Page 17 of Wild About the Mountain Guide
I laugh. “The name is not the best, no. I honestly thought I’d be spending a week with people who would do moon dances or something. And before I met you, I was certain you were a tree-hugging hippie who walked these mountains barefoot.”
His deep laugh rumbles through me. “Totally get that. Sometimes, we do attract those kinds of people, and that’s why we’re not fond of running it, but…” He slows his pace and turnsto look at me. My breath catches as he meets my gaze. “But this week has been an exception. I’m having such a great time that I don’t want it to end.”
“I’m having way more fun than I could’ve imagined. If it stays like this, I’ll have to thank Melissa instead of strangling her,” I say wryly.
“Remind me to send her a thank-you card too.”
My insides go wobbly at his words.
We’re both grinning like idiots when we catch up with the others, who’ve stopped at a flat clearing surrounded by tall pines.
“Perfect timing,” Knox calls out. “This is our home for the night.”
As I watch him survey the campsite, that warm feeling in my chest grows stronger. After our conversation on the trail, I’m starting to think that maybe I’m not imagining things after all. Maybe he really is interested in me.
“All right, everyone,” Knox announces. “Same drill as yesterday. Let’s get these tents up before we lose the light.”
I smile as I drop my pack. Yesterday, tent setup felt like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube while blindfolded. Today? I’ve got this. I know exactly how to lay out the footprint, connect the poles, and thread them through the sleeves. Knox taught me well.
I unzip my pack with the swagger of someone who’s mastered basic wilderness skills, ready to show off my newfound competence.Eat your heart out, Marcus. This city girl is about to—
My stomach drops.
I paw through my pack once, then twice, then frantically dump everything onto the ground. Sleeping bag, rain jacket, extra clothes, first aid kit… They all come tumbling out, but not my tent.
“Oh, no.”
“Everything okay?” Knox asks with a worried frown.
“I can’t find my tent. I must have forgotten it at the shelter. We were in such a hurry to get out of there, and there was so much gear strewn around to dry…” I look up at Knox with growing panic. “I’m going to die, aren’t I?”
“You’re not going to die. I’m sure you can bunk with someone.”
Harmony glances at her compact tent, already half-assembled. “I’d love to share with you, babe, but mine’s a one-person tent.”
My heart sinks further as I look around at everyone else’s gear. The welcome email specifically stated we’d be carrying our own equipment for a week, and that smaller, lighter tents were essential for backpacking. So everyone brought single-person tents.
Well. Almost everyone.
Knox runs a hand through his hair, looking uncertain. “Look, I have a two-person tent. You could… I mean, if you’re okay with it, you could stay with me. But I understand if that’s not appropriate or if you’re not comfortable—”
“Well, what else is Peyton supposed to do?” Harmony interrupts. “She can’t sleep out here. It’s too cold. I could help her by smudging a spot with sage and laying out crystals for protection, but I can’t control the temperature.”
Heat floods my cheeks as everyone turns to look at me. This is mortifying. Not only did I forget my most essential gear in a shelter ten miles back, like some kind of amateur, but now I’m being offered charity by the guy I’m starting to have feelings for.
“I don’t want to impose,” I say quickly. “Maybe I could sleep by the fire or—”
“Absolutely not. It’s supposed to drop into the thirties tonight. You’d freeze,” Knox says.
“Plus, Knox is a perfect gentleman. You’ll be totally safe, if that’s something you’re worried about,” Christine chimes in.
The last thing I’m worried about is accidentally brushing Knox’s arm during the night, but I can’t tell the others that.
The practical part of my brain knows that sharing a tent with Knox is the only logical solution. The other part of my brain is doing cartwheels at the thought of spending the night mere feet away from Knox. Then there’s the mortified part of my brain that wants to crawl under a rock and hide until this whole embarrassing situation blows over. It feels like my head’s about to explode.
“Come on, I’ll set up our tent,” Knox says, having decided for me.
“Are you sure?” I ask, trying to sound casual while my heart is about to pound right out of my chest.
