Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Holt stands nearby, a steady presence against the rugged backdrop, the mountain wind tousling his dark hair. He’s focused on checking the ropes, his hands moving with a confidence I envy. When he glances my way, a slow, teasing smirk tugs at his mouth. That expression makes my insides twist in a way I wish I could ignore.
“You ready for this, city girl?” he asks, the amusement clear in his voice. “It’s not too late to back out and take the easy trail.”
I narrow my eyes, refusing to let him see that his challenge rattles me. I tighten my grip on the rope, lifting my chin with what I hope is more confidence than I feel. “I told you, I don’t back down. Just don’t expect me to carry your ass if that knee of yours gives out halfway up.”
He chuckles, the sound low and rough, vibrating through the crisp mountain air. But there’s an edge to it, a challenge glinting in those sharp blue eyes of his. He steps closer, the space between us narrowing until his heat presses into the cold that bites through my thin layers. His voice drops, turning huskier, wrapping around me like a warm breeze. “You’re a piece of work, Lila. But let’s see if you can keep up.”
The way he says my name sends a shiver through me, and I curse the way my pulse quickens. But I refuse to let him get to me. I focus on the rock face, the climb, anything but the way Holt’s nearness messes with my head.
Holt guides me to the first foothold, his hands brushing my waist as he adjusts my stance. His touch is firm, deliberate, like he’s making a point of how close he is. I suck in a breath, steeling myself against the electric jolt that zips through me at the contact. He’s too close, and the tension between us buzzes like a live wire.
“Right there,” he murmurs, his breath brushing the edge of my ear. “That’s a good start.”
I don’t trust myself to respond, so I focus on the rock, planting my feet and starting to climb. But even as I move, even as I pull myself higher, I feel the heat of his gaze on me, steady and unwavering. It’s like he’s daring me with every step, waiting for me to falter, to give him a reason to step in.
The climb is steeper than anything we’ve attempted so far, and my muscles burn with the effort. Sweat slicks my skin, mingling with the cool mountain air, making each hold feel precarious. Holt’s voice is a constant presence below me, throwing out instructions, coaxing me forward with a mix of rough encouragement and mocking taunts that somehow push me harder.
“Left foot up, right there... Yeah, that’s it. I knew you had it in you,” he says, his tone dipping into a low growl that sends heat curling through my belly. I want to tell him to shut up, but I hate that I like hearing his praise, that it makes something inside me tighten with a need I don’t want to name.
I glance down, catching the way he looks up at me, his eyes narrowed with a focus that makes my breath hitch. For a second, it feels like we’re the only two people on this mountain, like everything else has faded into the distance below. “You don’t have to keep checking on me, Holt. I’m not going to break.”
His lips twitch into a smirk, but there’s a softness in his expression that throws me off balance. “Maybe I just like watching you work for it, princess.”
I roll my eyes, trying to ignore the way my pulse skips at the endearment. I turn back to the rock, forcing my focus onto the climb, onto the rough stone scraping my palms. But I can’t deny the thrill that courses through me every time his hands brush against mine to steady me, or the way his breath catches when I manage a tricky maneuver without his help.
It’s a game between us now—one laced with unspoken challenges and something that feels dangerously close to desire. He pushes me, and I push back, refusing to let him see how much he affects me. But the longer we climb, the more I can’t ignore the heat that simmers just beneath the surface, like an ember waiting to catch fire.
Finally, we reach a narrow ledge, just wide enough for the two of us to rest. My legs are trembling from exertion, but there’s a giddy rush in my veins, a wild kind of exhilaration that makes me feel like I could conquer anything. I pull myself onto the flat rock, collapsing back with a breathless laugh, my chest heaving as I drink in the sharp mountain air.
Holt hauls himself up beside me, his expression smug, but there’s a glint of something softer in his eyes as he watches me catch my breath. He settles down beside me, close enough that our shoulders brush, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. We’re just breathing, caught in the afterglow of the climb.