by Anna Joung
She’s the one that’s going to change my life.
Chapter 4
Hailey
My eyes were still bleary by the time I pulled up outside his house. I killed the engine before sitting and staring out at what could be mistaken as a derelict house. Even inside the car, I could hear the stream nearby babbling away and it brought a sense of calm over me. This time a dog didn't come rushing out to bark at me, instead I initiated the first contact as I climbed out of the car and knocked on the door of the house.
What is this feeling? Am I… excited to see him? But why? What spell has this man cast over me? Why do I feel drawn to him?
“Good morning,” he opened the door whilst checking his watch, “I’m surprised you managed to get here early.”
I had equally mixed feelings of annoyance and intrigue to the man in front of me. Lawson had spent most of the conversation the day before judging me and making assumptions. I knew it had thrown me off my game a little but he had that way about him. At the same time, there was something behind the façade that I wanted to break through.
There’s something inside of him. Some hidden pain, some unknown desire. Kayla was right, he is a diamond in the rough. I’m just wondering if I’m strong enough to get through to find his shiny side. And then, if I do, what do I intend to do with it? I’m an engaged woman. I have responsibilities.
I was whisked away from my thoughts as he thrust a pair of ugly shoes in my direction. I grabbed them, inspecting them from various angles.
“I wouldn’t be caught dead in these monstrosities,” I scoffed.
"Well, you might wind up dead if you don't put them on. It gives you grip, traction, precision, and durability – all things you need up in those mountains. So, what’s your choice – killer fashion or killer rocks?”
I hurled him one of my deadly glares before throwing myself onto the nearby couch. As I did, I heard the patter of claws as the wolf came running back up to me.
“Get him away!” I screeched, lashing out with my feet.
Without warning, Lawson placed a hand firmly on my thighs and pushed down, subduing my movement.
“Keep calm,” he soothed, “This is Thor. He’s a Dutch Shepherd and you had better get used to him because he’s coming with us. Plus, I’ve told him to be on his best behavior today, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“You have a pet wolf?” I asked, stunned.
“It’s a dog,” he tutted, “Have you never seen a dog before? Very different in so many ways. Anyway, put your shoes on.”
He finally released my legs from his grip. I felt the warm sensation from his handprint spread up my thigh to my groin. I knew he was having an effect on me but at that moment I came to realize just how much. In an attempt to hide my blush, I turned to the side only to be greeted with a slobbery kiss from the dog. Trying to push his snout away only seemed to make him more excited as he jumped up, his paws on my shoulders, and continued to lap at my face.
“Thor, down!” I heard Lawson command.
Within a second the dog was gone and a laughing Lawson handed me a towel. I glowered at him as I wiped the drool from my face before finally tying the laces on the shoes. They featured a downturned toe which made walking feel rather bizarre.
“I’ll give you the rest of the stuff when we’re next to the mountain face. You can put your shoes in the car to change into once we’re done.”
I followed him out the door and to the back of the house where his battered old pick-up truck waited. He heaved the equipment into the back before helping Thor to jump in. The dog settled in straight away as I followed his owner to the front of the car. Lawson held the door open as I climbed into the passenger seat, I was surprised at such a gentlemanly act.
“You ready for an adventure?” he asked as he got behind the wheel.
I looked across at him and something stirred inside of me. I knew at that moment that I was willing to do almost anything for this stranger next to me.
But why? What makes him different from everyone else? And why am I putting myself in this position?
“I’m ready.”
***
Lawson
I watched as she climbed into the harness before pulling it up her legs. Despite it only taking a few seconds, it felt like it had gone in slow-motion as I watched her drag the loops over the toned curves of her body. It wasn't until she cleared her throat that I looked up to see her eyebrow lifted, laughter mixed with challenge in her snowy blue eyes. My throat felt dry as I licked my lips and stepped forward to tighten the straps. Bending down, I started with the thighs, pulling it comfortably tight around her shapely legs, I wanted nothing more than to grip them between my hands, bite into her tender flesh. Afterward, I slowly stood up, leaning in close to her, our bodies almost touching as I tightened the floating waist pad. Our eyes met, our breath mingling and I could feel an electric spark between us.
What would she do if I stepped forward and kissed her right now? What would her lips feel like on mine? I must find out. But…
I shook the thoughts away, a mask of professionalisms sweeping over my features. Hailey must have noticed my attitude change as her expression turned from sultry to confusion. Rustling through my bag, I pulled out a carabiner and hooked it onto the front loop of her harness. I tugged it, forcing her to stumble forward, her arms grasping onto my shoulder as she did so, her body smacking into mine. I felt myself harden instantly and I knew she must have felt my bulge pressing into her stomach. For a moment, I stood there, now placing the challenge back on her, seeing how she would react. I was surprised to see a blush creep up her delicate features as she took a step back. The sexual tension was so thick it could be cut by a knife.
“Put this on,” I threw her a helmet.
She caught it, looking at it disapprovingly, “This is going to wreck my hair.”
“I’m pretty sure a hairstyle is more fixable than a crushed skull. Put it on,” I commanded.
I caught her glaring at me before she placed it on her head. After I finished prepping myself, I tugged at the bottom strap of her helmet to ensure it was secured in place.
Time to climb.
Looking across at the woman next to me, I prayed she would cast her stubbornness to the side whilst we were climbing. I knew that up there on the mountain, mother nature didn’t care how rich you were, how entitled you believed yourself to be – she would take no prisoners if we weren’t careful. I examined the sky, determining the weather conditions. I hadn’t had time to prepare fully with such late warning but the sky was relatively clear, a few clouds dotted about but nothing to worry about at that time. I had already decided at the slightest chance of rain that the experience would come to an end and we would head back to shelter. Hailey wasn’t experienced enough to deal with unfavorable weather conditions and she wasn’t a good enough listener to cope in an emergency.
After ensuring the straps were firmly tightened on Thor’s harness, I spoke, “Let’s go.”
It was a slow process at first, getting Hailey to climb, but after a while, I was surprised at how fast she took to the activity. Her progress shot up within the first half-hour and soon we were ascending at a relatively fast pace. Thor's barks of encouragement seemed to drive her further and it was only on occasion did I have to step in to adjust her holding or footing. I knew the area I had picked was good for beginners but the way she breezed through it was astounding me. I was debating taking her up another level when the first drops of rain descended.
“We need to get back down. Now,” I shouted over to her.
She looked at me confused until a fat raindrop splatted onto her nose. Looking up into the sky, I now noticed the gathering of thick gray intimidating clouds. Not only did it look like it was going to rain, but it also looked like a storm was brewing. I explained to Hailey how to descend the rock face. Everything was going well, even when the rain picked up pace. Thor was unhappy with the change in weather as much as his human companions, but we battled on.
It wasn’t until we were at the last 10 feet that the rain really started to pour and the wind howled. Something in my gut stirred and I looked across at Hailey just in time to see her slip on a foot placement. In a panic, she threw herself backward and she hurtled towards the ground, I tried to tighten the rope in time but only just caught it before she crashed entirely. She still landed with a thud at the bottom, the impact powerful enough to cause damage and she screamed out.
“Hailey!” I yelled, quickly descending the mountain, jumping the last five feet before landing next to her.
Holding her ankle, she rocked back and forth, a stream of obscenities emitted from her cupid-bow lips. Bending down, I brushed her hair to the side so I could look into her face.
“Your ankle?” I asked, “Is that where the pain is? Is that where you landed?”
“Yes,” she screeched.
“We need to get out of this rain,” I looked up into the unrelenting rain, “Can you put any weight on your ankle?”
She hooked her arm over my shoulders and I helped her get to her feet. Hailey attempted to put weight on her ankle but I could see she was in pain. Leaning her against the rock face, I unhooked her gear before dealing with myself and Thor. After haphazardly packing everything away, I threw my backpack over my shoulders before bending down and scooping Hailey into my arms. She didn't weigh much as she linked her arm around my neck for balance. My eyes scanned the areas for shelter before finally landing on a giant boulder leaning against the rockface. Without waiting any longer, I started jogging with her in my arms, Thor running by my side. It wasn't until we were safely under the shelter of the boulder that I placed her back on the ground carefully. She winced as she accidentally leaned a little into her ankle before settling. Thor, sensing her pain, lay down next to her, nuzzling his snout onto her lap.
“He doesn’t usually do that,” I informed her, “He really must like you.”
At first, she looked at him with surprise edging on disgust before finally placing a hand on his head and stroking. He wagged his tail a few times before closing his eyes and enjoying the attention from his human female companion. Whilst she was occupied with the dog, I huddled over her ankle and examined it. It was slightly swollen but not enough to indicate anything was broken.
“This might hurt a little,” I warned as I slowly pushed against the foot.
She yelped before biting down on her lip as I assessed the pain. After a while, I made my judgment.
“I think it’s just a twist but nevertheless, you shouldn’t walk on it. I might be able to carry you to the truck if the rain eases up a little.”
CRASH!
All of us jumped at the sound of the thunder. It was loud but not close enough to be life-threatening. I peeked my head out of the boulder and looked up at the threatening clouds above.
“Or maybe not,” I said sheepishly, shrugging, “It looks like we might be stuck here a while.”
Stuck in a confined space with Hailey Beaumont. This might just work out in my favor.
Chapter 5
Hailey
Panic flooded through me, overriding the emanating pain in my ankle.
“I left my phone in the truck. I can’t stay here! What if Matthew finds out I’m missing? Worse, what if he discovers I took his car without permission?”
Lawson scoffed, “The man is more concerned with his material possessions rather than his soon-to-be-wife. Sounds like a real gentleman.”
I scowled at him, “You can’t say that about my fiancé. Maybe he’s got a few cons but I’m sure he cares about me.”
“You’re sure?” he asked, raising his eyebrow, “For a man who tricked you here on a romantic break only to go off with his buddies hunting, sure sounds like a catch to me. Why are you with him if he can’t treat you right? Surely, you can do better.”
I can do better? You mean a man like you?
I debated whether to tell him the truth, unleash all my sordid secrets onto him. For a minute I thought it was madness to admit everything to a complete stranger but one look into his caramel eyes and I was swayed.
“It’s wasn’t my choice to be with him. Women of my social ranking don’t get to pick their husbands. Not unless they’re royalty.”
Lawson’s brow furrowed, “If not you, then who gets to decide?”
“My father,” I admitted, “Matthew’s father is business partners with my dad. Matthew comes from a rich British heritage, the Pemberton family. It was sealed from birth that I would be marrying Matthew when I came of age. I’ve tried to hold it off as long as possible but we’re due to be wed this summer. I thought that’s why he suggested this getaway, so we could actually get to know one another and become closer before our marriage. I’m a complete idiot. I know Matt has been sleeping around behind my back, I see the way he tries to hide his phone from me. At least he used to have the respect to do so. Now, he just leaves it out in the open, not caring whether I know he’s cheating on me or not. I’ve never seen anything, I don’t want to, but I’ve heard the rumors. No one is surprised though, it’s common practice with our lifestyle. The men get married for the benefits, not for love. Never for love. I don’t think true love even exists, it’s for fairytales.”
I felt the tears drip down my cheeks as I finished the last sentence. Thor stirred on my lap, looking up at me with his understanding eyes. That look made the tears come faster, as though trying to compete with the rain outside. It wasn’t until I felt a weight on my shoulders that I finally reopened my eyes.
“You don’t deserve this; you shouldn’t allow this to happen. Why don’t you just run away from it all?” he asked.
Why don't I? Why don't I just leave all this pain behind and escape to the mountains like Lawson? Clearly, he's running away from something. Why can't I do the same?
The absurdity of the notion made me laugh, “Runaway from it? Where does that leave me? Destitute with no money and nowhere to go. My family will disown me, I’ll be branded a sinner and evicted from society as I know it. They’ll shun me and I’ll have nowhere to turn.”
His hand stroked down the length of my jawline before wiping the tears anointing my chin. I turned to look at him through my watery sight. Even slightly blurred, I could see the concern etched into his face among the undertones of desire. I knew he wanted me and I in turn wanted him.
And what’s to stop me? I’m out here in the middle of nowhere with no one to witness anything. I’ve never felt this connection before, why should I pass up the opportunity? Lawson is right – I shouldn’t have to put up with the situation I’ve been thrust into. Maybe I can't leave it all behind but if Matthew can give in to his carnal desires, why can't I give into my emotional ones? I know Lawson cares for me. He's shown me more affection in the last few days than I've seen in the entirety of my life.
As his lips came closer to mine, I knew I had a decision to make. My thoughts ran rampant until finally the connection was made. Instantly, I knew I had made the right decision as his arms circled around my waist and he pulled me in closer. His untamed facial hair tickled my face as I breathed in his scent, allowing myself to bask in the moment of unity. It was sweet and full of raw emotion, the traces of his mouth lingering on mine when he pulled away. I could see the desire in his eyes, the control he was exerting over himself to stop it going any further.
I’m feeling that too. I want you.
“I’m so sorry…” he began.
I waved my hands about, “Don’t apologize. Don’t ruin this moment. I know morally what we’ve done is wrong but it just feels so right.”
“It feels so right with you,” he added, “Everything feels right with you.”
I gnawed on my lower lip, savoring the taste of him, “I can’t let this go any further though. It wouldn’t be right. No matter my feelings, I owe it to my family to be a loyal wife.”
“You’re not married yet,” he protested.
I smiled at him, “You’re right, but I’m also not willing to cross that line just yet. H
ow long do you reckon we’re going to be stuck in here?”
Lawson crawled to the edge of the boulder and peeped out, “I think we might be stuck here for the night. Think your fiancé can survive without the car for one night?”
“He’ll just have to.”
He dug about in his backpack before pulling out some tarp and laying it across the ground. Pulling a hoodie out from his bag, he balled it up and fashioned a pillow out of it, placing it behind me.
“What about you?” I asked.
“I’ll be fine.”
Reluctantly, I leaned back, the pain from my ankle flaring up temporarily. I nestled into the makeshift pillow and before I could argue, Lawson had wrapped his arms around me, spooning me from behind. I felt safe and warm in his arms, a feeling of happiness emanating from the pit of my stomach. Despite the angry storm outside, a sense of serenity had settled over me and soon my eyes were getting heavy and I drifted off into a deep slumber.
Who knew the arms of the mountain man would be my new home?
Chapter 6
Lawson
A stream of sunlight fell directly onto my eyes as I blinked them open. I was momentarily confused as I noticed the warm weight resting against my body, a head upon my chest. I looked down to see a mass of black hair swirled about my chest and nestled within, the face of the betrothed woman I had kissed last night. Her face was relaxed, her lips slightly parted as she breathed, her long lashes resting against her smooth cheeks. Reaching across, I gently moved the hair covering her face, causing her to stir.
“What time is it?” she mumbled, her voice groggy with sleep.
"I'm not sure. Definitely, morning judging by the angle of the sun. The storm has stopped, we can get back to the truck now."
Slowly, she lifted her head from my chest. As she opened her eyes she looked directly into my face. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking but a blush crept up her cheeks.
