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)
I swallow hard, forcing myself to follow him down the trail, my mind spinning with frustration and something darker, something hotter. I tell myself I don’t care what Holt thinks of me—that I’m just here to get my story and leave. But as I watch him move with easy confidence ahead of me, I know that something between us shifted on that ledge, whether I’m ready to admit it or not.
And judging by the knowing look Holt shoots me over his shoulder, he knows it too.
Chapter Four
Holt
I cling to the rock, feeling the strain in my shoulders and the steady throb in my knee, a reminder of how much I’ve lost—and how much I’m still fighting to hold onto. The sun dips lower, painting the granite cliffs with streaks of gold, shadows creeping up the side of Devil’s Peak. But it’s not the view that has my focus—it’s Lila, a few feet above me, navigating the rock face with a determination that borders on stubbornness.
She’s different today—our second lesson on the mountain and she’s more surefooted, more willing to push herself. She’s still clumsy as hell, but she’s got this fire in her, something fierce that matches the wildness of the mountain. And damn if it doesn’t draw me in, making it impossible to look away.
Her foot slips on a small ledge, sending her body jerking against the rock. I swear under my breath, my instincts kicking in before my mind catches up. My hand shoots out, gripping her ankle. Her skin is warm, soft, even through the chill of the mountain air, and I feel the shiver that races up her leg at my touch.
“Careful, city girl,” I growl, trying to keep my voice rough, dismissive, like I’m just doing her a favor. But even I hear the edge of concern slipping through. Lila glances back at me, her eyes wide and dark, her lips parted as she catches her breath. This girl is fucking gorgeous, I can’t deny it. She’s been on my mind since the first moment she came into my world and it’s unnerving to say the least.
“This is tricky, okay?” she snaps, frustration lacing every word. “I’m not like you, Holt. This doesn’t come naturally to me. You’re practically a mountain goat up here.”
There’s a rawness in her voice that cuts through the banter, hitting deeper than I expect. I bite back a retort, something about her being out of her depth, but it sticks in my throat. Instead, I pull myself up to her level, settling on the ledge beside her, our shoulders brushing as we catch our breath. The mountain wind tugs at the loose strands of her hair, and without thinking, I reach out, tucking a wayward lock behind her ear.
Her eyes widen at the touch, but she doesn’t pull away. My thumb brushes her cheek, the softness of her skin under my calloused fingers, and I’m caught in that damn pull again—the one that makes me want to dig deeper, to see what’s hiding behind that mask she wears so well.
I clear my throat, dropping my hand and turning to stare out at the horizon, where the sun is melting into the jagged peaks. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, Lila. You’re already doing more than I expected.” The words come out rough, not at all how I planned, but there’s a truth in them I can’t deny. “Hell, you’re braver than I am. At least you know what you’re scared of.”
She frowns, turning to face me fully, curiosity cutting through her frustration. “What do you mean?” Her voice is softer now, like she’s caught off guard by the shift in my tone. There’s a pause, a beat where the mountain seems to hold its breath, and before I know it, I’m talking—really talking.
I run a hand through my hair, the movement exposing the weariness that clings to me like a second skin. “I wasn’t always this guy, you know. The one who thinks he’s invincible.” A humorless laugh slips out, more bitter than I intended. “The accident changed things. Put me in my place. Now every time I look at these cliffs, all I can think about is how easy it is to lose everything.”
Lila’s expression softens, her frown smoothing out into something almost...gentle. It’s a look I haven’t seen on her before, and it tugs at something inside me, something I thought I buried with my old life. She reaches out, her hand brushing my forearm, her touch hesitant but warm, like she’s testing the boundaries between us.
“I get that,” she says quietly, and there’s no judgment in her voice, no pity—just understanding. “I’m sorry–about your accident, I mean.”
Her words hit harder than they should, striking a chord I haven’t felt in years. Her empathy warms something inside of me that’s been frozen for a long time. I shift closer, letting my leg brush against hers, the heat of her body seeping into mine despite the cool air. “Thanks,” I murmur, my voice dropping low, like I’m afraid of shattering this fragile moment between us. “You’re brave–being scared up here but pushing through anyway.”