Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 93400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“I accept.”
With a quick sweep of her tongue over her lips, she replied, “Good.”
After ten minutes of snapping photos, I turned to see Greer sitting on a large boulder, her legs pulled up and her chin resting on her knees. She was staring off at something in the distance, and I quickly took advantage and snapped a few pictures of her. When she caught me, she laughed, and I took one more. A part of me wanted to pull up the digital photo and look at it, but I stopped myself. I already knew it would be my favorite shot of the day.
“If you’re up for another climb, I want to show you something that will catch your breath even more than the sights you’ve seen so far,” she said.
I motioned with my hand for her to lead the way. We climbed up a rather steep trail, forcing us both to be extra cautious.
“You need to wear spikes in the winter if you want to see this view,” Greer said with a giggle when she slipped and I caught her arm.
Once we reached the top, I let out a whistle. “You were not kidding around. Wow. I’m so glad it’s a clear day out.”
Off in the distance were mountain ranges that seemed to kiss the blue sky. I lifted my camera and took a few shots, then dropped it so I could simply take it all in.
“I bet if you could manage to get your laptop up here, you could get lost in writing with a view like this,” she said.
I nodded.
“That’s Kinsman Ridge and Mount Moosilauke to the west.”
“I could sit up here for hours,” I whispered, staring out at the wonder of nature.
After a few moments of silence, I turned to look at Greer. She was completely lost in her surroundings. The look of pure happiness on her face made me envious. It wasn’t like I wasn’t happy with my life, but a part of me knew that something was missing, and I had no clue what it was.
Greer knew exactly what she wanted, and she went for it when she purchased Turning Pages. I admired her so much for going after her dream. I couldn’t help but wonder why she was hesitant on publishing the book she wrote. What fear was holding her back? She’d already done the hard part, putting words to paper.
She drew in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and slowly exhaled. I watched her closely, deciding that she needed more days like this. As much as she loved her bookstore, Greer needed to take more time for herself. It was clear she enjoyed being outside, and that this wasn’t the first time she’d hiked this trail.
I suddenly wanted to know if she’d hiked it with another man. An old boyfriend, maybe? The thought left a sour taste in my mouth, and I found myself clenching my fists tightly, but I had to know.
“How often have you been up here?” I asked.
Her eyes opened and she turned to face me. “Maybe four times. Once with my parents and brother. Once with Candace, who bitched the entire time, then declared she was getting married in this very spot when we finally got up here.” She laughed at the memory and rolled her eyes. I had a feeling Candace was one of those friends who kept you on your toes.
“And the other times?” I pressed.
She lifted one shoulder casually. “Kyle, I guess.”
“Your brother?”
Greer nodded. “Yes. He’s big on hiking and has been all over these trails, knows them like the back of his hand. As a matter of fact, sometimes he volunteers to help find lost or injured hikers. Worries my mother to no end. It’s something he loves to do, though, so she doesn’t nag him too much about it.”
I had to force myself not to smile, knowing I was the only man besides her brother and father who had shared this with her.
She looked back out over the view—and I decided I was done pretending like we were simply friends. If I was going to kiss her, this was the place to do it.
I stepped closer and she looked up at me.
Brushing an errant piece of hair away from her face, I asked, “Do you know what I want to do now?”
She caught her lower lip with her teeth as she shook her head. My dick jumped in my pants at the sight of her lip turning white where she was digging into it. God, no woman had ever made me feel the way I did around her. I could practically feel my heart beating throughout my entire body.
Her lip slipped free and she asked, “What?”
I placed my hand on the side of her face, loving how she instinctively leaned into my touch. “I want to kiss you, Greer.”