Page 29 of Daddy of the Mountain

The corner of his mouth twitched—almost a smile, but not quite. "Nope." He crossed his arms over his chest, studying me for a beat. Then: "You been stressin’ too much."

"Gee, thanks. Didn’t notice."

"Watch your tone or I’ll have to tan that hide." His tone was flat, but there was warmth behind it.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time, mister.”

He took a step closer, close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. "I mean it, Ally. You carry too much. Always tryin’ to fix, control, hold it all together."

"Somebody has to," I shot back, folding my arms.

"Not always. Not here." He nodded toward the snow. "We’re gonna try somethin’. A trust exercise."

"Like what? Team-building stuff? 'Cause I gotta tell you, I hated those workshops back in the city."

"Not like that." He crouched, brushing his hand over the snow as if testing it—or maybe just clearing space. When he stood, he dusted his palms off and gestured for me to come closer.

"Alright, Daddy," I said, half-joking, but the word came out softer than I meant it to. His lips pressed together, and the look he gave me sent a small shiver—not from the cold—down my spine.

"Stand here," he instructed, pointing to the spot he’d cleared.

"Why do I feel like I’m about to regret this?"

"Because you like fightin’ me on everything," he replied smoothly. "Now stop stallin’. Turn around."

"Bossy-boots," I muttered, but I did as he said.

"Good girl," he murmured, almost too quiet to catch.

The heat climbed up the back of my neck. I swallowed hard and focused on the trees ahead, their branches weighed heavy with snow.

"Here’s how it works," he said, stepping up behind me. I could feel the weight of him there, solid and unmoving. "You stand still. Close your eyes if you want. And when I say, you let yourself fall. Backward."

"Fall?" My pulse kicked up.

"Yeah. Fall." His voice stayed calm, steady. "And I’ll catch you before you disappear into the snow."

"That’s it? That’s your big plan?" I glanced over my shoulder, arching a brow at him.

"That’s it." He met my gaze, unflinching. "Simple, but not easy."

"Well, sure, if you’re into trust falls."

"Not about the fall, sweetheart. It’s about lettin’ go. It’s about feeling the fear and doing it anyway. It’s about release." His hands rested lightly on my shoulders for a moment before withdrawing. "I won’t let you hit the ground. Promise."

I hesitated, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. The wind picked up, tugging at my hair, and for a second, all I could hear was the steady rhythm of my own breathing.

"Ally," he said again, softer this time. "I’m here."

Something in the way he said it settled under my skin, quieting the part of me that wanted to argue. Still, my muscles tensed, every instinct screaming to keep myself upright.

"Alright," I mumbled, exhaling sharply. "Fine. But if you drop me, I swear to God—"

"Not gonna happen," he cut in.

"Better not."

"Ready?"

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