Page 40 of Entwined Hearts

After we stop on a flat-topped boulder to have lunch—a collective offering of snacks—Kabir and Jo set off to spot each other on a traverse. The others jump down to take turns on a neighboring problem, leaving Anya and me alone.

“Hey,” I say, leaning softly into her.

“Hey.” She gives me a sideways glance.

“So, has it been weird?”

She twists her lips, thinking. “No, but I haven’t been paying attention.”

“Focused, huh?” I ask, but it comes out like an accusation.

She frowns.

“Sorry,” I sigh, reaching for her hand. “You guys want to grab dinner before you head out? I know a great little hole-in-the-wall Mexican place.” I feel like my voice is going to crack, it’s so high and desperate.

She smiles, and my insides quiver. “That sounds awesome,” she says.

Initially, I’d been going to suggest everyone come to my place to order a pizza—just to be able to spend more time with her—but, somehow, the words took a detour as they left my lips. It was probably the image of Anya splayed out on my bed that did it.

I lean down to kiss her, tasting her soft lips. She makes a sound like a sigh, sending a surge of electric blood into my veins. I stroke down her arm, but it’s not enough. I want her naked skin touching mine, I want her soft cries in my ear, her fingers gripping my hair.

The sound of approaching voices pulls us apart, and she gives me an embarrassed little smile.

“I was thinking…” I say, chest tightening. “Why don’t I drive you home?”

She gives me a look. “To Las Vegas?”

I shrug. “Why not?”

“That’s three hours out of your way. And don’t you have to work tomorrow?”

“I quit, didn’t I tell you? I’m starting my new career playing the slots. My first day is tomorrow.”

She laughs. “You are not.”

“Okay, I’m not.” I need to stop by Marvik sometime in the next week, anyway, but I don’t tell her that.

Kabir and Jo come around the corner.

“Okay,” Anya says, her eyes sparkling.

A chilling tingle plunges straight down my spine.

“Your turn,” Jo chirps, reaching up to redo her ponytail.

It’s late afternoon by the time we head to Bishop—though only Jo, Kabir, and Anya take me up on the offer—the others say they’re too broke.

I don’t get the chance to ask Anya to ride with me before she starts heading toward Kabir’s car. Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, I put my gear away and slip out of my approach shoes. I wiggle my toes in the dry dirt, thrilled they’re free again. After I start my truck, I drive down the dirt road, left alone with my thoughts. With the windows down and the warm, dry air filling my cab, I try to keep my mind off Anya. Soon, though, our time together plays like a slideshow behind my eyes.

I think about the way she touched me last night, and my dick jumps to life in my shorts. If Kabir wasn’t following me, I’d pull over and just flog the dolphin already, give me at least a few minutes of peace, but I can’t.

Get out now, a voice says.Before you fuck it up.

I try to push this thought away, but it hovers over me like a storm cloud.

A series of chirps from my phone reminds me that I have service again. I glance at the screen, noticing several messages from Paige. My stomach clenches when I read the first one, from Saturday morning.

Scott surprised me! They gave him three days.

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