Page 91 of The Mechanics of Lust

I called another stop, but Luke couldn’t have heard because he walked straight into my back and almost sent me flying. I stumbled forward, the weight of my pack dragging me sideways. Luke grabbed me before I toppled over, pulling me back onto my feet and hard up against him. And just like that, even through the damp, odorous bush shirt that covered me from neck to knees, my body reacted like the last week had never happened. Like we’d never been apart. Every cell sizzled in awareness, and it took everything I had not to turn and kiss him.

“Shit. I’m sorry.” He steadied me, and a shiver bubbled down my spine at the wash of his hot breath over my cheek. “I didn’t hear you.”

“I’m fine.” I brushed myself off and realigned my pack. Then I turned to look for Nina, and instead met Luke’s gaze, completely unprepared for what I saw. The flash of emotion in those bright blue eyes stole the air from my lungs. Pain, uncertainty, and something I wasn’t prepared to name. Alotof that something.

My heart stuttered, and for the first time since that night I’d walked away, I took a couple of seconds toreallystudy him. What I saw confused the hell out of me. Strain showed in a fine web of lines around his mouth and in the dark circles framing his eyes. He looked... dog-tired. He looked like I felt in those few times I let myself go there.

Shit.“Luke, I... I’m—”

“You better sound Nina off again.” He broke eye contact and reached for his water bottle. “We’re almost out of daylight.”

He was right. Besides, this wasn’t the time for... what? Nothing, that’s what. I signalled Nina. And while she gave a series of booming howls that thundered up the ravines, Luke handed me one of the lights to strap on my head.

Jojo raced in circles around me, whimpering with excitement. Waiting for a reply from whatever dogs were up the mountain.

None came.

I laid a hand on Nina’s head and she quieted, as did the mountains around us.

I fought a surge of disappointment and turned to find Luke looking a heartbeat away from gathering me in his arms. I doubt I would’ve stopped him. I almost crossed the distance between us myself. “Try the satphone again.” My breath fogged between us, blurring his face for a second but not enough to hide the worry in his eyes. For Jules and my father, yes. But also for me.

The call rang unanswered, and my heart dropped into my boots with the ominous silence that filled the ravines. “This is the only way up or down, so either one or both of them are hurt and they’ve had to hole up somewhere.”

Luke peered through the foggy cloud that clung to the track. “Best guess?”

I followed his gaze. “There’s a rocky ledge with a good overhang about a hundred metres on. Beyond that, you’re looking at an exposed mountain climb, which would be suicide in this weather and in the dark. But if we don’t find them before that ledge, we’re gonna need to overnight there ourselves.”

Luke said nothing for a minute, his silence weighing heavily between us. I wanted to turn around, to see his face, to remind him that I still cared about him regardless of what I’d said that night, but I couldn’t move.

His hand landed on my shoulder and squeezed. “Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll find them, Zach. One step at a time.”

“I know.” I didn’t point out what we both knew, which was that finding them wasn’t the issue. It was the fear of what we’d discover when we did. I placed my hand over his and drew on that strength he exuded by the bucketload. He was always so present, so large at my back, so... comforting. It was tempting to sink into all that reassurance and just disappear for a while.

A shudder ripped through my body.

Luke immediately pulled me into his arms and my hands slid around his neck, my face burying into the sticky damp of his coat. “What if... what if...?”

“Shh.” He stroked my hair. “Let’s not what-if.”

“Jesus, I’m sorry. I’m better than this.” I tried to wriggle free, but he held on tight.

“Don’t be sorry, baby. You don’t have to keep it together all the time. This is me, remember?”

Baby?I doubted he even realised what he’d said, let alone had any idea of the power it wielded. Comfort buoyed my heart, his warm, steadfast presence giving me hope. And damn, I’d missed him. Missed him in a way that had been ripping me apart for over a week. In a way I hadn’t been prepared to admit. I’d missed... this.

“They’re your family, Zach.” His hot breath washed over my ear and I wanted more. “So, we’re gonna do this, you and me. We’re gonna find your family and bring them home... one way or another.” He leaned back to look at me. “Regardless of what happens, of what we find,I’mnot going anywhere, understand? I’ll be here for whatever you need.” His gaze drilled into mine. “Nobody knows shit like this better than me.”

I returned his stare, pulling every scrap of conviction from those midnight eyes and knowing he was right. Of all people, Luke understood my deepest fears better than most.

His thumb brushed under my eyes, and a smile caught the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, that’s better. Now, let’s keep moving. We can reassess our plan when we hit that ledge, right?”

We.Our. Despair gave way to possibility again, and I nodded.

He gave a quick smile. “How about you call in our position and tell them the plan? Just in case.” Neither of us raised the matter of exactly whatjust in casereferred to. There were a dozen ways the next hundred metres and the night beyond could turn to custard and talking about it wasn’t going to change anything.

I made the call, whistled up the dogs, and we pressed on, visibility dropping along with my focus—my eyes glued to the ground and the next step ahead.

I instructed Luke to keep his hand on my shoulder and he complied without a word—a good indication he was as nervous as I was. The mountains ruled this land and shit happened. They were fickle and feisty and they didn’t take kindly to intruders. One wrong step was all it took.

---