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“Why does it bother you so much?” My tone is innocent, but we both know I’m needling him.
He snickers. “Because you’re obviously desperate for your father to pay attention to you. Like hell am I going to solve your daddy issues.”
Bastard. I hate what he said, but letting him know he struck a nerve is only going to prove him right. We reach the top of the stairs and he folds his arms over his broad chest, staring down at me.
I stare right back.
“Are you going to pack?” he finally asks, breaking the silence.
“I am.”
“Great.”
“Marvelous.”
“Christmas come early,” he grits before he takes a step forward. He leans in, his face close to mine, and says, “I’m going for a hike. I assume you’ll be gone when I get back.”
“Great assumption,” I retort before I head to my room.
“Unless you want to join me,” he calls out.
I stop in my tracks, brow furrowed. Slowly, I rotate and look over my shoulder. I find Gus standing right where I left him, arms still folded, staring at me with trademark focus.
“You want to hike with me?” I don’t even bother trying to hide my curiosity—no, confusion. We got into a shouting match first thing in the morning, and now he wants to hike. With me. Right now.
…Is he about to murder me?
“I’m hospitable and Montana is grossly underrated.” He curls the corner of his lip upwards into a semblance of a smile. “And I frankly wouldn’t mind watching that ass move for a bit longer.”
“You’re vile.” I roll my eyes, but my pulse—my traitorous, skanky pulse—picks up. “You have no right to my ass anymore. Get it out of your head.”
“Not my fault you went and showed it off to me,” he grumbles lowly before he closes the gap between us. “You went and put that perfect ass in the air and let me kiss it, Julia.”
“Whatever.”
“I didn’t even ask you to,” he continues, his words snaking through me. “But you loved it didn’t you? You asked for it. You begged for it. I bet a rich girl like you has never begged for anything before.”
Restraint fails me and I inhale sharply. Seeing this, he stops with his face close to mine, his mien triumphant.
“You’re much easier to rile than I thought you would be,” he comments, gaze dropping to my mouth and then back up to meet mine. “Much easier.”
“If you think you’ve gotten under my skin, you’re not half as astute as you pretend you are.”
“I’m still more astute than most,” he responds, not missing a beat—and I’m a sucker for a cocky guy.
I fold my arms, and look him up and down like I’m assessing his body. His physique is to die for—and he knows it. But I can still mess with his head.
“I’ll hike with you,” I finally decide. “I’m curious to see if you can even make it down the driveway at your age.”
“Driveway? I have a trailhead out back.”
Of course he does.
“Either way, don’t forget your walking stick,” I go on. “I’ll meet you here in a minute.”
I leave before he can respond, my heart now racing with excitement. I was supposed to be back in Boston by now. Hell, I was supposed to be back in Boston a day ago and would normally be taking an impromptu flight to anywhere to get a last-minute trip in before Christmas. I may be in Montana right now, but unpredictability always gives me a rush.
After rifling through my suitcase for anything warm, I opt for the sweater I wore during the flight over and am tugging it over my head when I meet Gus back in the hallway outside my bedroom. When he sees me, a frown rises on his face.
