew progressively steeper and narrower as it curved up the side of the mountain. Since they could no longer hike side by side, Parker trekked ahead. She found she enjoyed having his backside to look at, especially since the height made her feel a little dizzy.
The drop-off to her right looked treacherous, even though there seemed to be plenty of trees to help break the fall.
Luckily, the path they were on seemed solid.
Despite that, she kept to her left, just in case her clumsy self were to take an accidental misstep.
She wasn’t too worried about hurting herself.
But she couldn’t risk anything happening to JB.
Apparently unconcerned, Parker walked a few feet ahead of her, though he kept close. She realized he’d purposely made his own pace slower to match hers, which she appreciated.
“Where’s Revis?” she asked, looking around for the large dog.
Hearing his name, Revis came trotting back to them, panting happily. He made a few loops around both Parker and Genna before settling in to walk in between them.
“He’s really enjoying himself,” Parker said. “I’m so glad I was able to get him out of the shelter.”
“Me, too.”
“What about you?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder. “Are you having fun?”
She thought for a moment. “Actually, I am. More than I expected. It’s not as physically taxing as I thought it would be.”
His grin made her breath catch. “I can think of some other activities we can do later that will definitely be exhausting.”
Grinning back, she wondered if he knew her entire body flushed. “You know, I might be able to be convinced to do this again,” she mused. “With the right incentive, of course.”
His laughter echoed off the rocks. “Look.” He pointed. Above them, an eagle wheeled, beautiful against the bright blue sky. She’d grown up seeing the majestic birds, but for some reason out here, the sight hit differently. To her surprise, tears stung her eyes.
Keeping her hold on JB, she quickly wiped them away.
Though she’d felt raw ever since realizing she’d simply traded one stalker for another after moving here, the emotion felt like a different kind of vulnerability.
Was she ready to take the kind of risk she’d sworn she’d never take again?
Did she dare to trust Parker with her heart?
Completely unaware of her thoughts, Parker stopped and turned to face her. “Up ahead, the path looks like it ends at some boulders,” he warned. “It’s a good place to stop and rest, as long as you watch out for snakes.”
She started. He’d said that so casually. “I think I’ll pass,” she said. “Since I’m not a fan of snakes, I’d rather just get to our camping area.”
“I get it.” He smiled at her before moving forward.
Though he loved his large family, both immediate and extended, being out here with Genna and the dogs felt like another kind of family togetherness.
Both wholesome and intimate. He could definitely get used to this.
He wondered what Genna thought, but decided it would be better not to ask.
Finally, the incline started to level out. “We’re almost there,” he told her, glancing over his shoulder.
“Good,” she replied, huffing and puffing just a little. She wiped at her forehead with the back of her hand. “I’m getting to the point where I’d been thinking about telling you I need to rest.”
“Not too much longer, I promise.” Though he wanted to pick up the pace, he stayed steady. “We keep a little storage building up here with supplies like a cook stove and folding chairs. And if whoever camps up here last has firewood left over, it’s stored in there, too.”
“Interesting.” She seemed to be struggling to catch her breath. “But why not store your tent there, too? Seems like it would be less to carry.”
“There’s a spare tent in case it’s needed. But we all have our own tents, and I prefer to bring mine. You’ll like it, I promise.”
“I’ll like it when we can stop hiking,” she grumbled, shifting JB in her arms. “My little dog has gotten heavier.”
This made him chuckle. “A few more yards.” Unable to contain his eagerness, he moved ahead.
Her pace slightly slower, she followed.