Page 31 of The Mountains Edge

I climb into my truck and drive as fast as I can home to her. Home. To her. With the ring burning a hole in my pocket. Maybe tonight.

She looks up as I enter, smile brilliant. "Good meeting?"

"Better now."

She comes willingly when I pull her close. There’s no games with Daisy. She is real.

"I missed you," she murmurs against my chest.

I kiss her deeply and I pull her closer. She steps back and looks at me.

"Marcus?" She traces my smile.

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

I hold her tighter, feeling the ring press against my hip. Soon.

"Perfect."

"I love you," she whispers.

“I love you too,” I murmur before I carry her to our bed. To show her just how damn much.

Chapter 15: Marcus

"She's doing it again," Jake growls, ducking into my workshop.

Through the window, I watch Dr. Chloe Roberts gear up for another solo climb. She's got good form, I'll give her that, but Jake's right, these dawn attempts at Miller's Ridge are getting risky.

"You could always offer to spot her." I hide my smile as Jake grumbles.

"Not helping." He paces like a caged animal. "She's going to get herself killed."

"Maybe she needs a partner with her?”

He ignores that. "Temperature's dropping. There’s ice on the higher routes."

I set aside my tools. Jake wouldn't be here unless he was truly worried. "So go tell her."

"I tried. She's." He rakes a hand through his hair. "Stubborn."

"Sounds familiar."

Chloe's figure disappears up the trail, still a good hike to the peak.

"Brother." I catch his attention. "Go."

He hesitates. "She didn't ask for help."

"Neither did we, once upon a time."

That hits home. We all came to this mountain thinking we needed no one. We soon found out different. The town took us in and slowly the mountain healed us.

"Shit." He grabs his gear.

Daisy walks in as Jake walks out.

---