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“Good morning, gorgeous,” I say and plant a soft kiss on her lips. “Is this okay? Me kissing you?”
A huge smile spreads over her face. “More than okay.”
I kiss her once more before pulling away and opening my truck door for her. We drive to the trailhead parking lot, which will take us to the spot where Isabella’s backpack was found years ago. It’s going to be quite the hike, but we’ve got more than enough time to get there, investigate, and return.
“Oh, shit,” Harper says when I cut the engine.
“What’s wrong?”
She points to the bench at the trailhead where a figure is hunched over, lacing up his boots. “That’s Clive. The guy Mrs. Jenkins described as creepy, remember?”
My eyes narrow as I take in his appearance. “You think he had the same idea as us?”
“Fuck. We can’t let him get the scoop. I mean, everyone deserves success, but all Clive ever does is ride on other people’s leads and conclusions. He’s never comes up with his own theories, never does any of the grunt work himself. He’s a leech.”
I shoot Harper a determined look, my jaw set. “Leave it to me. I know these woods like the back of my hand. We’ll shake him off.”
“Thank you, Titan,” she says in a relieved voice. “Not just for doing this for me, but for everything.”
“Everything?”
She fiddles with the seam of her shirt. “For kissing me. For making me feel alive again.”
“I love kissing you. And if you let me, I won’t ever stop.”
Her eyes meet mine with a mix of surprise and excitement in them. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I’ve always been in love with you, Harper. Seeing you again brought all these unrequited feelings back. I can’t live without you. I want us to be together.” I run a hand through my hair and level her with a look that I hope says I mean what I’m telling her. “I love you.”
A small gasp leaves her mouth as she processes my words. “You love me.”
“I do.”
She licks her lips and grins. “I’ve been in love with you, too, Titan. When I came back here, I was hoping I’d run into you because I also can’t imagine spending my life without you.”
“You don’t know how much those words mean to me, Harper.”
I pull her closer and kiss her, but it’s kind of hard to do in the confined space of the truck. The gear shift pokes in my thigh. I don’t give a shit, though. Harper loves me, too, and I get to kiss her. I get to call her mine from now on. That’s worth more than a little comfort.
A knock on the window makes us both jump. I angrily turn to see who has the audacity to interrupt this magical moment. It’s Clive. Jesus fucking Christ.
Harper smooths her clothes before getting out. I’m about to say something, but she’s fierce and determined. No one messes with my girl, that’s for sure.
“What do you want, Clive?”
“Are you guys heading to Cliff Point, where Isabella’s backpack was found? I thought we could go together,” the guy says.
“Sorry, buddy, we’re going into the woods for a steamy make-out session. The last thing we want is a peeping tom. If you want to go to Cliff Point, I suggest you take another trail there. This one is only for experienced hikers, which you clearly are not,” I tell him as I cross my arms over my chest.
His gaze flicks to the muscles in my upper arms, and he swallows. “Okay. So where should I go?”
“Figure it out for yourself, Clive. My boyfriend and I are not your tour guides,” Harper says.
He walks away with slumped shoulders. We wait until he’s out of sight before starting the trail.
“Are we really going to make out on the mountain?” Harper asks with a twinkle in her eye.
My dick twitches at the mere thought. “I hope so, but first things first. We’ve got your scoop to think about.”
