Starlee's Hope (The Wayward Sons 4)

Charlie rests a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it. I place my hand over his. “Call me when you get back?”

“Yep.”

He walks off and Jake grabs my hand and lifts it to his mouth, kissing the back. Shivers run down my spine. That mischievous grin returns. “I guess this means you and I have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves.”

I see the twinkle in his blue eyes and feel the butterflies stir in my belly. I head toward the car and open the door. With a completely innocent expression, I reply, “I wonder what we can do to fill the time?”

“When you said you wanted to spend time with me alone, this was not what I had in mind,” I say, huffing up the hiking trail a few feet behind Jake. The only consolation is the fact I get to stare at his ass. His beautiful, firm, perfect ass. You know that part in Captain America where he’s boxing against the punching bag? It’s like that. But in person.

“It’s a beautiful day.”

“It’s freezing out here.” Since the freak snowstorm, I keep winter clothes with me all the time, so I’m adequately bundled up. I’d kind of just wanted Jake to keep me warm instead.

He smiles down at me. “We’re almost there.”

In truth, the hike isn’t that bad—it’s just slippery. I’d thought Yosemite was beautiful in the summer, but in the winter, it turned into an icy paradise. Tree branches glisten with snow and ice. The falls trickle under a frozen shield. The sky is the brightest blue against the white wonderland and the only thing that comes close to matching it is the color of Jake’s eyes.

As we near the top of the trail he reaches out his hand, offering me a boost. I take it, letting his strength pull me up the final few feet. He tugs me against him and wraps his arms around me, our chests both heaving from the climb.

I take in the view—it’s magnificent.

“Nice, eh?” he says, mouth warm and close to my ear.

“You know the nicest spots.”

“I want to take you to see them all.” There’s a wistfulness in his voice.

I look up at him. At the strong jaw, the intense eyes. “You know I’ll go anywhere with you.”

There’s a small bench, carved out of the existing rock, and he sits, pulling me onto his lap. His hand, bare, creeps up the back of my jacket, pushing cool air and the warmth of his fingers against my skin. “So, Emory University, huh?”

I still, not sure what to say.

“I looked it up. It doesn’t have a football team.” His fingers stroke my back. “And is in Georgia.”

I swallow back the odd lump that’s formed in my throat. “It’s not definite.”

“Nothing seems to be right now.”

I’ve seen Jake many ways; frustrated, amped on adrenaline, determined and willful. I’ve seen his face consumed with lust, his eyes glazed over and cheeks red, but right now he seems a little lost—scared--and I’m not sure how to handle it.

“In the short time we’ve known one another, we’ve had to handle a lot. I have no doubt we’ll figure out the future, too.”

The sun dips behind the mountains, casting a sharp glare that reflects off the snow-covered peaks and hills. With his face bathed in gold, Jake turns to kiss me, finally giving me some of the warmth I crave—the physical kind. I love the feel of his mouth on mine, his hands on my lower back. My belly twists with want—a longing to feel his skin against mine.

“You know I love you, right?” he says, blue eyes linking with mine.

“I do, and I love you, too.”

The words barely convey how I feel about him, and even when I say it, there’s the nudge of insecurity pushing at my brain, wondering why we haven’t slept together yet. Wondering why he takes me to places like this instead, but I don’t speak it. Not on this mountain top. Not on the way back down the trail and not even in the car ride back to Lee Vines.

The boy loves me.

I love him.

We’ll figure it out.

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