Page 51 of Broken on the Mountain
"I hate that I can't bottle this," she whispers.
"I know." I bump her nose with mine, unsure whether she means the moment, the waterfall, or her emotions from the week she's had. "But we'll keep finding it. Every weekend."
"Chase, I don't usually tell people about my problems." She looks up at me, and for a moment, her guard dips completely. "Idon't talk like I did with you up there. Like I did with you last night. Ever since I was little, I just had to… deal with it. Suck it up, like I was some kind of ungrateful little rich girl."
"I know." I kiss her forehead, her nose, her lips. All of her. "But I'm glad you did. And if you need to, you can do it again."
She shivers against me, breath puffing in the cold air. "You don't think we should stick to the rules? Friends with benefits… the... no-strings thing."
For a second, that old fear punches me.
She’s reminding you where you stand, Morrison. A temporary pain relief for her wounded world. Not enough for the long haul.
But then I remember her laugh echoing off these rocks, the way she trusted me enough to jump without question.
"Yeah," I say softly. "Maybe. But we're still friends, right? And friends can want good things for each other. Want them to be happy. Even if it's just... on weekends."
Her eyes search mine, the roar of the falls wrapping around us. She leans in, her cold nose brushing my jaw.
"Yeah," she whispers. "You're right. Friends do want that."
She shivers again, and I pull her closer, wrapping the flannel tighter. "Good. Because I've got a surprise for tonight. Our last night together before you have to leave again."
Already?! She's leaving again… already?!
Her eyes start to sparkle. "Oh yeah? Another steamy shower before one of Charlie's amazingly dirty burgers?"
I shake my head, grinning. "Nah. Way better than that."
"Better than a dirty burger? Tread carefully, soldier, you're setting yourself up for failure."
"Trust me. You're gonna like this surprise."
Chapter Eleven
Piper
The gravel crunches beneath Chase's truck tires as we wind down the mountain road.
I'm still shivering from our impromptu polar plunge at Silver Falls. My hair's damp beneath my beanie, and I'm wrapped in his flannel like it's a security blanket.
"Where are we going?" I ask for the third time.
"You'll see."
"That's not an answer."
"I told you. It's the only answer you're getting."
The trees part, and suddenly we're pulling into a parking lot. I glance out the window and see a sign forFox Hollow Lodge.
My breath catches. "Chase..."
"Don't freak out yet. Wait till you see inside."
The building is cute, with honeyed timber and dark stone stretching lengthwise down a long drive. It's nestled into the mountainside like it's been here for centuries.
Chase pulls the truck up outside a reception office where the windows glow with warm light, and smoke curls from the main chimney against the darkening sky.
