Chapter Seven #2
“I heard it anyway,” he muttered, smiling even as he was shaking his head.
“I try to educate the people who make their way out here about enjoying their time in the woods safely, and treating the land with respect. But that’s preaching to the choir.
It’s the folks sitting at home doomscrolling who could actually use hearing the benefits of being in nature.
” He shrugged. “Maybe if I could get on some app or something and show folks what they’re missing, or teach them a little something about forest etiquette, or how not to get eaten by bears…
Well. Maybe that could turn the whole phone addiction thing into part of the solution. ”
He was speaking matter-of-factly, but a telltale hint of color was rising on his cheeks. There was a vulnerability to what he was saying—and he realized it at about the same time she did.
“Never mind.” He scowled. “It’s probably stupid—”
“No!” She grabbed his arm before she could stop herself, and the heat of him sent a buzz rushing through her skin. She let go right away, but she sure had his attention now. “I love it. All of it.”
“Really?”
“Really.” And she wasn’t kidding here. “The internet could use someone like you.”
“I don’t know about that,” he grumbled, back to being grouchy, but she’d glimpsed the teddy bear underneath now, so she wasn’t fooled.
“Well, I do. You ever decide to give it a go, you let me know. I’d be happy to help get you started.”
“I’ll think about it.”
On its surface, it was a pat response—the kind of thing you said to get somebody off your back. But somehow? She was pretty sure he honestly would.
All too soon, they emerged out of the woods. The last part of their hike had gone by in a flash—way too fast for Emma’s liking.
But honestly, as far as her knees were concerned, it had maybe been a little bit too slow.
“I don’t know how you do this every day,” she marveled as he walked her to her car.
“Eh, you get used to it.” He grinned in a self-mocking way as he flexed his biceps. “Strong muscles and all.”
Her throat caught, and she forced a smile of her own as she tried not to imagine how all of those strong muscles would feel if she ever had a chance to touch them.
She let out a small huff of laughter, fiddling with her keys. “Well, apparently my muscles are made of spaghetti.”
“You held up really well, for someone who doesn’t do this very often.”
“Or ever.”
“You held up great, then.”
She wanted to brush him off; she didn’t really care to be humored right now. But the way he said it was gentle and genuine. A small hum of pride warmed her chest.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been out on the trails with someone who isn’t a pro,” he admitted. “Maybe we should think about relabeling that one from beginner-friendly to advanced beginner.”
“Maybe.”
He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but he paused and let his gaze drift off into the distance. Then he blinked a couple of times and scrubbed his hand through his hair.
When he spoke again, his voice was lower. More intimate—any trace of his gruff-guy persona dropping away. “I get a lot of peace from being out there, you know. There was… a really hard time in my life.” His throat bobbed. “Getting out of my head and out into nature was what got me through.”
He looked down at her, a soft flicker of vulnerability in his gaze that reached right into the very heart of her.
They’d arrived at her parked car, and she came to a stop. He did, too, leaving a careful space between them that seemed to break the spell.
One side of his lips curled upward, his brows rising. “Don’t suppose I’ve made a convert of you, though, huh?”
She made a show of shaking out her exhausted legs, stretching her arms up over her head. “I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow, you’re going to feel sore as hell,” he told her with a chuckle. “How do you feel right now?”
“Honestly? Exhausted, but also pretty great?” Weirdly great. Her muscles were tired, but there was an energy buzzing around inside them anyway.
He laughed again. “Endorphins are really something, huh?”
“They are.” But that wasn’t the whole story.
She felt great in a way that transcended the physical.
Sure, maybe she’d originally agreed to go on this hike because she wanted to spend time with Hunter, but she’d really, truly enjoyed herself.
She’d extended herself beyond her comfort zone and reconnected with the part of herself that loved playing outside.
Taking on both the physical and mental challenge of the day had given her a bone-deep satisfaction that she hadn’t felt in a long, long while.
Hunter leaned in just a little bit closer. “So, do you think you’d like to do it again sometime?”
And—wait. Was he asking her out? No. He’d made himself perfectly clear that he didn’t want to get involved.
But there was no mistaking the connection sparking between them or the charge in the air.
“Yeah,” she said, before she could stop herself. “I’d love that.”
“Me, too.” His voice held a tiny hint of a growl that rumbled something deep inside her.
She pressed the edge of her key into her palm, just to keep herself from lunging at him. He didn’t want more, and she didn’t, either.
But that was so difficult to remember when he was staring down at her as if it was taking almost as much restraint to keep himself in check as it was taking her.
A gust of wind blew through the parking lot, and the sun darted behind a cloud. A handful of scattered leaves drifted down around them.
And the ranger station was a only a handful of yards away. There were other cars parked in the lot. They were at his place of work, and they weren’t alone.
But for a second, the entire world seemed to disappear, leaving just the two of them. Had they been standing this close just a few minutes ago? Heat radiated off his body, and the warm scent of him clouded her senses.
“Hey! Boss!” a voice called out.
The moment shattered as he whipped his head around. Emma looked over toward the building to find the other ranger standing there, a sour expression on her face.
“What?” Hunter asked testily. All that grumpiness was back.
“My shift ended five minutes ago. You good for me to take off?”
He cursed under his breath and checked his watch. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Didn’t realize we’d be gone so long.”
“Right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to hold you up.” Emma took an instinctive step back, even though that was the last thing she wanted to do.
“It’s fine.” Louder, he called, “I’m good. See you tomorrow.”
The girl saluted in acknowledgment before she disappeared inside the building again.
He winced apologetically, jerking a thumb toward the station. “I should probably…”
“Yeah, of course.” Another step back.
He paused. “Thanks for coming out, though. It was nice.”
“Yeah. It was.” She pumped a fist in the air and immediately felt like cringing at her own awkwardness. “Yay for trying new things.”
Chuckling, he nodded and started walking away.
She bit the inside of her lip. They’d both sort of said they wanted to do this again, but they hadn’t made any concrete plans. Which was fine. She should probably just roll with it. Head home, maybe text him in a few days.
But if she did, she’d just obsess for the entire time in between.
Impulsively, she called out, “Hey, Hunter?”
“Yeah?” He whirled right back around, light dancing in his eyes.
Her heart threatened to lodge itself in her throat, but she breathed in deeply. “The folks I met at the crafting club are pressuring me into trying other new things, too. I think I’m being forcibly dragged to a line dancing class on Saturday night?”
The light dimmed. He chuckled wryly. “Not sure that’s really my speed.”
Stupid. Of course it wasn’t. What had she even been thinking?
She waved a hand dismissively. “Right, sure, never mind—”
“But I’ll think about it.”
“You will?” she blurted, shocked.
His gaze smoldered. They were half a parking lot away from each other now, but it felt like a lot less.
“Yeah. I daresay I will.”