Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Unfortunately, it was the latter.” He pulled his sunglasses off and held her gaze with those emerald eyes of his. “I’m sorry about that. I realize now that you’re excellent at hiding your pain, but you absolutely feel it. They were assholes. You didn’t deserve that.”
Of all the things he could have said, you didn’t deserve that hit her right in her chest. Everyone—even the people who were sympathetic to her—believed she deserved some of it. Even her mom told her it was part of the job. “I don’t know. I’ve got a certain reputation.”
He straightened up, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her dead in the eyes. “You do not deserve that kind of treatment, Ally Pearson. Your reputation is bullshit. I’ve been with you for days, and you’re not the person they portray on TV. You work your ass off, and they shouldn’t make judgments. Especially where they know damn well you could have heard them. They knew you were on your way in. They wanted you to hear.”
He wasn’t saying anything she hadn’t already thought, but it all came back in an awful rush.
“Baby, you can’t shove this down and go about your business. Talk about it. Let it out so it doesn’t poison your whole experience here.” He grimaced. “I’m sorry. I called you baby, and that wasn’t…”
She went on her toes and kissed him, planting her lips right over his.
What the hell? He’d flat-out told her he’d been through a terrible experience, and she’d put him through another.
She backed off, and she couldn’t do anything to stop the tears now. “West, I’m so sorry. I… Please forgive me. I was emotional, and you were being so nice to me, and I think you’re really beautiful. I should never have put you in that position.”
She half expected him to walk away from her, but his expression softened, and he reached out and gently pulled her close. He wrapped his big arms around her, and the world seemed to close off.
“It’s not the same, Ally.” He whispered the words in her ear as he held her tight. “It’s not the same at all. Go ahead. You hold on for however long you need to. Just hold on.”
The awfulness of the day washed over her again, and she realized the hikes were all about avoiding this. She pushed her body so she didn’t have to deal with her soul. She didn’t like to cry, to feel so vulnerable, but she did now. She sobbed into West’s strong shoulder while he stroked a hand down her back.
A weird peace hit her after a couple of moments. When the tears dried up, she felt calm and in control again, as though she’d purged some toxin that had been sitting inside her.
She tilted her head up. “Thank you. I think I’m okay now.”
He was so gorgeous as he stared down at her. “You sure?”
She nodded.
“Good. Because I’m going to kiss you now. Then we will have both kissed each other, and we’ll be on the same level, and we can decide where to go from there.”
“Is this a pity kiss?”
“Nope. It’s a balance kiss. I would hate for you to go around thinking I have something over you because you kissed me. This puts us right back on the same footing. Now, hush. I’ve got to make it good.”
She had to look terrible. “Maybe we should…”
Then his mouth was on hers and there were no maybes. There was only warmth and comfort and a wild arousal that she’d never felt before.
After a long moment, he pulled away and grinned down at her. “See. Now we’re even, and you don’t have to be embarrassed that you totally kissed me first and told me how beautiful I am.” He was stunningly gorgeous when he smiled like he did now. He stepped back and grabbed his backpack. “I know, by the way. How pretty I am.”
“I’ve created a monster.” Oh, she could fall so hard for this guy, and she wasn’t sure she could stop herself at this point.
“Come on. There’s a pretty spot about a half a mile down, and then we can make our way back,” he said, holding out a hand. “Maybe we can order pizza for dinner since we have burned some calories.”
She should put them back on a proper footing. She could save this. He was right. They were even, and they didn’t have to go further.
Her hand went right into his, and she knew she was fucked when it came to this one.
“That sounds perfect.” She let him lead her down the trail, consigning all her good sense straight to hell.
* * * *
“You know the director is into you, right?” West asked the question tentatively as he turned on the road that led back to the hotel. Dusk had fallen, and a chill was in the air now, but they were safe and warm in the SUV, and it was time to talk about serious things again.