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I huff out an indignant breath. "I must have misplaced it somewhere between the corporate mergers and client meetings.”
Stylz chuckles. "Well, we'd better get it back, then."
Before I can puzzle out what he means, Stylz bends and sweeps me into his arms in one fluid motion, cradling me against his chest. I let out an undignified squeak of surprise that quickly melts into breathless laughter as he easily strides across the rickety bridge.
"Put me down, you caveman!" I demand without any real conviction, unable to keep the smile from my face.
Stylz just grins down at me, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "What, you'd rather risk breaking an ankle?"
"Better that than being manhandled by a mountain man!" I try for an indignant huff, but it comes out more like a breathless giggle.
He gently sets me down on the bridge's far side, his hands lingering at my waist a beat longer than necessary. "There. All in one piece, princess."
I roll my eyes but can't deny the thrill that shoots through me at his touch, at the casual endearment that should grate on my nerves but somehow doesn't. Clearing my throat, I bend to slip off my shoes, reveling in the feeling of the cool dirt between my bare toes.
"That's more like it," Stylz remarks with an appreciative sweep of his gaze. "You look way more comfortable now."
"Don't get used to it," I quip, tossing my hair over one shoulder. "This is just temporary insanity."
But even as the words leave my lips, I can't help but savor the simple pleasure of being barefoot in nature, surrounded by the crisp scent of pine and wildflowers. It's freeing, in a way my regimented city life rarely allows.
We continue along the trail, my steps lighter and more confident now. Stylz keeps pace easily, his rangy frame exuding a casual grace that makes me wonder just how at home he must feel out here.
Eventually, the trail opens up to a breathtaking vista—a grassy plateau dotted with wildflowers, offering an unobstructed view of the jagged peaks and snow-capped mountaintops in the distance. I come to an abrupt halt, drinking in its sheer, rugged beauty.
"Wow," I breathe, unable to tear my eyes away. "It's like something out of a painting."
Stylz steps up beside me, so close that the sleeves of his flannel brush against my bare arm. "You should see it at sunrise," he murmurs, his deep voice sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. "The way the light hits those peaks... it's like the whole world is on fire."
I turn to look at him, caught off guard by the unexpected poetry of his words. His gaze is trained on the horizon, but there's a softness to his expression, a sense of reverence and appreciation that I've never seen from him before.
In that moment, I glimpse the man beneath the bravado and teasing remarks—a man deeply attuned to the wild beauty surrounding him, a true steward of these mountains. And something inside me seems to shift.
Like a door I didn't even realize was closed is finally creaking open, just a sliver.
Stylz must sense my regard because he tears his eyes away from the view to meet my gaze head-on. There's an intensity there that steals my breath, an unspoken yearning that has nothing to do with the scenery and everything to do with the sudden, heated tension sparking between us.
My lips part on a shaky inhale as he steps closer, lifting one hand to brush a stray curl away from my face. I should step back, put some distance between us before this goes any further. But I'm rooted to the spot, caught in the pull of his stare.
"Delilah..." he breathes, so softly it's nearly swallowed by the whisper of the wind.
His phone rings, the shrill tone shattering the heavy silence and the tense moment.
Stylz curses under his breath, pulling away to fish the device from his pocket. "Yeah?" His voice is a low rumble as he answers the call.
I exhale a ragged breath, my heart still pounding as I try to regain my composure. What the hell just happened? Our tryst in the bar bathroom was supposed to be a one-time fling, a moment of reckless abandon before returning to reality. I can't be developing actual feelings for this man.
This sudden longing, this bone-deep yearning... it has to be temporary insanity brought on by the crisp mountain air and Stylz's rugged charm.
Doesn't it?
He ends the call and slips the phone back into his pocket, regarding me with an inscrutable look. "That was the florist. She's got the centerpieces ready for us."
"Oh." The word comes out sounding smaller than I'd intended, almost disappointed. I clear my throat, squaring my shoulders in a feeble attempt to regain my dignity. "Well, I suppose we should head back then."
He nods, already turning to lead the way back down the trail. But there's a lingering heat to his gaze that suggests our earlier moment is far from forgotten.
The walk back is quiet, the only sounds our footsteps crunching through the underbrush and the occasional birdcall piercing the stillness. I trail slightly behind Stylz, needing the space to sort through the tangled mess of thoughts and emotions swirling inside me.
