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)
“You did good, Lila,” he says, his voice quieter now, carrying a rough edge that sounds almost like pride. He reaches out, brushing a stray lock of hair from my cheek, and his fingers linger longer than they should. “Maybe you’re tougher than I gave you credit for.”
I meet his gaze, my heart thudding against my ribs, something tight and unfamiliar twisting in my chest. “Maybe you’re not as much of a jerk as I thought,” I say, trying for a teasing tone, but there’s an edge of truth in the words that I can’t quite hide. I see the way his expression falters, the way his eyes darken with something deeper, something unguarded.
Holt leans in, just a fraction, his breath brushing against my lips, and my pulse stutters. For a second, it feels like we’re balanced on the edge of something dangerous, something that could change everything. His hand cups my cheek, his thumb brushing over the curve of my jaw, and I lean into the touch before I can think better of it.
“You’re not what I expected, Lila,” he murmurs, his voice rough with a confession I don’t think he meant to make. “You make me want to—”
But he cuts himself off, his jaw clenching like he’s holding back, like he’s afraid of where those words might lead. I reach up, my fingers curling around his wrist, holding him there, holding us in this moment where everything feels possible.
“Maybe I’m not what you expected, either,” I whisper, my voice barely more than a breath, but I see the way it makes his eyes flare, the way his grip tightens against my cheek.
His gaze drops to my mouth, and for a heartbeat, I think he might close the distance, that he might kiss me right here on this windswept ledge. And God, I want him to. I want to feel the weight of him against me again, to taste the raw heat that simmers between us.
But then he pulls back, letting his hand fall, and the moment slips away like sand through my fingers. He gives me a lopsided grin, the one that’s all cocky mountain man, and I hate how much I want to see what’s underneath it. “Come on, princess. We’ve got a sunset to catch.”
He turns, offering me a hand, and I take it, even though my legs are still shaky. But as we settle side by side on the ledge, the sky painted with hues of orange and pink, I can’t shake the feeling that something between us has shifted—something that feels like it’s just waiting to catch fire.
Chapter Six
Holt
The sun sinks behind the peaks, drenching the mountains in shades of twilight, casting long shadows that stretch over the rocks. The air cools quickly at this height, and the sky transitions from gold to deep indigo, revealing the first pinpricks of stars. Lila and I spread out our sleeping bags on the ledge, the rock beneath us still holding the last warmth of the day. There’s a weight in the air that has nothing to do with the mountain chill—something that crackles between us like electricity, humming under my skin.
I recline on my elbows, eyes on the emerging constellations, pretending like I’m unaffected by her presence beside me. But every small shift she makes, every rustle of fabric, pulls at me. Lila sits a few feet away, hugging her knees to her chest, her hair tousled from the climb, a streak of dirt on her cheek that I have the strangest urge to wipe away. She glances at me, but it’s like she’s looking through a veil, her thoughts somewhere far off, or maybe just buried deep.
She breaks the silence first, her voice cutting through the quiet. “Why’d you do it?” Her question catches me off guard, and I turn my head to look at her. She keeps her eyes on the stars, like she’s afraid to see my reaction. “Climbing, I mean. What made you love it so much?”
The question lands heavier than it should, and I feel my jaw tighten. My knee gives a familiar throb, like it knows exactly what I’m about to say. I roll my shoulders, trying to shake off the tension, but the truth sticks in my throat. Finally, I give her the best answer I can manage, my voice rough around the edges. “It was the one place I could shut everything else out. Up there, it’s just you and the rock. No noise, no bullshit. Just...the climb.”
Her head tilts slightly, considering my words, and for a moment, I wish I could see what’s going on behind those dark eyes of hers. “You miss it, don’t you?” she asks, her voice quieter, softer, like she’s figured out a part of me I haven’t even said out loud.
I shrug, looking away, letting my gaze fall back to the horizon where the last light bleeds out of the sky. “Yeah. More than I can explain. But it’s not just the climbing I miss.” The words spill out before I can stop them, and suddenly, I’m telling her things I’ve buried deep. “It’s...the freedom. The feeling like nothing could touch me.”