Page 3 of His Untamed Craving

Daisy Delgado, in the flesh. And damn if she doesn't look surprisingly legit in that snug harness cinching her hips, an overstuffed pack on the ground at her feet.

"You made it."

Those rich brown eyes flash with a hint of defiance as she slings her pack back over one shoulder. "You sound shocked. Did you really think I'd flake on an opportunity like this?"

Truth is, I figured that bold invitation back at the shop would be enough to scare her off. But here she stands, all wild curls and tanned curves, bright-eyed and raring to go. Clearly, this woman isn't just all talk.

"Can't say I'm not impressed by your commitment, Delgado. Most sane people run in the opposite direction when they hear the words 'Fang' and 'weekend climb' in the same sentence."

"Yeah, well, sanity was never really my strong suit," she shoots back with a wry grin, not missing a beat.

An unexpected spark of intrigue flickers through me at her quick-witted retort. This woman is full of surprises, that's for damn sure—a stark contrast to the stereotypical thirst traps and attention-seekers that usually come sniffing around for an interview.

Before I can dwell further on that curious dynamic, I arch a challenging brow. "You know, there's still time to back out. Once we hit that approach trail, you're in for a hell of a brutal couple of days."

Rather than looking intimidated at my thinly veiled attempt to scare her off, Daisy's eyes only blaze hotter. In two strides, she's directly in front of me.

"I didn't come all this way just to tuck tail and run, Croft." That delicious lower lip pulls between her teeth for the briefest moment as she holds my stare.

Christ, this woman's audacity is making me rock hard.

I rake my eyes over her from head to toe in a blatant show of sizing her up. "You've got a serious pair on you, Delgado. I'll give you that." Leaning in just a hair closer, I lower my voice to a gravelly murmur. "But we'll see how long that swagger of yours lasts out on the mountain with me. No cameras or hashtags to hide behind out there."

A charged silence stretches between us, the air practically crackling with unspoken challenge. Then, finally, Daisy breaks into one of those devilish grins.

"Ooh, you really know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you?" She takes a step back, giving me an exaggerated once-over right back. "I can't wait to spend some quality time together in the wild."

With a wink and a toss of those wild curls over her shoulder, she turns and heads toward the nearby food truck without another word, leaving me standing there like an idiot as I try to process that loaded statement.

Shaking my head, I trail after her, still not sure whether to be impressed by her boldness or annoyed by her brashness. One thing's for damn sure—this climb just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

The aroma of fresh coffee and greasy breakfast fare hangs thick in the air as we join the cluster of other climbers and day hikers fueling up at the basecamp's food truck. Snagging a couple of stools at the counter, we settle in with our provisions.

I tear off a hunk of the dense protein bar, and my gaze drifts sideways to study Daisy, who's shoveling down a breakfast burrito like there's no tomorrow.

Shaking my head, I take a long pull from my canteen.

"So what's a social media darling like you doing out here anyway?" I ask, genuinely curious. "Seems like an awful lot of risk for internet fame."

Daisy lets out a low chuckle, licking a stray smear of salsa from the corner of her mouth. "Who says anything about internet fame?"

My brows furrow slightly at her cryptic response. "Then why put yourself through this?"

For a beat, she's quiet, seemingly weighing her words. When she does speak, there's a newfound seriousness in her voice. "Let's just say... it's for a good cause."

A good cause?

Before I can press further, that playful spark returns to her gaze. "But don't worry, you'll get the full story soon enough." She leans in conspiratorially. "Just like I will."

Clearing my throat roughly, I tear my stare from those full, pouty lips and focus back on the matter at hand. "We'll see about that." I shove the rest of the bar into my mouth, buying myself a few extra seconds to regain my composure. "But first, you've gotta prove you can actually hang out there."

She rises, grabbing her pack and slinging it over her shoulders with an effortless grace that makes me rethink my assumptions about her experience level. "Then let's quit jawing and get moving."

With a cocky grin and a saucy wink, she spins on her heel and marches off down the trail.

I stand there like an idiot for a few beats, torn between annoyance at her brazen overconfidence and reluctant respect for her audacity. With a rugged chuckle, I hoist my own pack and set off after her.

The first couple miles pass in a steady, grueling rhythm as the trail gains elevation, switchbacking up through a dense tangle of spruce and pine with the occasional boulder field thrown in to keep us on our toes. I set a punishing pace, determined to push Daisy's limits and see if she's legit.