Page 20 of Unleashed

“Maybe?” he asked, his voice filled with frustration. “I want you to say yes.”

I sighed heavily, my mind racing. “I can’t. I’ve had a lot dumped on me the past few days: a denial of promotion, a job offer, an admission of love…”

“Think about it.” He softened, his tone pleading. “I’ll hold onto your resignation letter for a few days. If you feel the same, we can always retract it from HR.”

“I doubt I’ll feel differently,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “A few days won’t change that.”

The office intercom buzzed, announcing a call for Slade. He hesitated, then came around my desk, his fingers gently cradling my face. His lips brushed against mine in a soft kiss that left me breathless.

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me standing there with the ghost of his kiss and a knot of confusion tightening in my chest.

CHAPTER 5

As we wandered through REI, the tang of rubber and canvas filling the air, Erika trailed her fingers over the gear, frowning at the prices on everything. “Where can I reach you?” she asked, her voice edged with concern.

“You can’t.” I pulled a hiking backpack off the rack, giving the straps a test pull. “I don’t think the woods have great reception.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re serious? You’re going out there completely off the grid?”

I slung the pack over my shoulder, adjusting it to test the weight. “That’s the plan. No signal, no calls, no emails—just me and the Appalachian Trail. I need this break.”

“You’re crazy,” she muttered, shaking her head. “What happens if you run into a bear?”

“I’ll deal with it,” I shrugged, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “I’ve hiked and camped alone before. I need a break from technology—and from people.”

Her hand froze mid-reach toward a display of thermal socks. “What happens if you injure yourself?”

I grinned at her worry, but her frown didn’t budge. “It’s summer, Erika. The trail’s packed with hikers. If I trip and break something, someone will come along to save me.”

She crossed her arms, fixing me with a hard stare. “Not if you get bitten by a snake. You could die out there.”

It warmed my heart that Erika worried so much about me. She was the only one who knew I was going alone. I told my parents I was hiking with some friends because I didn’t want them to worry. My father was the one who taught me to hike when I was a kid and I found it relaxing, giving me time to think.

I chuckled, grabbing a pair of hiking boots. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were actually worried about me.”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes but unable to hide the hint of concern in her voice. “Shut up, idiot. Of course I’m worried about you. I love you.”

“I know,” I said with a soft smile, nudging her playfully with my elbow. “But I’ll be fine. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Her gaze flicked to the gear in my arms, and she sighed dramatically. “Fine. Get your stuff. But the least you can do is let me buy you a martini before you head off to the wilderness.” She paused, her tone shifting. “Any word from Slade?”

I winced, dropping the boots into the shopping cart. “No. He’s been freezing me out for the last few weeks. He doesn’t understand why I made the decision to leave Abbott. I needed a fresh start.”

Erika’s lips twisted into a knowing smirk. “He feels like he’s losing you.”

“He never had me,” I said, frustration creeping into my voice. “And if this is how he shows love, I’m starting to think he never really loved me.”

“Move on,” she said bluntly, eyeing a jacket rack. “You live in a city full of men. Come back from your little nature adventure and, for God’s sake, start dating again. You’re a beautiful woman.”

Before I could respond, two men with look-alike sandy brown hair and sharp gray eyes, who had been lingering near the down jackets, smiled over at us.

“You’re both beautiful,” one of them said with a lazy grin. “Come have a drink with us.”

Erika didn’t miss a beat. “We’ve got plans, but thanks,” she said smoothly.

“It’s just one drink,” the older of the two insisted, slipping a card from his wallet and handing it to Erika. “In case you change your mind.”

I leaned into glance at the card as Erika flipped it over. Jackson Fielding III, Stock Analyst at Fielding and Connor.

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