Page 83 of Shared By the Mountain Men

“Really good!” I replied. “It’s a tiny bit tender. Like, I’m aware of it with every step. But it’s much better than I expected.”

“Good,” he replied. “If the trip downhill goes fine, you can get going soon.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

He was hunched forward, staring down at the ground while he spoke. “I’m sure Doctor Noah will want to give you the green light, but you should probably move along in a day or two. I bet you’re eager to hit the trail.”

“You trying to get rid of me?” I said, only half-joking.

Jack shrugged. “It’d be nice to finally free up the Indigo Cabin.”

“You said it was vacant.”

“I was being nice so you didn’t get your feelings hurt.”

That stung. Not just that I was even more indebted to him, but that he was annoyed about it.

“Right,” I said dryly, “because you’ve beensohospitable up to this point.”

He looked at me, then rolled his eyes. “For fuck’s sake. Do you get upset at every little comment?”

“I’m not upset. It just seems like you’ve been eager to get rid of me since I got here.”

“I let you have the cabin, didn’t I?”

“Only because Theresa called in the favor you owed.”

“I could have said no,” he growled. “I don’t owe anyone anything. I just think it’s time you moved on. You’ve been lounging around town like it’s a fucking vacation, when you’re supposed to be healing up.”

I was on my feet without realizing it. “Why do you care what I do with my free time?”

“I don’t,” he bit off. “But you’ve overstayed your welcome.”

I stared down at Jack in disbelief. “That’s why you brought me up here? To make sure my ankle was okay so you could kick me out?”

“That’s not…” he protested.

“If I’m such an inconvenience, then I’ll move my stuff into Noah’s place.”

“It’s not that you’re an inconvenience…”

“Then what is it?” I demanded. “You hate me? If you hate me, just say the words and I’ll leave.”

His eyes flared with anger. “I don’t hate you, Melissa.”

“You sure act like it,” I said, stepping forward and adding some acid to my tone to make it hurt. “Criticizing me every damn day. Complaining about everything I do. Hell, the first time you said something nice to me came half an hour ago on this hike, and that’s only because you’re trying to get rid of me! It stops now. I’m done being your punching bag. Whatever reason you hate me, I won’t—”

“I don’t hate you,” he roared, leaping to his feet. “IT’S THE FUCKING OPPOSITE!”

His voice was so loud that a flock of birds took flight from a nearby tree. I stared at him, shocked by his outburst.

“It’s the opposite,” he repeated, slamming the hatchet down into the log without looking. “I don’t hate you, you blind idiot. I fuckinglikeyou! I’ve liked you since the moment I found you whimpering on the trail like an injured kitten!”

“I wasn’t whimpering—”

He jabbed a finger at me. “No. You’ve already spoken. It’s my turn.” His eyes were bloodshot with emotion. “From the moment I laid eyes on you, I had a tingling in the pit of my stomach. A feeling I haven’t been able to shake. That’s why I pushed you away at the clinic: because it fuckingscaredme, Melissa. I was terrified by how much I was attracted to you, pulled toward you like you’re a goddamn black hole. Then you showed up at my fucking campsite with Theresa, begging for a place to stay. I should have said no, but I couldn’t. Not while you were standing there, looking helpless. Looking like every woman I’ve ever dreamed about.”

Two hikers appeared at the end of the trail, saw us arguing, and quickly turned around.

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