Page 40 of Love By a Landslide

“Well, your caveman eloquence would beg to differ. Here.” Grabbing a chunk of jerky, she stepped over to him. She waved it in his face. He followed the hunk of meat around like a salivating labrador being teased with treats. The deep growl of his stomach and a passing breeze wafting the tangy scent must have been the final nudge Jonathan needed. He took the offering and bit into it.

Eyes rolling back, he let out another growl, this time from low in his throat. “Pork jerky. Solid choice.”

“It’s my favorite,” Lucy agreed, returning to perch on her boulder seat.

“I have a banana in my pocket if you want it.”

Lucy nearly choked on her snack. The absurdity of his offer hit Lucy like a ton of bricks. Jonathan studied her reaction quizzically. Clearly, the dude didn’t catch what he’d said because he wasn’t even cracking a little grin. His innocent miss of an obvious joke made her giggle deliriously. Arms wrapped around her belly, she flopped back on the boulder, bumped into her pack, and sent it careening off the edge of the cliff.

Lucy froze. Thick silence coated the air. She kept her eyesclosed as she turned, uttering a silent prayer—to any deity that would listen—that her bag would be within arm’s reach. But when she looked, the backpack was sprawled on a ledge about twenty feet down. Far enough away that there was no chance of retrieving it but close enough that the patches of reflective fabric flashed in the sunlight . . . taunting her.

A rush of blood pumped through her ears. The audiblethump thump thumpof her heart pounded in her chest. Of all the fucking things that could go wrong . . . This never would have registered as a possibility.

A low rumble snuck up behind her, unidentifiable yet growing with intensity. It wasn’t until Jonathan’s laughter fully erupted that she turned from the depressing sight of her lost belongings. When he saw her eyes wide and mouth agape, he laughed even harder, the kind that was silent while laboring to pull in a breath. Tears streamed down his face as Lucy sat there in shock.

“This isfunnyto you?” Anger quickly replaced shock.

Jonathan shook his head as he struggled to make words.

Lucy shot daggers at him. “No? Because you’re sure acting like it is.” The anger evolved into a simmering rage. She could feel her cheeks reddening and her eyebrows furrowing aggressively.

“No . . . no.” Jonathan waved a dismissive hand in front of him as he managed a few words between gasps. “It’s just so . . . so . . .”

“So, what?”

“Sofuckingridiculous!” He laughed so hard he could barely sit upright. Broad shoulders slumped forward as his whole body shook. The forgotten map slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground.

Lucy watched as he dissolved into a puddle of mirth, the sound husky and distracting. Her fury slowly receded. Theabsurdity of the situation began to sink in, and soon, she found herself cracking a smile. Because what the hell else could she do?

“Is it gone for good?” Jonathan asked, wiping his eyes and swallowing his remaining laughter. He stood next to her and peered over the edge.

“Unless you have a harness and some rope, I’d say she’s a goner.” Lucy dragged her fingers back and forth over her forehead. Of course, a tension headache would pop up after her supply of ibuprofen took a dive off a cliff.

“Damn it.” His words were so defeated that Lucy felt a fresh wave of anxiety slosh in her gut.

“Wait!” She spun and clawed her fingertips into his forearm. “You have some of my stuff in your bag. Remember? You lightened my load yesterday.”

“You’re welcome, by the way.”

She bolted for his pack and pulled open the top flap. He didn’t protest as she rummaged around. Bug spray, sunscreen, an outfit she had rolled into a bundle to keep together, her excessive first aid kit. She held up the red bag and scowled. “Shouldn’t this have stayed in my pack? In case we got separated?”

Jonathan shrugged. “Probably, yeah. But at the time, you were so bogged down with all that crap, and I wanted to make your trip easier. And fortunately, it paid off because it’s up here with us instead of down there.” He pointed down to her brand-new—now gone—backpack and then returned to her side.

She unzipped the pouch, frantically digging through the single-dose medicines to find the blessed Advil. In her haste, a thick foil packet popped out of the front pocket and landed in the dirt.

Jonathan knelt. “You dropped something,” he mentioned casually.

Lucy looked up and seriously considered jumping off thecliff to live on that ledge with her backpack. Embarrassment washed over her as she clocked the strip of three condoms dangling from his fingertips.Ribbed for her pleasureemblazoned on each one.

Heat enveloped her already sweaty skin in a full-body blush. The only thing that could cap off the mortifying moment was if she farted loudly and then threw a box of tampons at him. Maybe if she wished really hard, the rain would start up again and sweep her away with another landslide.

On the other hand, why should she be embarrassed? She was a single, grown woman, damn it. And smart for bringing protection, for planning ahead. Just in case. Safety was sexy after all.

Lucy squared her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said levelly, looking Jonathan directly in the eyes while taking the strip of prophylactics from his outstretched hand.

He attempted a neutral expression, but the slightest wiggle at the corner of his mouth ruined the effect. He was dying to say something.

Go ahead, buster. I dare you.

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