Page 21 of Unleashed

She arched an eyebrow. “Are you the Fielding in Fielding and Connor?”

“No, that’s my father,” Jackson said, flashing a self-assured smile. “This is my brother, Ross.”

Ross nodded in our direction, staying quiet but watching us closely.

Erika shot me a glance before turning back to Jackson. “I might take you up on that, but she can’t,” she said, gesturing to me.

“And why not?” Ross asked, his voice finally breaking the silence.

“She’s going hiking. Alone,” Erika said, throwing the word like a challenge.

The brothers exchanged glances. “With a guide, right?” Jackson asked, concern flickering in his eyes.

“Nope. Solo,” I replied, feeling a small thrill at their surprised expressions. “I’ve done it before. I can handle myself.”

“How heavy is your pack?” Ross asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

“About forty pounds. A little more once I stock up on water at checkpoints, but it’s manageable,” I said confidently.

Jackson nodded, looking impressed. “Good luck. Maybe we could join you sometime. Do you hike, Erika?”

She shot me a look of barely-contained glee before slapping my hip with the back of her hand. “Sure, I love hiking,” she said, her voice dripping with false enthusiasm. “Being out in nature is one of my favorite things.”

I nearly choked on my laughter. Jackson didn’t seem to notice, though. He winked at her, his charm on full display.

“We should definitely plan something. I know some great spots to camp,” Jackson said, turning the full force of his smile on Erika.

After a few more flirty exchanges, we finished our shopping, and Erika promised to meet Jackson for drinks later that week. As we hauled my gear into the back of a cab, she leaned back with a dreamy sigh.

“Oh my God, Jackson is so hot. I think I’d like to schedule a playdate with him.”

I gave her a sidelong glance. “How the hell can you tell that from one meeting? And by the way, you lied. You said you love camping.”

She waved a hand dismissively.“I do love it—when I’m watching people do it on TV.”

I snorted. “You’ll have to go now. He’ll expect it.”

She grinned mischievously. “I’ll talk him out of it. I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

“Does that offer involve sex?”

“Obviously,” she said, flipping her hair with a laugh. “I’d love to get into Jackson’s pants. He’s scorching hot.”

“Then why’d you turn down his drink earlier?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“I didn’t want to seem too eager,” she said, smirking.

I shook my head, unable to hold back a smile. “You’re impossible.”

“And I’m going to miss you,” she said suddenly, leaning her head on my shoulder as the cab rolled through the streets.

“I’ll miss you, too,” I murmured. “But I promise, when I start at Elliot, we’ll hang out more.”

“You mean you won’t work yourself into an early grave?”

I chuckled. “No more of that. This trip is my reset. A new start. No more work without balance.”

“I hope you stick to it,” she said, giving my hand a squeeze.

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