Page 19 of Mountain Trial

“It’s beautiful,” he replied, his gaze on the soft lines of her body. He’d never met anyone like her, so strong and at the same time so vulnerable. Had he been standing, he would have been almost a head taller than her. As it was, she had to look down at him to speak to him.

“It’s chilly,” she said, shivering.

Without thinking, Luc did something he’d never done with anyone else before―he opened up his arms and reached out, pulling her gently towards him. He watched, as if in a dream, as she came to him, curling up onto his lap. Her weight felt insubstantial, of course, but her scent and presence overwhelmed his senses―the feeling so strong, he almost felt whole again.

Luc held himself very still as Kat leaned down towards him, as if looking to burrow her face in his neck. At the last instant, however, she raised her face and their lips met in gentle exploration. Lips still closed, Luc inhaled Kat’s sweet breath, memorizing her lips with his own.

Then her mouth opened, seeking more. Luc stopped thinking and gave himself leave to explore the inside of her mouth. They kissed until his lungs reminded him he needed to breathe, and even then only stopped for a brief instant before their mouths met again.

No kiss, before or since his injury, had ever felt like this.

Luc looked down, unsurprised to see an erection tenting his pants, right where their bodies met. She must have felt it too, for she looked down at that exact moment. She sat up straighter on his lap, a look of hesitation crossing her face.

Now it’s my turn to apologize.

“I’m sorry,” Luc said, even though there was nothing he could have done to stop it from happening.

“What are you sorry about?”

“I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable,” he said. He released his hold on her, only just stopping himself from begging her to stay. “I don’t want to upset you.”

Kat lifted herself off his lap. Luc felt the loss keenly, even if his legs didn’t. Although her expression softened, the worried look remained in her eyes. “I’m not upset. I’m … surprised, I guess.”

“That you’d want to kiss a man in a wheelchair?”

Her mouth opened, her lips still shiny from his kiss.

“No. That I’d want to kiss a man,” she said softly.

Now it was his mouth that dropped open.

“You’re …”

“No. Not that, either.” She gave a short, mirthless laugh. “I’m not explaining this well. I just haven’t been with anyone for a long time.”

Chapter 8

Luc

Luc nodded, though he wasn’t quite sure he understood what Kat was saying.

Is she trying to let me down easy?

He could see she needed space, however. His hands went down to his wheels, ready to pull himself back. Before he could move, however, her smaller hands went over his.

“Do you live nearby?” she asked softly. “Or, we could go to my place.”

Luc inhaled sharply. He didn’t want to go to her place. Knowing his luck, she probably lived in a fourth-floor walk-up. Luc could do stairs, but not easily. His ground floor apartment was safer.

Saying goodnight now would be safest.

His brain smothered that thought quickly. He wanted to spend as long as possible with her, and consequences be damned.

“My place is five minutes away,” he said, surprised by how gruff his voice sounded.

“Lead the way, then,” she said, giving him a small smile. “I’m turning into an icicle here.”

Although walking with somebody else was often awkward, Kat kept pace with his wheelchair as if she’d been doing it her whole life.