Page 33 of Objection to Love

“True. I’ll steer clear of deep, moving water then. Thanks for the heads up.”

He shook his head good-naturedly. “Well, beyond dwelling on morbid thoughts, have you figured out what we’re doing?”

Her eyes lifted to his light green ones, and for a moment she could only stare. He was criminally handsome.

With a clearing of her throat, she shrugged, looking away. “I’ve decided to wait it out. Hopefully you’ll tell me what we’re doing before throwing me into a waterfall or watching me walk off a cliff.”

Garrett adjusted a strap on the bag, then grabbed her hand to tug her around the car. “That’s the best idea you’ve had yet.” And he pulled her toward the foliage, letting go of her to motion her forward onto a narrow, hardly apparent path in front of her.

She stumbled forward, her hand feeling strangely warm where he’d briefly held it. “What idea?” she sputtered, attempting to right her steps before he noticed. “Throwing me into a waterfall? That’s concerning.”

“No, you deciding to wait. Less stressful to you, I’d think.”

“Hmm,” was the only response she could come up with, what with her rising fear of suddenly twisting her ankle or falling off a cliff. Not that she could fall off a cliff while inside a canyon. She would have to hike pretty far up to do that.

Oh, please say they weren’t hiking. Who thought hiking was fun?

But after another five minutes of walking on the incredibly narrow trail, ducking and swerving occasionally to avoid the trees and bushes that grew on either side, her fears began to solidify.

“Hey, it’s probably better if I lead from here. Do you mind?”

Oh, good. They were headed somewhere. The fun was not to be had in the hike alone.

Somehow, that didn’t make her feel any better.

“No, please.” She stepped aside on the narrow trail, trying to avoid all the treacherous-looking branches and bushes that surrounded them.

He turned sideways to pass her and would have crossed her in one wide step, but his bag got stuck on a branch, halting his progress directly in front of her. His eyes widened when he was jolted to a stop. He twisted to the side to see behind him, pushing dangerously close to Em’s personal space.

“Sorry,” he said. “Any chance you can see what I’m caught on? This thing is so big, I can’t reach back.” He gestured to the bag with one hand.

“Uh. Sure.” Em leaned to the side, trying to assess the damage. Branches were pressing into her back, and she was worried they would scratch her up nicely if she tried to step around Garrett. But she couldn’t see anything with his broad shoulders and large backpack impeding her view. And his eyes watching her and warmth enveloping her was not helping. She leaned farther. Farther. Then she tipped precariously on the ball of her foot, nearly able to see behind the backpack, only to topple to the side.

The treacherous branches dug into her upper arm for only a second before Garrett’s hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her upright. And incredibly close to him.

She blinked, staring at his jaw because she couldn’t possibly meet his eyes from this close. “Sorry about that,” she said, stepping back.

Only there was no back. There were only sharp branches and no space.

Garrett chuckled.

Em glared at him.

Which was a mistake, because of the previously noted proximity.

Her eyes caught his, and with his hands still settled on her waist, it waswaytoo intimate.

“I’m going to just…” And she awkwardly sidestepped, sacrificing her left arm to the branches in order to escape. Her body brushed his—there was no avoiding that, but she breathed easier once she was finally at his side, not pinned to his front.

Chapter 13

Garrett

“CanyouseewhatI’m stuck on now?”

“Yeah. Just a sec.”

Garrett felt a slight tug on the backpack as Em worked to free him. Not that he really needed freeing. He probably could have just pulled the bag out of the bushes with a little more force, and they would be well on their way.

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