Chapter 8
“You ready?”
Selena jumped, surprised to find Reid standing so close. Again.
He’d sent her a text yesterday telling her not to go into the office, they were going hiking. She hadn’t seen him all week, too busy with the marketing plans. Usually, his car was still in the garage when she left in the morning and she got home later than he did.
And boy, she missed him! Hiking and Reid, what an enticing combination. She had no idea how to tackle a mountain. And she didn’t think she had it in her to tackle Reid, but she loved the idea of trying both. A girl could dream, she told herself.
Today, he looked amazing in a pair of shorts and tee-shirt, the material stretching across his shoulders, straining along his arms where his muscles pulled at the material. He had on a hat, sturdy hiking boots and a pair of sunglasses hung from his neck. Goodness, he looked yummy!
She took a deep breath and stepped out of the guest house, tugging on the knob to make sure it was locked. Not that she needed to verify that it was locked. She just needed some reason to pull her eyes away from Reid’s enticing shoulders.
She noticed that he was carrying a backpack. “What’s in the bag?” she asked, sliding her driver’s license and some cash into her back pocket.
“Is that what you’re planning to wear?” he asked, taking in her tan shorts and blue tee shirt. She’d pulled on sneakers for the hike, knowing that it would be too rugged for a pair of sandals or flats.
Selena looked down at her outfit, then back up at Reid, confusion in her eyes. “Um…yeah?” she replied, thinking it should be pretty obvious that she was planning to wear the shorts and shirt. “Is there a problem?” She looked up at him warily. “You said this would be an easy hike, nothing crazy.”
He laughed softly. “Oh, honey. You’re cute.” He bent down and kissed her, shocking her further. “Open the door. You’re not ready.”
Selena was still reeling from the kiss, wondering if it would be too revealing to lick her lips so she could taste him. Probably, she thought. But oh, the temptation.
Shaking her mind free, she blinked up at him. “What am I missing?”
He chuckled. “Hiking boots for one. But I’m guessing you don’t have any, do you?”
“Uh…” she had about twenty pairs of heels in various colors, another four pairs of sandals, an old pair of running shoes and…well, her slippers. Because every woman needed a pair of soft slippers. They were old, broken in, and incredibly comfortable. As for boots, she had a black pair and a brown pair, a few pairs of ankle boots…nothing that he would consider appropriate for hiking.
Looking down at her footwear, she shrugged, confused. “What’s wrong with my sneakers?”
“Nothing,” he replied with a devilish look in his eyes, “if you’re sneaking around. Or going grocery shopping. Otherwise, they’re not going to work. Not in the higher elevations.”
She huffed a bit, but she wasn’t sure exactly why. “You told me that this would be an easy hike. What’s going on, Reid?”
“Trust me, Selena. The Rockies are…well, rocky. You’re going to need better protection for your feet and more support for your ankles. We’ll be climbing over rocks and ducking under waterfalls.” He held up a hand to stop her protest, “Yes, this is going to be a relatively easy climb and I guarantee that you’re going to love it. You also need a wool sweater and a waterproof jacket. It might be July here in Denver, but up in the mountains, it’s still cold. There might even be snow.”
She pulled back, latching onto one word. “Climb?” she asked, her tone a bit strangled. “Did I mention I’m not a huge fan of heights?”
He took the key out of her hand and unlocked the door. “You’re going to learn to trust me, Selena. And today, you’re going to enjoy your first hike in the Rocky Mountains. I promise, I won’t let you get hurt. But that starts with being prepared with proper clothing and footwear.”
He stepped into the guest house, dumping his backpack on the floor by the door before moving through the house to the back, not even pausing before entering her bedroom.