Page 37 of Fourth Point Of Contact

“Don’t be. She’s still alive.”

Confused, I rushed to catch up again. “Do your legs have to be so freaking long? Seriously, I’m in a skirt and have short legs. This isn’t exactly an ideal situation for me.”

Sighing, he stopped and motioned me over. “Come on. Get on.”

“Really?” When he nodded, I nearly cried. I scurried over and hopped on his back, groaning in relief when the pressure was off my feet. “I could kiss you for this.”

“Please don’t,” he muttered. “And keep your hands on my shoulders.”

Right. Because I nearly choked him last time. “Will do.” I laid my head down as best I could and sighed. “So, how is it that the love of your life committed suicide but is still alive?”

“Never said she was the love of my life,” he answered. “We all thought she died. Watched it happen right in front of our fucking faces. But…there were other players involved.”

“Sounds like your line of work isn’t for the average Joe.”

“No, it’s not.”

“So…if she’s alive, does that mean you went after her?”

He was quiet for a moment, but his hands tightened on my thighs where they held me tight. “No. She’s been through enough shit. It was better for her if she started over.”

“And you get to decide what’s best for her?”

“I do when my line of work would only make things worse for her. Besides, there’s the matter of her previous husband.”

“Yeah, what happened to him? He must be thrilled to find out she’s alive.”

He snorted at that. “Not exactly,” he huffed, hiking faster through the hills. “He finally moved on, and then she showed up and nearly blew up his new relationship. It was a sticky situation.”

“Well, if he doesn’t want to be with her?—”

“I already told you it wouldn’t work. Besides, that was over five years ago. Nothing is the same as it was then.”

“Five years ago is a long time to hold a candle for someone,” I answered, wondering if I would still be missing James in five years. “If your fiancé cheated on you, would you take her back?”

He stopped, nearly dropping me. “Are you telling me you want him back?”

“No, I’m just asking in general.” I already knew I could never take him back after the way he made me feel. How he embarrassed me in front of everyone I worked with. “You hear all the time about people who take back a cheating spouse, but I’m wondering how that’s even possible.”

“I don’t know. I want to say no, but I think it would depend on the woman.”

That surprised me. “Like if she was hot enough?”

“No. I guess how much I loved her.”

“But she cheated on you!”

I studied the side of his face, the five o’clock shadow that was forming along his strong jaw. His eyes squinted slightly as he stared off into the distance.

“Hypothetically speaking. The woman doesn’t even exist. But let’s say I loved her enough to marry her…I don’t know. I don’t really think of myself as a man who would fall in love easily or enough to want to marry. So, I guess that woman would have to be really special.”

“But in your mind, this woman is so amazing that she would never cheat on you. How could you forgive a woman who would change everything you think you know about her?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that? Fuck, look at that.”

I pulled my gaze from his gorgeous blue eyes and followed the direction he was pointing. “Water,” I whispered. Tears filled my eyes as I stared at the beautiful sight. I scrambled down fromhis back and started running toward the spring that flowed into a stream.

The moment my feet splashed in the cool water, relief hit me like a sledgehammer. I didn’t think as I tore the clothes from my body and tossed them on the ground, not caring at all who was watching. I was down to just my underwear and bra when I remembered I wasn’t alone, and that man was damn sexy. Still, the cool water stole my attention, and the moment I stepped under the water pouring from the rocks above, nothing else mattered.

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