“Still got about a mile. A rock quarry should be coming up through these trees. You’re going to love it.” He laced his fingers through mine, and we walked hand in hand, just like we used to, but with less urgency.
When love was young, it was quick, needing to go full-speed ahead with everything in life, and while I wanted to get on with the future we always deserved, holding hands and taking a hike felt different than it did when we were just kids.
It felt like we grew as people. There wasn’t a need to take the world at a fast pace, but what we did personally, whether we wanted to have babies and get married and press the fast-forward button on that, we would. But this? Exploring this forest, it was like we had all the time in the world.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jaxon
“You said it was a rock. You didn’t say it would have to climb it.” She pointed to the rope that was tied to the tree up top, the strong root veining through the rocks to keep the tree locked into place.
“It will be fine,” I reassured her. To be honest, I forgot about the little aspect of her having to climb. It was going to be worth it though. The view on top of this rock was beautiful. Miles of the ocean were able to be seen, and a person could breathe in the clouds.
Quinn was sweating, and she already ate her hoagie on the walk from the quarry to where we are now. She was so tiny. I had no idea where all the food went. Women must hate her for not gaining a single pound.
“I’m not climbing up that rock with a rope that is tied to another rope that looks like it’s hanging on by threads. And tied to a damn tree branch for that matter.”
The cliff was steep for a beginner. About thirty-feet high, which could be climbed easily with the rope and correct footing on the rock. But the world would be ours when we climbed those last thirty feet, and I knew she could do it. I believed in her.
It felt good to be outside, spending time with Quinn. I knew after this, I had to go back to the real world. I had been living in the real world and its harshness for so long, I felt like I deserved this small break with Quinn. Soon, I’d be bargaining a man’s sister for a confession. Soon, I’d be the man there would be no way she could love if she saw me act in that manner.
“You lied to me,” she said, her voice small with the sound of betrayal, turning her face to the side to look away from me. There was nothing there but a dirt path and forest. She was really upset. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she wiped them away quickly. Her hands shook, her chest rose and fell with panic.
Jesus, she was terrified. I felt horrible. We could turn around and give up, but I wasn’t going to allow her to give up on herself. I was going to push her, which I might regret later, but she could do this. She was strong, independent, and had a backbone harder than any man I had ever come across.
Quinn could do this because if she could be with me again, after the shit that went down between us, this rock should be a
breeze.
I kneeled on the ground in front of her, and she twisted to the other side, giving me her back. Yep. She was pissed.
Cute, too.
Guys knew never to say that to a woman when she was angry, not unless he wanted to get slapped in the face.
“Quinn, I’m so sorry. I forgot about the rope, but I know you can do it. Do you trust me?” That might the wrong question to ask. She could love me, but gaining trust was something else.
“Of course, I do,” she whispered, wiping her sniffles away.
“I wouldn’t ever let anything happen to you. Not ever. I’ll catch you if you think you’re about to fall, but I know you won’t. Want to know how?”
She glanced up at me through her wet lashes, the tears causing them to stick together. “How?”
“Because I believe you can do anything you set your mind to. You’re a warrior.” I wiped the pad of my thumb over her jaw to catch the droplet about to fall.
“I don’t know. That’s really high, Jaxon.” She stared up at the rock like it was the most intimidating, daunting task in the world.
“It is, but you know what’s waiting? A view only a few people see a year. Not many know about this place; not many want to walk the mile and a half to pull themselves up to see what is waiting for them. It’s a once in a lifetime view, the kind you’ll never forget.”
“Better than the view at your house?”
“Much better,” I said. “I’m going to go first, and when I get to the top, I’m going to hold my hands out for you, okay? You just climb until you can grab my hands, and I’ll pull you up.”
“You swear? You can’t let me go.”
I scooted along the ground until I was in front of her, this time, she didn’t move away, and I laid my palms on top of her thighs. “When have you ever known me to let you go? If I was that kind of man, would we be here?” I asked, reminding her how she ended up with me in the first place.
She giggled, smiling, she landed those light brown eyes on mine. “No, I guess not,” she said.