She nodded. “If I can steal five minutes, I will. I love it here. Especially when nobody else is out here.”

“I can see why.” I reached over and took her hand, and she slipped her fingers between mine, smiling shyly at me. “Now, how long do you think it’ll take your brother to push me off a cliff tomorrow?”

***

I wasn’t looking forward to this hike.

I knew Josh didn’t like me. Given that my feelings for his sister were quite rapidly growing, I wanted him to like me. He had no reason not to except for the fact he thought there was something going on with me and Piper.

And there was, but it was just that.

Something.

Undefined.

Natural.

She didn’t want to put herself in a position where she was dating, and I wasn’t going to push her into anything she didn’t want to be pushed into. That also meant I didn’t have anything to tell anyone regarding the state of our relationship, because I didn’t know what it was either.

As far as she was concerned, we were friends who were seeing where things ended up, and I was absolutely okay with that.

In all honesty, I just liked spending time with her. She was carefree yet driven at the same time, and while I’m sure my checks with her name on was the only reason she’d agreed to let me hang out at the bakery, it wasn’t the reason she let me cook her dinner or texted me.

I knew she’d come round.

I hoped she’d come round.

I didn’t want to leave White Peak. Since our hike had been delayed until just before lunch, I’d viewed one of the houses this morning, one on Josh and Colton’s street, and I’d already applied for it. She’d been right when she said it was perfect, and it was being rented part-furnished.

Which was great.

I had no furniture.

I pulled up in the café parking lot at the bottom of the trail the guys had said we were going to start up. There was a clearing halfway up called Peak Place, and it was the place Seb and Colton had decided I needed to see if I was stuck for inspiration.

It sounded like the kind of place my characters could go for a date.

I got out of my car and looked around. There was nobody else here yet, but I tensed when I saw Josh drive in a few minutes later. I didn’t know what I could do for him to like me, so I pulled out my phone and pretended I didn’t see him.

Thankfully, it wasn’t longer before everyone else showed up in a stream of cars. The greetings were swift and warm—ignoring Josh—and we quickly made our way onto the path.

“How’s your house search?” Seb asked me, falling into step beside me.

“Pretty well. I applied for a place today, actually.”

“Awesome. Where abouts?”

“Right by Colton and Josh.”

Josh grunted.

Colton side-eyed him. “Ignore him. He’s got a stick up his ass.”

Josh didn’t say anything.

Dylan rolled his eyes. “Wedding planning is stressing him out.”

“The idea of his sister dating is stressing him out,” Colton corrected him.

“We’re not dating.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. “We really are just friends.”

Technically.

“Right, but you like each other. She doesn’t laugh the way she does when she’s with you.” Colton looked over at me. “And you clearly like her.”

I didn’t answer that. I had the feeling there was no right answer.

“There we go.”

“Well, my sister isn’t known for her taste in men,” Josh muttered.

He was trying to get a rise out of me, and it wasn’t going to happen.

“Don’t be a dick,” Seb warned him.

“I was just adding to the conversation.”

“No, you’re trying to make it awkward,” Colton retorted.

Oli glanced around. “It worked.”

Yep.

It was awkward. I was unwelcome, and I wasn’t going to stay any longer. Josh really didn’t want me here, so I was leaving.

From what I knew, we were only about halfway up to Peak Place. The trail until now had been easy to follow, and even though I had no phone signal, I knew I’d be able to get back down.

“Hey,” I said. “Thanks for the invite, but I think it’s best if I go.”

Seb stopped and threw out his hands. “For fuck’s sake, Josh.”

Colton shook his head. “Don’t. He’ll get over it.”

“No, it’s fine.” I held up my hands and looked at Josh who was still walking away from me. “Josh, I don’t know why you don’t like me. You’ve barely said two words to me. If you’re trying to make me stay away from Piper, it’s not going to work. We’re friends, and she’s helping with my book. That was her decision. I didn’t hold her up in the bakery at gunpoint and force her into doing this for me.”

He faltered for a moment, but he kept walking right after.

The others all looked at me with sympathy. “You don’t have to go,” Dylan said. “We can hike in two.”

Tags: Emma Hart The Introvert's Guide Erotic
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