Page 10 of Wilderness Daddy

I stroll to the meeting area late, dressed business casual in linen culottes and a short-sleeve blouse with a coffee in hand, because late or not I was not coming to this bullshit meeting looking sleep-rumpled and without caffeine. Dale, the guy running the program, waves me to an empty spot on the front row of a log seating area. I glance at Landon sitting nearby and he’s scowling at me.

The first team-building event is an obstacle course. Of course, I’ve been partnered with Landon and of course, I get chosen to be the blindfolded one. I shoot my brother a knowing look and he shrugs. He’s partnered with Grant and they seem to be having a great time. From what I can tell so far, besides Grant’s womanizing ways, he and my brother are the same when it comes to the family business. Neither want anything to do with it. But where my brother fakes it, Grant just screws the dog.

“Are you always late to work functions?” Landon asks quietly as he walks over to me.

“This isn’t a work function, it’s a waste of time. And I’m not an employee.” I take a sip of my latte and set the cup on the ground.

“Management still has to attend and even though I agree it’s a waste of time, as a fellow participant, I don’t appreciate being held up by a spoiled brat who values her latte more than my time.”

I don’t tell him I’m not part of management either—that my father is holding me back, letting me get a ‘feel’ for things first. “Observe and learn, Akari.” That burns more than battery acid in my belly.

Grant won’t be a challenge for me. It’s Landon who’s going to be a pain in my ass.

“Dealing with you requires caffeine, Landon.” I roll my eyes at him. “Likely more than this place has.” I think he’s about to tear me a new one when Dale comes over to us.

“So the person with the blindfold has to make it through the course with just the verbal instructions of their partner.” Dale hands me a blindfold. I’d like to wrap it around Landon’s neck. Looking sideways at him, imagining it, I smirk. He notices and before I can school my expression, he lifts a brow disapprovingly at me.

God! It’s as if he can read my mind.

“Now remember, no touching your partner,” Dale continues, his hand resting on my shoulder as he makes the announcement. “This is to develop good communication skills and trust, but don’t worry, we’ll switch it up in the afternoon.” Dale looks down at me and squeezes my shoulder. “I’ll alter the course while you’re on lunch and your partner can have a turn at being blindfolded.”

Landon frowns at me while we stand, leans close, and once Dale’s gone, whispers, “How do you survive the constant pawing?”

I grumble something unintelligible as he forcefully grabs the blindfold, spins my body, and puts it on me.

“The grand prize for the pair that gets the most points is a night at the Mount Royal in Banff.” He laughs. “Each of the winning pairs gets a night for two. Don’t want you purposefully losing because your partner isn’t your type.” Once again Dale wanders to me and gives my shoulder a squeeze. I can tell it’s him by the smell of his aftershave. Something cheap.

Dale goes on motivating everyone to do their best in the challenges over the weekend. “Okay now, grab your partner’s hand and we’ll head to the course. Last time you’re allowed to touch, okay?” While Landon guides me by the upper arm to the start of the course, I imagine a night with Landon in one of the rooftop mountain view hot tubs.

No, thanks, I think, but the fluttering low in my abdomen attests to the opposite.

When we finally stop and the warmth of Landon’s hand leaves my arm I allow myself a shiver.

“I’d say we’ve got this in the bag, little one, but I’ve seen firsthand how well you follow directions.”

“Stick it, giant,” I retort. The starter horn goes off and I concentrate on moving forward with my hands outstretched to feel my way.

“Keep it up and I’ll let you fall on your ass,” he says it just as I hit something hard with my shin. I hiss in pain.

“Fine! Where do I go?”

“Walk straight for twenty paces. No, maybe thirty for you, shrimp.”

“Hardee-har-har,” I say and start walking, deciding right then when it’s my turn to lead, I’m going to get him back for spanking me and letting me fall in the lake.

He instructs me well and the course is easier than I thought. The horn blares again as I jump off a ledge of some sort. Ripping off my blindfold, I see we’ve finished first and by a long shot. We’re back by the original meeting spot.

I’m about to high-five Landon when I see his back briskly walking away. “Landon?”

He only waves my empty latte cup, which he’s just picked up from the ground, and makes a show of throwing it in a trash can. God, he’s a jerk.

I watch with a snarl as he heads toward the cabins. I’m so going to enjoy knocking his arrogant ass into the lake later.

After lunch, when Landon looks at me with his fierce lagoon green eyes I’m happy to wordlessly hand him the blindfold. Even though he has no idea what I have planned, his eyes drill into mine as if he does.

Once those eyes are safely hidden, I take his hand. It swallows my smaller one and an electric zap shoots through me. I release my grip for a moment to get my bearings but his hand closes around mine tightly, making my belly squirm.

“Let’s move, Takahashi. I plan on winning this thing.”

---