Page 33 of Fight

She smirked and looked off in the distance before continuing. “I’m just a lot different than them. I always have been. I love them and I know they love me, but I always feel like they wished I was more like them.”

Jake nodded in understanding. “Yeah, I’m different from my parents, too. They were both born and raised in Jameson. They don’t understand why I would want to live anywhere else. I’m also—I’m an only child and theheir apparentto the family ranch.” He added this last bit with a strong amount of emphasis as he took a sip of his tea and scowled at the ground.

“The fact that I’m here and not there…well, let’s just say when I do talk to them, that’s all I hear about.” This sounded like a sore subject to Lena. Something that was maybe a little more serious than imagining that her parents wished she loved physics more than painting.

It struck Lena then that she didn’t know much about Jake other than that he was one, damn sexy; two, terrible to her one week last summer; and three, a very good kisser. He seemed so sad and vulnerable when talking about his family and his home. She didn’t know this side of him, and just like with Daniel, her instinct was to soothe him. With Jake, she felt the best way to do that would be to make him laugh.

“I didn’t know you came from ranching folk, Jacob.” Lena had played Ado Annie Carnes in her high school’s performance of Oklahoma, which she channeled as she looked at him from under her lashes before fanning herself exaggeratedly. “Why I do declare.” She took a dainty sip of her tea.

His solemn face broke into a chuckle as he looked at her over his shoulder. “What kind of accent is that?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t that how cowgirls talk? What do I know though? I’m just a drama kid from the ‘burbs.”

He shook his head back and forth a few times with an amused look of disbelief coloring his face. “So much funnier than I thought you’d be, Helena.”

“And you’re so much more serious than I thought you’d be, Jacob.”

A comfortable silence fell over them as they finally stopped smiling at each other and looked toward the yard for a couple of beats as the cool breeze washed over them. “So,” he finally said. “Last night.”

“Yes. We kissed.”

“We did. How do you feel about it?”

Taken aback, Lena considered the question. She really didn’t know how she felt about it. She knew she'd liked it. She knew she wouldn’t mind doing it again. But she and Jake had gotten a rocky start. How did she reconcile their past experiences and move forward with him in a…romantic way? But she could honestly say that with all the guys she’d drunkenly kissed, none of them had ever sought her out to talk about it the next day. It was kind of nice that he seemed to be taking this pretty seriously and not just as a drunken hook up.

“I feel confused, honestly. But—‘’ Lena’s heart sputtered as she considered saying this next part. She was entering into vulnerable territory laying herself bare with this confession. “I kind of want to do it again.” She squeaked the words out and looked down at the ground when she said them. Her body was on fire and her heart felt like it was bungee jumping.

She felt him lean in closer, but couldn’t bring herself to look up at him. He radiated warmth and smelled like soap and Jake pheromones.Whatever that is. Lena internally rolled her eyes at herself, but her insides celebrated at being close enough to get a whiff of him.

“I think I could accommodate that.” The words came from him gruffly. She finally looked up then, a questioning look on her face. The pupils of his hazel eyes were dilated and his cheeks had small patches of red on their crests. His lips looked full, and were slightly parted.

Unable to stop herself, Lena leaned over and caught his mouth with hers. She drew him toward her as they kissed. He tasted like those Jake pheromones and iced tea. They kissed like this for a while, not touching anywhere but their mouths. It felt sweet and sincere. Not the alcohol-driven heat from the night before.

She finally pulled back and locked into his eyes, only inches from his face. “Beat you to it,” she said in a barely-whisper.

He smiled then.Joy and appreciation spread on his face slowly as he pulled back to look at her more fully. Lena felt like she was looking at him with hearts in her eyes. He was so beautiful, such a good kisser, and so mature; he actually wanted to talk to her after drunkenly making out with her? Had she ever been with a guy who—

“So you’re not going to do this hike, right?” He was leaning back again and looking at her from underneath furrowed brows.

Lena felt like he’d thrown a bucket of cold water over her. Where had that come from? The warm glow she'd felt was now replaced by the same confusion from when she had initially sat down. “Huh?”

“You’re not going to hike Dalak with—Daniel?” He spat the name out. Wow, he really didn’t like him, huh?

“Um, yeah, I’m definitely going to do it. Daniel and I were texting about it this morning.”

Daniel had originally texted that morning to ask if she was okay since she’d disappeared so suddenly the night before. She’d shrugged her disappearance off as a result of a long work week and too many glasses of wine. When he’d asked her if she was serious about hiking Dalak with him, she’d been surprised at how honest she was in replying she was definitely on board. Now that she lived in Conrad, she felt like pushing herself to experience new things and challenge herself. And she’d actually learned a thing or two from Hell Hike; specifically, how to dress and pack for a trip like that, so she felt better prepared for this particular excursion.

Jake’s face turned to stone as he glared at Lena and pulled back from her a couple of inches. “You’re going to go spend the night in the woods with that guy? You barely know him.”

“No.” Lena drew the word out slowly. “That would be crazy. I did a little research this morning and you don’t have to camp. You can get up and down the Kodiak trail in six hours—Daniel was telling me about it. The camping bit is only necessary if you go around the mountain the long way and you can camp in the Desperate Forest—what kind of name is that for a forest by the way?” She laughed halfheartedly, trying to get him back in good humor.Weren’t we just kissing a few minutes ago?

Jake’s eyes turned stormy as he spoke slowly like she was an uncooperative child.“The Kodiak trail will kick your ass, Lena. It’s rough and remote. Six hours is optimistic and really only an accurate estimate for someone in peak physical shape.” He looked her up and down briefly and Lena narrowed her eyes at it. She didnotlike what that look communicated.

“You don’t think I can handle it?” She felt like she had swallowed a dollop of cement and it was settling in her veins, hardening her resolve.

“I just think you should stick to something more your speed,” Jake returned, his tone turning a bit more placating.

“Like what? Bonbons and manicures?”

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