Page 40 of (Un)Expected

Cole cleared his throat, running his hand through his hair. “So…I, uh…I came up here to ask you for your help.”

I stared up at him, hating how viscerally I reacted to his presence. My palms started to warm, and my heart beat a little louder in my chest. Everything else around us faded away, leaving him as the center of my attention, as if I’d been waiting for him to come back around to prove that the other night wasn’t a fluke, that therewasa connection here. It wasn’t one that either of us expected or wanted, but it was developing between us anyway.

“I’ve been going stir-crazy these past few weeks,” Cole said. “Everyone’s focused on getting ready to film.” He sighed, running a calloused finger over the bridge of his nose. “I need some normalcy before I break a camera.”

“And how can I help you with that?”

Cole smiled at me. “You know all the good places around here. At this point, I don’t care if it’s a walk through the woods; I just need to get out of here for a couple of hours.”

I scanned my desk, thinking through the options. There were plenty of trails nearby, ones we usually recommended to visitors, especially if they didn’t know the area well, but they were likely stillpacked with people. If I’d learned anything about Cole, he needed a break from the rest of the world, a feeling I understood all too well.

“You know what’s gorgeous right now?” Javi said as he stepped to my side. “That trail by Beekman’s Pass. You should check it out.”

Cole nodded, his smile now tight. “Thanks, man. Do you have a map?”

“Oh no,” Javi laughed. “It’s a local secret, so it’s not clearly marked. You need an experienced hiker to lead you through it. In fact…” He smiled down at me, and an icy dread jumped through my bones. “Alex knows it better than anyone. She’ll be your guide.”

“What?” I snapped, my gaze darting between the two men. “Oh no, I can’t. You’re supposed to be leaving soon, Javi. I can’t leave you here by yourself. I can find another trail, or at the very least, someone else to help Mr. Campbell out.”

“Don’t be silly,” Javi said, his eyes narrowing. “Go enjoy the hike. You and I both know you deserve a break.”

I turned to Cole, hating that I couldn’t read his expression. Was he as torn as I was? Was this the worst idea ever?

It didn’t matter—the tension between us had to break eventually, and today was as good a day as any. Besides, I really didn’t want to have to explain to Adam why Cole and I couldn’t be in the same room.

I slowly slid around the counter, leading Cole toward the employee’s lounge. I lifted my thumb over my shoulder, pointing to the employees-only entrance. “Give me five, and I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”

“You really don’t have to,” Cole said, his eyes shifting around the room. “I didn’t mean… I was planning on going by myself.”

“Oh. Yeah, of course,” I say, shaking my head to brush off his stinging dismissal. I was going to murder Javi as soon as I got back to work. “You’re right. I’ll just…”

“Shit,” Cole mumbled. He started to reach out to me but seemed to think better of it, dropping his hand back to his side, flexinghis fingers. “That’s not what I meant. You can come. You should come.” He sighed. “I…I’d like it if you came along.”

Maybe it was the slight hesitancy in his voice or the rare moment of vulnerability, but either way, I could feel myself soften to him again. “Are you sure?” I asked, nudging him in the ribs. “I could send you to one of the easier trails. There’s one only a couple of miles away I usually recommend for junior hikers.”

For a moment, his lip curled up into an almost smile. “Damn, Alex. Know how to hurt a guy’s ego, don’t you?”

I smirked up at him. “It’s a special talent for you alone.” Then I stop myself, staring up at him. “But seriously, if you don’t want me to come, I get it. Say the word and I’ll head back to work.”

Cole stared at me for a long moment; there was no way he’d agree to this. To my surprise, he swallowed instead. “Yeah, you should come.”

“Really?” As much as I tried to hide it, I couldn’t help my beaming smile. Cole continued to stare at me like it was the first time he saw someone react that way.

“Yeah. I’d like that,” he said. “Besides, Javi’s right. If anyone needs a day off, it’s you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He motioned to the end of my ponytail, the curls a sad facsimile of what they were this morning. “You’re looking a little rough there, Alex.”

“Asshole,” I chuckled, shoving at his chest. “And it’s not like you’re one to talk.”

Cole stared down at me, and once again, I was back in my kitchen, imagining how his lips would feel like on mine. Would they be sweet or demanding like I expected? I could already feel the scrape of his callouses against my skin, begging for more.

Cole cleared his throat, pressing open the door behind me. “Get your shit, Alex. You’ve got five minutes.”

“And you’ll waitfor me?”

He stared at me, taking longer than I’d expected to answer. “It’s not like I have much of a choice.”

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