Page 11 of Goddess of Storms

Stone gazes over his shoulder at me, “What? Do my ears deceive me? You’re the one always dying to get out into nature and now you can’t wait to sit?”

“Har, har laugh it up, Hammer boy. I love being out here, but I don’t get to do it as much as I’d like.”

“That’s a shame. You should talk Nicks into it more often,” Stone says.

“I think I’m wearing him down, he sent me to the far side of the park with you.”

Stone laughs, “Wearing him down or annoying him?”

“Potato, Patato.” I shrug.

As the words leave my mouth, Stone stops with a hand up, shushing me.

“We are lost, Phoenix, where’s your phone?” a familiar voice calls.

“Dead, just like yours, asshat!”

“This was your idea, why didn’t you come prepared?”

Just then, a red-haired male a little taller than Stone walks into sight. He is lean and muscular, with flame tattoos on his forearms. There is a 5 o’clock shadow on his chin and a smirk on his full lips, and then out walks Nile. He looks the same as when I last saw him, his black hair a little longer on the side and his sea-green eyes staring into mine. Still maintaining his swimmer’s body he’s always had.

My jaw falls open, I can’t talk or move.

He nears me, “Harper, what the hell are you doing here?”

“Me? I told you I was out in the field. You’re the shithead that didn’t tell me you were in the state or my park,” I say as I hit him in the chest.

“You know him?” Stone asks.

“Intimately,” Nile replies with an eyebrow wiggle, earning him another hit.

“I mean it wasn’t a big thing.” I say, holding up my index and thumb close together.

This gets a howl from Stone and the redhead.

“Hello, Harper is it? I’m Phoenix.” The redhead introduces himself and holds out his hand.

I take it, I get heat like flames from his touch. Similar to the same electricity I got from Stone’s touch but different. “Yes, Harper and this here is my partner, Stone. What are you two doing out here?” I ask, trying to shake off the connection drawing me to the three of them.

“Burying a body, then we got lost on the way back to the truck,” Nile says.

“Shut up, Nile,” I snap.

“Fine, Phoenix had some time off and wanted to go hiking. What better place than here?”

“You’re not wrong, but we talked yesterday and you didn’t say anything,” I say dryly.

“I wasn’t sure you’d want to see me. It was dumb luck we ran into you,” he replies innocently.

“Well, this is awkward, we have a way to go to our campsite. You’re welcome to camp with us. As for your dead phones, I have a power pack you can borrow to charge them. Then you can be on your way in the morning,” Stone tells the guys. “I’m Stone by the way.”

“Lead the way,” Phoenix winks at me.

“Oh, you’re winking at the wrong person. Stone takes lead, so I know he’s not staring at my ass.”

Stone laughs and starts toward our final destination.

“After you two,” I say, gesturing for them to follow.

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