Page 100 of The Quit List
“I wanted to be prepared in case you hated hiking and were in crisis mode.”
This freaking man, I tell you.
“How in the hecking heck did you get a McDonald’s milkshake up here?!”
He grins. “Let’s just say it required some forward thinking, a Yeti, and a lot of ice.”
“That’s…” Probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. “Wow. Thank you, Jax. You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”
I wrap my arms around him in a fierce hug, and he immediately pulls me closer, holding me tight against him.
“Anytime, Hollywood,” he says into my hair as I bury my face against his chest and breathe him in. I can’t get enough of this kind, wonderful, completely unexpected man who has turned my life upside down.
“I’m so glad you brought me on this hike.”
“You’re always welcome to join me. Always.”
As he pulls back to look at me, I can tell by the expression on his face that everything in him means it. He’s enjoying every moment of this adventure together as much as I am.
35
JAX
“Oh, my gosh, Jax! Look!”
Holly clutches my arm, but instead of looking at where she’s telling me to look, I instead peek down at her.
After three days in the backcountry, her cheeks are red and wind-burned, her lips—devoid of their usual pink gloss—are chapped and dry, and (most of) her hair is arranged in a sloppy braid (the rest of it is flyaway wisps framing her head like a halo).
And dammit, she’s never been so beautiful as she is right now.
She catches my stare and puts her hands on her hips. “What?”
“Just curious whether you think you’re spying another Sasquatch, Hol.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “I hope not. One was quite enough, thank you very much.”
“Glad to hear it,” I say with a wink, and enjoy the way her cheeks redden as a result.
It’s hard to believe that the sun is now setting on our last full day of hiking. Tomorrow, we pack up and head back to the cabin.
I find I’m almost homesick. Which isn’t unusual—I tend to feel this way every time I’m leaving the backcountry. This is something else.
Before Holly, I’d head out into the wilderness on my own and feel like nothing was missing. I was content alone. Now that I’m out here with her, everything feels more vibrant, bright, and beautiful.
It’s been a wonderful few days. The two of us have fallen into the most natural, easy rhythm that’s both comfortable and exciting at once. Seeing a route I’ve walked so many times through Holly’s fresh eyes has renewed my excitement for what’s to come with guiding, while giving me a whole new appreciation for this beautiful part of the world. We’ve talked, laughed, cuddled and bantered together for three full days, and each morning, I wake up in my tent beyond excited to see her, to tackle the day together.
It’s undeniable that I’m falling for Holly. Hard and fast. No point in fighting it—it’s happening with a force I could never resist. Would never want to resist.
I don’t remember the last time I felt this good. And looking at her now, in the dim glow of the early sunset, with her eyes sparkling and her body language relaxed… she’s giving off an overall sparkle of warmth and happiness that confirms she’s loving this as much as I am.
Tomorrow, we go back to reality, but I don’t want to think about that right now. Don’t want to think that whatever this is between us could ever stop. If I know one thing for sure, it’s that, for me, this is so much more than just “kissing practice” .
Not that she needed any practice in the first place. Because kissing her (which I can confirm, we’ve been doing plenty of over the past few days) is unlike kissing anyone else. In fact, I don’t know how I’ll ever desire to kiss anyone else.
But what this all is for her, I’m not sure. For now, I want to focus on what’s left of today. Focus on being with her and feeling like we’re in our own world with nobody around for miles.
“Seriously, Jax, look! People!”