Page 40 of Unpredictable
I arched a brow, amused by her attempt to threaten me. She was tall, but I still had six inches on her. Not to mention, I was a former professional athlete. I’d gotten paid to evade lineman twice her size. If I could avoid their efforts to tackle me, I could certainly handle Juliana.
“I’ll tell you what,” I said, holding the tablet out over the railing. I wasn’t going to drop it into the flower bed below, but the threat was enough to make her pause. “Let’s go for an adventure—no devices. And when we get back, you can have your tablet.”
“Fine.” She straightened, shimmying her hips so her skirt fell back into place.
I wondered what she was up to. Why she was suddenly okay with it.
“Okay.” I eyed her as I glanced toward the front door to the inn. “Did you bring workout clothes?”
She nodded. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see. Meet back here in ten?”
She glared at me but ultimately turned and marched toward the door. Ten minutes later, I jogged down to the front porch, only to find her waiting for me as she typed something on her phone. I stilled, raking my eyes over her curves. A turquoise sports bra hugged her breasts, revealing her flat stomach. Her hips were encased in compression leggings, and I nearly let out a groan at the sight of her ass.
I strode over to her, swiped the phone from her hand before shoving it into my front pocket. “Nope. Remember what I said. No devices.”
“But my work—”
“Can wait,” I said in a firm tone that left no room for argument.
I admired her drive, her dedication, but I sensed it was more than passion for her career. She used her job as an excuse for avoiding life, and I was determined to change that.
She stuck her tongue out at me as we headed for the car. “Okay, Dad.”
I backed her against the side of my Range Rover, caging her in with my arms. It trapped the air between us, making me even hotter for her. “Trust me, Juliana. The thoughts I have toward you are definitely not paternal.”
She sucked in a jagged breath, but I merely reached around her to open the passenger door before the temptation to kiss her became too much to resist.
“Now, get in.” My tone was gruff.
“Mm. Someone’s bossy today.” I heard the smile in her voice, and I remembered how much she’d liked my bossy side during our night together.
I smirked and closed the door, rounding the car to the driver’s side. This woman drove me crazy in the best possible way. And if I could just get her to let go for a while—to drop work and the pretense of this being a business trip—I had a feeling she might actually enjoy herself.
As soon as we were out of the parking lot, I rolled down the windows. I expected her to protest, but if anything, she seemed happy. Her blond ponytail fluttered in the breeze, and a smile played at her lips. It took everything in me to tear my eyes away from her and return my attention to the road.
It was cooler beneath the shade of the trees, and the scent of fresh mountain air swirled through the car. We drove mostly in companionable silence before I pulled off the road into a dirt parking lot. The tires rumbled beneath us until I put the car into Park. I hopped out and jogged around to open the door for her.
“Ready?” I slung a backpack over my shoulder.
“I am if you are.” She grinned, one hand on her hip, water bottle in the other.
We headed up the trail, the gravel path crunching beneath our feet. When she stopped to tie one of her shoes, I stared at her heart-shaped ass a moment before shaking my head to clear it. What had I been thinking, bringing her on a hike? Between the leggings and the sports bra, this woman was going to be the death of me.
I glanced down the trail, wondering how far she’d make it. Wondering if she would last past the first mile, or if she was too much of a city girl to enjoy nature. But as we passed the first mile and then the second, I was impressed. We talked every so often, about work, family, life. And it was nice—easy.
When we stopped for a water break, I took a seat on a nearby rock ledge and dug in my backpack for some of the snacks I’d brought. “Hungry?”
“Maybe.” She took a sip of her water. “What do you have?”
I held out several options, all gluten free and some that were vegan. Her eyes lit up when she saw them. “I love Emmie’s cookies. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I’d noticed she kept them around her office, so I’d picked up some before our trip.
I watched as she opened the package and popped one in her mouth. Her freckles were more pronounced today, and her blond ponytail hung down her back, tempting me to wrap it around my fist.
